Reggie_Perrin It was part of Japan, or at least, it was a piece of Japan, like Hokkaido that the Japanese stole from the indigenous Ainu tribes and forced them to be Japanese. The Ainu have a mixed gene-pool, both western and Asian. Meaning their people could look European, or mixed. Of course the Japanese tried to wipe them all out for not looking Japanese, as they tend to have a habit of doing. Ainu has a distinct culture, and sad to read that only 10 people speak Ainu fluently. They are known for being a hardy bunch with some beautiful art, especially fabric designs
But anyway, on to the fact, the Ainu are one of the only three original indigenous people of Japan. The people you now consider to be Japanese are actually visitors from Korea and China.
