NAGASAKI – Education minister Bunmei Ibuki said Sunday that Japan is an “extremely homogenous” country, a type of comment that in the past has drawn criticism.

In 1986, Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone described Japan as a “homogenous race” nation and faced strong criticism, mainly from Ainu indigenous people.

Speaking at a convention of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s chapter in Nagasaki Prefecture, Ibuki said, “Japan has been historically governed by the Yamato (Japanese) race. Japan is an extremely homogenous country.

“In its long, multifaceted history, Japan has been governed by the Japanese all the way,” Ibuki said in a 40-minute speech on education reform. Ibuki is minister of education, culture, sports, science and technology.