Editing Ryukyuans (section)

=== Challenging the notion of ethnic homogeneity in Japan===
The existence of the Ryukyuans challenges the notion of ethnic homogeneity in post-WWII Japan. After the demise of the multi-ethnic [[Empire of Japan]] in 1945, successive governments had forged a single [[Japanese identity]] by advocating [[monoculturalism]] and denying the existence of ethnic minority groups.<ref name="Eiji Oguma 2020"/> The notion of ethnic homogeneity was so ingrained in Japan that the former Deputy Prime Minister [[Taro Aso]] notably claimed in 2020 that "No other country but this one has lasted for as long as 2,000 years with one language, one ethnic group and one dynasty". Aso's comment sparked strong criticism from the Ryukyuan community.<ref name="Eiji Oguma 2020">{{cite news|title=「麻生発言」で考えた…なぜ「日本は単一民族の国」と思いたがるのか？|newspaper=[[Mainichi Shimbun]]|date=February 5, 2020|last=Oguma|first=Eiji|author-link=Eiji Oguma|url=http://mmdesign-jpn.la.coocan.jp/shoko/oguma15.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017061006/http://mmdesign-jpn.la.coocan.jp/shoko/oguma15.htm|archivedate=2021-10-17}}</ref>