Ainu Ethnicity: Debates

What exactly are the Ainu?  There have been a lot of debacle between their genetic relations between certain European groups.

Sutherland claims that the Ainu's appearance resemble that of Caucasoid type.  The Japanese frequently refer to their indigenous neighbours as "hairy Ainu" because of the amount of hair the Ainu grow on their body (in comparison to Asians who don't have much body hair) (Sutherland, 1948).


Now, the widely accepted hypothesis about the Ainu is that they are proto-Caucasians (Sutherland, 1948).


Again, this book was written way back when (1948 is quite a looong time ago) and is not up-to-date by any means.  This view is no longer in use.

Sutherland, I.L.G.
1948 The Ainu of Northern Japan.  The Polynesian Society (57)3: 203-226.