A court in Japan has rejected a claim by a group of Ainu people that they have the indigenous right to catch salmon in a river in the northern prefecture of Hokkaido.
The Sapporo District Court handed down the ruling on Thursday. The Raporo Ainu Nation of Urahoro Town filed the suit against the state and the Hokkaido government four years ago.
The Ainu once populated a wide area of northern Japan. This was the first lawsuit filed in the country by Ainu people to confirm their indigenous rights.
Japan's law on the protection of fishery resources and other legal provisions prohibit salmon fishing in rivers without permits.
The group urged the central and local governments to recognize that the law does not restrict their right to catch salmon over a 4-kilometer stretch from the mouth of the Urahoro-Tokachi River.
In the trial, the plaintiffs argued that salmon fishing in the river is an indigenous right established by Ainu tradition and customs dating back hundreds of years. They said it is also internationally recognized as an inherent right.
The state and the Hokkaido government said salmon fishing in rivers is banned in principle to protect fishery resources.
The defendants had asked for the group's claim to be turned down, saying it had no legal grounds.
The ruling said it is difficult to recognize that a certain group has an inherent property right to exclusively conduct fishing in a river even if the scope of such activity is limited.
The plaintiffs plan to file an appeal.