Hafus is what they call the Amerasians in Japan. Haafu is an English word for “half.” While calling someone hafu is somewhat acceptable, others believe the term implies “racial impurity” and that only the "half-Japanese" is of any significance (Otani 4). On the other hand, despite their “impure blood,” the presence of the hafus in the Entertainment industry “has led to a glamorized, exotic image (especially those who have Caucasian features) of the Japanese with mixed ancestry” (Otani 5). However, those who have African-American ancestry are viewed as culturally inferior. For instance, Ariana Miyamoto, the first half-black and half-Japanese woman, who won the title of 2015 Miss Universe Japan. Instead of celebrating her crown, Miyamoto has been finding the need to defend it. Miyamoto
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One person on Twitter posted, “I didn’t know Miss Japan doesn’t have to be pure Japanese . . . What a shock!” Nevertheless, on her interview with Roxana Saberi, Miyamoto says, her “appearance isn’t Asian . . . [however], she feels very much Japanese inside.” Miyamoto says the criticism of her racial background was not a big a surprise at all. In fact, growing up in Japan, she had experienced it at first hand. She says, as a child, she was constantly being ridiculed, bullied and was even called Kuronbo (a Japanese N-word), and her best friend—a haafu just like her, killed himself in part because he couldn't bear being treated as a "foreigner" in his own land. According to Miyamoto, the death of her friend inspired her to join the pageant to raise awareness about the challenges of the biracial individuals living in Japan. She says, “[she] would like to do [her] best for people who are having a hard time as hafus . . . [and she would like] to become someone who can encourage [those] who have some sort of complex and who are hurting or considering suicide because of it” (Saberi par.
One person on Twitter posted, “I didn’t know Miss Japan doesn’t have to be pure Japanese . . . What a shock!” Nevertheless, on her interview with Roxana Saberi, Miyamoto says, her “appearance isn’t Asian . . . [however], she feels very much Japanese inside.” Miyamoto says the criticism of her racial background was not a big a surprise at all. In fact, growing up in Japan, she had experienced it at first hand. She says, as a child, she was constantly being ridiculed, bullied and was even called Kuronbo (a Japanese N-word), and her best friend—a haafu just like her, killed himself in part because he couldn't bear being treated as a "foreigner" in his own land. According to Miyamoto, the death of her friend inspired her to join the pageant to raise awareness about the challenges of the biracial individuals living in Japan. She says, “[she] would like to do [her] best for people who are having a hard time as hafus . . . [and she would like] to become someone who can encourage [those] who have some sort of complex and who are hurting or considering suicide because of it” (Saberi par.