Annexation of Hokkaido.
- “Japanese settlers started moving into Hokkaido in the 15th Century and gradually pushed the Ainu north. They brought infectious diseases and so Ainu populations fell. "
Post Meiji Motives
- "” … The development of Japan’s large northern island had several objectives: First, it was seen as a means to defend Japan from a rapidly developing and expansionist Russia. Second … it offered a solution to the unemployment for the former samurai class … Finally, development promised to yield the needed natural resources for a growing capitalist economy.""
- Russian christianization threat [A1, A2, A3, GB].
- Heathen traditions that have some organization tend to do better at holding back the unmadas (e.g. shinto, ourselves, taoism etc). The more unorganized seem easy prey as illustrated by the Nagas, Mizos, Africa etc.
Colonisation
- “Ainu land was redistributed to Japanese farmers. Ainu language was banned and children put into Japanese schools. Japanese names became compulsory.”
- The ainu population was small to begin with + disease + intermarriage + discrimination means they were wiped out as a distinct group in short order.