The Nov. 8 editorial “A shameful statement on Ainu” reminded me of my experiences overseas and made me think of living in peace with differences.
Any time I am traveling or staying in another country, one of the most often asked questions I get is “Could you explain Ainu people, please?” I am ashamed to confess that I have not been able to answer the question very quickly and in a convincing way, since I am ignorant about their language, culture and history.
Since I am Japanese, people overseas try to learn something about Japan through me. And when I began saying that Japan is a homogeneous country, then friends start asking about the Ainu. They have taught me that if we look at Japan very closely, it would be correct to say that Japan is heterogeneous.
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