This curriculum unit introduces students to the topic of minority identity issues in the context of Japanese society, and it is expected that teachers will use this as an opportunity to segue into classroom discussions of minority issues in their own society. The curriculum unit broaches some sensitive and controversial topics that challenge students to examine their own identities and reflect on their feelings and experiences with racial tension and intergroup conflict. In the unit, students learn about four groups of people living in Japan: the "burakumin," Koreans, Ainu, and Okinawans. Lesson 1 sets the context for the entire unit by familiarizing students with minority issues on a general level, starting with notions of identity. Lesson 2 further investigates concepts of identity by placing these notions in the context of real-life situations and events. Lesson 3 examines the nature of Japan's historical legacies that have affected the identities and experiences of its minority-group populations. The final part of the lesson debriefs the entire curriculum unit by leading students into a discussion about minority groups on a general level. Handouts, activity cards, and transparencies are part of each lesson, and extensive reference lists conclude the unit. (BT)