Sept 17, 2021 (Reuters) by Will Dunham – An analysis of ancient DNA is transforming the understanding of the genetic ancestry of Japan’s modern-day population, identifying a crucial contribution from people who arrived about 1,700 years ago and helped revolutionize Japanese culture.
Research published on Friday showed that the people of Japan bear genetic signatures from three ancient populations rather than just two as previously thought – a more complex ancestry for the archipelago nation of roughly 125 million.
Previously documented genetic contributions were confirmed from two ancient groups. The first was Japan’s indigenous culture of hunter-gatherers dating to roughly 15,000 years ago, the start of what is called the Jomon period. The second was a population of Northeast Asian origins who arrived at about 900 BC, bringing wet-rice farming during the subsequent Yayoi period.
Modern Japanese possess approximately 13% and 16% genetic ancestry from those two groups, respectively, the researchers determined.
But 71% of their ancestry was found to come from a third ancient population with East Asian origins that arrived at roughly 300 AD to launch what is called the Kofun period, bringing various cultural advances and developing centralized leadership. These migrants appear to have had ancestry mainly resembling the Han people who make up most of China’s population…