ABSTRACT
After the adoption of the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) in 2007, the Government of Japan recognised the Ainu as an indigenous people in 2008, and it began developing the Ainu policy. However, the policy focuses on individual rights and cultural promotion, failing to implement UNDRIP. In this situation, private standards, notably forest certification, are increasingly paid attention to because the mechanism requires forest managers to respect the rights of indigenous peoples outlined in UNDRIP. With this in mind, the study will discuss the implications and challenges of forest certification in relation to the Ainu indigenous rights in Hokkaido, particularly the 2012 revision of Principles and Criteria of Forest Stewardship Council. It will take a close look at newly added requirements on UNDRIP, identification of indigenous peoples, and the right to free, prior and informed consent. Through this analysis, the study will clarify that the revised standard could improve the relationship between the Ainu and forest managers. However, by considering the current situation of the Ainu, the study will also point out the necessity of careful audit process, further effort in working on the Governmental policy and the increase in auditors’ familiarities with indigenous rights.
