Ainu Remains from U.K. Museum Brought Back to Hokkaido

Chitose, Hokkaido, May 8 (Jiji Press)--The remains of seven Ainu indigenous people, returned to the Japanese side from the Natural History Museum in Britain, arrived at New Chitose Airport in the northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido on Friday.

"I am moved to tears that we could bring them back to Hokkaido," Masaru Okawa, executive director of the Hokkaido Ainu Association who received the remains in London, told reporters at the airport.

Four of the seven sets of remains were discovered in the Hokkaido towns of Yakumo and Mori in 1865 and the remaining three sets were discovered in the Chishima island chain off the coast of the prefecture.

It was the fourth case in which Ainu remains taken overseas for research and other purposes have been returned to the Japanese side.

The returned remains will be housed at a memorial facility at the Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park in the Hokkaido town of Shiraoi.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]