Latest news with #MasaruOkawa
Yomiuri Shimbun
21-05-2025
- General
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Remains of 3 Ainu People Return from U.K.; Erimo, Urakawa, Kushiro Region Remains Were Held at University of Edinburgh
The Yomiuri Shimbun Masaru Okawa, left, executive director of the Ainu Association of Hokkaido, speaks at New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido. CHITOSE, Hokkaido — The remains of three Ainu individuals, which had been held at the University of Edinburgh, have returned to Hokkaido from the United Kingdom. Masaru Okawa, executive director of the Ainu Association of Hokkaido, and his delegation arrived at New Chitose Airport on May 3 after traveling to the United Kingdom to receive the remains. 'I can only imagine our ancestors' thoughts after spending so many years in a foreign land. I believe they are pleased to return home,' he said. The three sets of remains, which are said to have been found in Erimo, Urakawa and the Kushiro region, were reportedly donated to the University of Edinburgh by a doctor from Scotland. Upopoy (the Symbolic Place for Ethnic Harmony) in Shiraoi, Hokkaido, will manage them, while the remains from the Kushiro region, subject to a repatriation request by a local organization, will be returned to the region upon completion of procedures. The handover involved six members of the association, including Okawa, who traveled to the United Kingdom. A repatriation ceremony took place there. 'There have been reports that the remains [of Ainu individuals] are stored in eight countries, including the United Kingdom. If arrangements can be made, we want to go and retrieve our compatriots and ancestors as soon as possible,' Okawa told reporters at the airport.
Asahi Shimbun
05-05-2025
- General
- Asahi Shimbun
Remains of three Ainu people returned from Britain to Japan
The traditional Ainu ritual of Kamuynomi is performed at the Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park in Shiraoi, Hokkaido, on May 3, after Ainu people's remains are returned from Britain. (Yuto Ota) SHIRAOI, Hokkaido—The skulls of three Ainu individuals were returned from Britain to Hokkaido, the third repatriation of the indigenous people's remains from overseas. So far, eight sets of Ainu remains have been moved back to Japan. Kamuynomi, a traditional Ainu ritual of offering prayers to gods, was performed at the Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park here on May 3 after the skulls returned by the University of Edinburgh were stored in the Memorial Site at the facility. Masaru Okawa, executive director of the Ainu Association of Hokkaido, described the remains as 'our brethren and ancestors.' When he received the skulls at a ceremony at the University of Edinburgh on April 30, Okawa said he thought, 'At long last, we have been able to come to greet them.' He added, 'I was filled with a desire to rightfully take them back to where they were born and raised and console their souls in a dignified manner.' Remains of the Ainu, who inhabit the northern part of the Japanese archipelago, mainly Hokkaido, were collected by domestic and overseas institutions for research purposes. In previous repatriations, the remains of an Ainu individual were brought back from Germany in 2017 and four more from Australia in 2023. The total number of Ainu people's remains that were taken out of Japan is still unknown, said Hirofumi Kato, a professor of indigenous archaeology at Hokkaido University's Center for Ainu and Indigenous Studies. He said the three skulls returned from Britain are only a small part of them. Japan has also been calling on Britain to return three Ainu remains preserved at the National History Museum in London. The skulls were kept at the University of Edinburgh's Anatomical Museum, according to the Ainu Policy Promotion Headquarters of the Cabinet Secretariat. A catalog of the museum's collection indicates that the specimens derive from the present-day Urakawa town, Erimo town and Kushiro area. The remains will be placed in the Upopoy Memorial Site until they are taken over by organizations in Hokkaido. A group in the Kushiro area has applied for taking custody of the skull from the area. According to the University of Edinburgh, the remains were donated to the university in 1913 by Neil Gordon Munro, an anthropologist and doctor who provided free medical care to the Ainu community in the town of Hiratori in Hokkaido. Kato said the remains of indigenous populations were collected around the globe for research purposes from the 18th century, largely without consent from those concerned. He said calls from indigenous groups have led to gradual repatriations to their rightful owners, although some institutions are reluctant to give up what they consider research materials. The University of Edinburgh returned the skulls of four indigenous individuals to Taiwan in 2023. In a statement, Principal Peter Mathieson, who attended the April 30 repatriation ceremony, said, 'Repatriations are part of the university's important ongoing work to review its colonial past, and we are committed to returning remains in our care to their rightful descendants.'
