Ainu minority files lawsuit against gov't on salmon fishing rights

A group of Ainu, an ethnic minority in northern Japan, filed a lawsuit Monday against authorities to grant them exemption from ban on commercial fishing of salmon in rivers.While Japanese law stipulates that the Ainu are an indigenous people, it does not guarantee their self-determination and other tribal rights, with the government citing there are no Ainu tribes.The suit, filed with the Sapporo District Court against the central and Hokkaido governments, is the first such lawsuit by Ainu people to confirm their indigenous rights.Salmon fishing in rivers is illegal under the law on the pro…READ FULL ARTICLE