“Japan is changing”. This is how media tells in Japan. I was born and raised in Japan and speak fluent Japanese. Until I was eighteen years old, I just knew only one foreigner who was my English teacher in my high school and I have never meet people who are mix-race with Japanese. Japanese call them “Hafu” which projects an ideal; English ability, international culture experience, and different body structures—long legs, big eyes, or high tone hair color. In the TV show, there are many Hafu TV performers. They often emphasize the image of fashionable, talented, and celebrities. The appearance of Hafus in the media has provided the basis for a strong image of hafu Japanese. Therefore, I had a wrong idea that hafus are lucky people to live in
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The title was “Can a Hafu represent Japan?”. Ariana Minamoto, who has a beautiful smile and a calm self-confidence, was crowned Miss Universe Japan in 2015. Japanese media paid attention to her not because of her beauty, because of her skin color. She was born and raised in Japan and speaks fluent Japanese as same as me. However, Japanese see her as a foreigner and an outsider because she has black skin color, longer legs, and bigger eyes. She is a hafu with a Japanese mother and an African-American father. After Ms. Miyamoto won her right to represent Japan on the global stage at the international Miss Universe pageant, many Japanese had a hard time accepting her as Japanese. Minamoto said, “I don’t think the equivalent word for hafu exists overseas, but in Japan you need it to explain who you are”. Japanese media reports local people’s strong opinion. For example, “She represents Japan! Being hafu is irrelevant.” and “I didn’t know Miss Japan doesn’t have to be pure Japanese… What a shock!” I read this articles from the American yahoo news. The American journalist tells that how Japanese has a strong stereotypes. Minamoto said, “I think the Japanese like to stereotype. But I think we need to change that.” I agree with her opinion. I’m glad that she has fought her stereotypes and showed her straggle to Japanese media. It was not easy thing to have done. I believe that Minamoto’s victory has brought big difference in
The title was “Can a Hafu represent Japan?”. Ariana Minamoto, who has a beautiful smile and a calm self-confidence, was crowned Miss Universe Japan in 2015. Japanese media paid attention to her not because of her beauty, because of her skin color. She was born and raised in Japan and speaks fluent Japanese as same as me. However, Japanese see her as a foreigner and an outsider because she has black skin color, longer legs, and bigger eyes. She is a hafu with a Japanese mother and an African-American father. After Ms. Miyamoto won her right to represent Japan on the global stage at the international Miss Universe pageant, many Japanese had a hard time accepting her as Japanese. Minamoto said, “I don’t think the equivalent word for hafu exists overseas, but in Japan you need it to explain who you are”. Japanese media reports local people’s strong opinion. For example, “She represents Japan! Being hafu is irrelevant.” and “I didn’t know Miss Japan doesn’t have to be pure Japanese… What a shock!” I read this articles from the American yahoo news. The American journalist tells that how Japanese has a strong stereotypes. Minamoto said, “I think the Japanese like to stereotype. But I think we need to change that.” I agree with her opinion. I’m glad that she has fought her stereotypes and showed her straggle to Japanese media. It was not easy thing to have done. I believe that Minamoto’s victory has brought big difference in