Abstract: In the late 1990s, the construction and widespread dissemination of the concept of “indigenous peoples” in Japan marked a process where the rights of the indigenous Ainu people, such as human rights, freedom, culture, and tradition, gradually became incorporated into its domestic legal protection framework. In contrast to the concept of “aboriginal peoples”, which aims to showcase the independence and superiority of the Yamato ethnic group, the concept of “indigenous peoples” is recognized and respected as an independent ethnic cultural community in a country and society that acknowledges cultural diversity, presenting a progressive aspect. The fundamental purpose of Japans construction of the concept of “indigenous peoples” is to enhance national identity by reconstructing multicultural identities in the modern context where national identity is deeply influenced by the process of globalization.

Key words: Japan, indigenous peoples, multicultural coexistence, national identity