News Ainu symbol: ASDF accused of cultural appropriation

The ASDF's Second Air Wing, based in Chitose, Hokkaido, unveiled the new logo on Dec. 1 to be displayed on the vertical tail wings of its aircraft. It features a brown bear's head, a bird's feathers and an arabesque design, with the central section using spiral patterns and diamond shapes. According to an expert, the chosen design overlaps with the "basic shape of Ainu patterns." An ASDF representative said the design was decided based on ideas from the Second Air Wing members. Before announcing the logo, the Second Air Wing referred the design to related organizations such as the Ainu Association of Hokkaido, a public interest incorporated association based in Sapporo, and the Patent Office. It confirmed there would be no problem with using the design, according to the representative, who said the logo was "newly created as a motif in keeping with the logo creator's impression of and respect for Ainu culture." But there was no mention of the Ainu in the Second Air Wing's news release materials. After the announcement, an Ainu man set off a debate on social media when he tweeted that the logo is an "appropriation of Ainu culture."

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In 2019, a law to promote policies related to the Ainu people was enacted, legally recognizing them as indigenous people in Japan. But the law has been criticized for falling short, and the Ainu continue to struggle for autonomy. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, established in 2007, states that indigenous people have the right to manage and protect their traditional cultural expressions of indigenous people.

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