Mr. Sashima Masaki, chairman of Raporo Ainu Nation, sadly passed away on February 6, 2024, due to illness. He was 73 years old.
Mr. Sashima led the successful initiative for the return of Ainu ancestral remains for research purposes, suing Hokkaido University, Tokyo University, and others in 2014. He also served as a member of the Urahoro town council. A leading figure in the Ainu Indigenous rights movement, since 2020 Mr. Sashima had been involved in a lawsuit against the governments of Hokkaido and Japan demanding recognition of the Ainu’s Indigenous right to freely catch salmon from the Urahoro-Tokachi River. The outcome of that case is still pending, with a verdict expected to be delivered on April 18, 2024.
AinuToday member Michael J. Ioannides is grateful to have had the opportunity to meet Mr. Sashima three times in 2023. His courage and determination in the face of injustice will be long remembered. AinuToday sends its deep condolences to Mr. Sashima’s family and friends.