The Herald Scotland
04-05-2025
- General
- The Herald Scotland
Universities show there are two types of long-term thinking
Masaru Okawa said the Ainu community continues to campaign to restore their ancestor's "honour and dignity," having recovered remains from three continents in the past decade. A large part of the community's story of marginalisation is told by these and the many other scattered remains of Ainu individuals who were used as subjects of study in the 19th and 20th centuries and are still in exile around the world. In 1913, Scottish anthropologist, physician, and Edinburgh graduate Dr Neil Gordon Munro donated three Ainu skulls to the University of Edinburgh. No records exist to say why, or how he came to possess them, although he lived among the Ainu as a doctor in his final years. Whatever the initial circumstances, however, universities have different responsibilities in 2025. Professor Sir Peter Mathieson, Mr Okawa Masaru, Executive Director, Ainu Association of Hokkaido and Mr Matsuura Katsumi, Director General and Head of the Comprehensive Ainu Policy Office, Cabinet Secretariat, signed the formal repatriation certificates before the skulls were officially returned to their community.(Image: Neil Hanna) The University of Edinburgh has recently been in the spotlight as it looks to cut costs and stave off any potential financial crisis like what some other institutions are facing. Union leaders have hit out at the university tobsay the cuts are unnecessary given the institution's financial health. The university contends that it is taking a long view: financial stability may deteriorate in only a few years and making decisions with an eye to the future could prevent bigger problems. Having an eye for the future is one of the obligations a major institution needs to shoulder. But this week's repatriation serves as a reminder that responsible long-term thinking can also mean looking to the past. 'We can only imagine the feelings of our ancestors' It was a reverent atmosphere in McEwan Hall on Wednesday as Masaru Okawa and the Ainu delegation took possesion of their ancestors' remains. Principal and Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Peter Mathieson, Masaru Okawa and representatives of the Japanese Government formalised the handover of the skulls. The ceremony may have marked the culmination of the university's role in the story, but Masaru Okawa said the work for his association continues. 'We can only imagine the feelings of our ancestors who spent many years in foreign lands, but we believe they are pleased to return home.' However, Masaru Okawa said that there are still unaccounted-for remains scattered across the globe and that the association will continue working to return them all to be interred with 'honour and dignity.' 'We don't know the exact figure of how many Ainu remains are still scattered around the world, but we do know that there are many. 'We sincerely hope that all of our ancestral remains, which have been scattered around the world for research purposes, will be brought back to the original places and original people where they belong. 'We are committed to continuing to honour the spirits of our ancestors with dignity, following the traditions handed down through generations. I hope other countries will follow the University of Edinburgh's actions so we can bring back all these remains from around the world.' Ainu Association of Hokkaido representatives Katsuyoshi Uji, Okawa Masaru, Tetsuya Ogawa conducted a traditional ceremony and held a private viewing of the Ainu skulls prior to the official handover. (Image: Neil Hanna) Prioritising the rights of humans The University of Edinburgh has a long history as a leader in anatomical research. This reputation was particularly high in the 19th and 20th centuries, and contributed to many now-scrutinised acquisitions of remains and artefacts from around the world. Its historic collections house roughly 13,000 anatomical artefacts. More than 1,800 of those are skulls, and many were brought to the university during the colonial period under the direction of William Turner, one of its former Principals and Professors of Anatomy. Although it is likely that the Ainu skulls were donated for research purposes, the current Chair of Anatomy, Professor Tom Gillingwater, said that there are no records of how the three Ainu skulls first came into Dr Munro's possession or exactly why he sent them to the university. Among the delegation from Japan were multiple news outlets, and reporters were particularly interested in what kind of research the skulls were part of. Prof Gillingwater said he could not point to any specific research or studies to which the Ainu skulls contributed. In 2018, the university conducted an inquiry of its collection, cataloguing the remains it holds and where they originated. Following that, the university increased its efforts to repatriate remains where possible, building on work that began 75 years ago when Edinburgh carried out what some believe to be the first repatriation from Scotland. Professor Sir Peter Mathieson hands over one of the Ainu skulls to Mr Okawa Masaru, Executive Director, Ainu Association of Hokkaido. (Image: Neil Hanna) Prof Gillingwater has been helping lead the university's attempts to repatriate remains to their ancestral homes for years. He said the long-running project is a mixture of 'proactive and reactive' efforts to 'prioritise the rights of the humans that we are working with.' 'These are human remains. It is a human activity to care for, to look after them, and that is always the forefront. In this instance, it is really clear that the remains should be returned to their homeland and their community, and that trumps any research. 'An awful lot of repatriation activities need to remain private, particularly when the communities we speak to demand that that is the case. When we get to the point of a repatriation such as the one we are celebrating today, where the receiving community, the Ainu community, wish to have an open public awareness of that, we are delighted to share that.' Balancing the weight of history Edinburgh is one of many institutions across the UK currently grappling with its ties to colonialism and the Transatlantic slave trade. Read more: Prof Mathieson said he was 'proud' that the university has prioritised repatriation. When asked how much more valuable it is to build or repair relationships with communities like the Ainu than it is to keep remains for research purposes, he said universities must work to balance their teaching and moral responsibilities. 'The university takes its responsibilities as a centre of teaching and research very seriously. This is a 442-year-old university, so over the centuries we have much to be proud of in the way we increase knowledge and have transmitted that knowledge to other generations. 'But there does come a time, and a certain realisation, that in the modern era our responsibilities perhaps should be more shifted to indigenous populations and people who have the rightful claim on these remains. 'And so we are very responsive if we think there is a genuine need to return remains. 'We take our teaching responsibilities very seriously, but we also have a moral, cultural and historic responsibility to return these remains to their rightful place.'
Western Telegraph
30-04-2025
- General
- Western Telegraph
University returns ancestral skulls to Ainu people of Japan
The remains, which have been held at the University of Edinburgh's Anatomical Museum for more than 100 years, were returned to the Ainu Association of Hokkaido during a formal ceremony in the city. An indigenous group who predominantly inhabit the Japanese island of Hokkaido, members of the Ainu community held a traditional service at the university before the formal transfer of the skulls. The Ainu lived in self-governing villages across northern Japan for centuries, maintaining a separate language and distinctive culture from the rest of the population. On their return to Japan the skulls will be interred at a memorial site established in the Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park, in accordance with Japanese government guidelines. The remains were donated to the university in 1913 by anthropologist Neil Gordon Munro, a Scottish-born physician and Edinburgh graduate. Dr Munro worked as director of the General Hospital in Yokohama for the majority of his career and lived in Japan until he died in 1942. He was believed to be one of the first Westerners to write extensively on and make records of Ainu culture. We can only imagine the feelings of our ancestors who spent many years in foreign lands, but we believe they are pleased to return home Masaru Okawa, Hokkaido Ainu Association The Ainu were marginalised and subjected to studies in the late 19th and early 20th century, with remains and cultural artifacts taken and displayed or used for research in Japan and further afield. Masaru Okawa, executive director of the Hokkaido Ainu Association, said: 'Since it became clear that Ainu remains were taken both domestically and internationally for research purposes, our association has been advocating for the return of these remains to their respective regions and for respectful memorialization. 'We can only imagine the feelings of our ancestors who spent many years in foreign lands, but we believe they are pleased to return home. 'We are committed to continuing to honour the spirits of our ancestors with dignity, following the traditions handed down through generations.' Professor Tom Gillingwater, chairman of anatomy at the University of Edinburgh, said: 'Repatriations are an important part of the university's efforts to care for, and address, its historical collections. 'Rather than being viewed as a diminishment of the university's collections, they represent an important opportunity for the university to work with communities across the world in order to build new relationships and friendships. 'We are honoured to have been able to play a part in returning these remains to the Ainu community.' Professor Sir Peter Mathieson, the university's principal and vice-chancellor, said: 'It has been a privilege to welcome representatives from the Ainu community and to work with them during this process. 'Repatriations are part of the university's important ongoing work to review its colonial past and we are committed to returning remains in our care to their rightful descendants.'
Evening Standard
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Evening Standard
University returns ancestral skulls to Ainu people of Japan
Masaru Okawa, executive director of the Hokkaido Ainu Association, said: 'Since it became clear that Ainu remains were taken both domestically and internationally for research purposes, our association has been advocating for the return of these remains to their respective regions and for respectful memorialization.
