Discrimination of Biracial Peoples in Japan

Japan is a country much acclaimed for its advancements, developments and progress in technology over the past century, however it is also a country that still fails to confront the issue of racial discrimination within their society. This discrimination, however, is not only toward non-Japanese peoples but also includes people of Japanese ancestry; particularly those with one Japanese parent and a non-Japanese parent, commonly known in Japanese as "hāfu" (ハーフ, "half"). The racial discrimination within Japan today is "reminiscent of the segregation-based atmosphere of 1950s America", making it a social issue that not only affects Japan's relationship with the citizens of the world, but also within their own communities.

History

Racial Superiority in Japanese Culture

The Japanese have always viewed themselves to be ethnically superior, especially from other Asian races, since the beginning of Japanese colonialism, which essentially is the reason for Japan's involvement in World War II. For example, The Greater East Co-Prosperity Sphere was a "pseudo-political and economic union of Japanese dominated Asian and Pacific territories during World War II", where they hoped to "create a self-sufficient bloc of Asian nations led by the Japanese and free of Western powers". This way of thinking has been passed down through many generations, known as Yamato-damashii (大和魂, "Japanese spirit"), a "Japanese language term that refers to the cultural values and characteristics of the Japanese people" that heavily advocated the idea of Japanese racial supremacy. These ideas and values have become a part of traditional Japanese culture, which creates a better understanding of the reasons for Japan's struggle for racial equality in modern society.

Biracial Japanese Children

A book written by Walter Hamilton about half-Japanese children that were produced during the US Occupation.

The origins of half-Japanese children in Japan can be traced back to as early as the mid-17th century, when Japan came in contact with foreigners such as the Europeans for trading purposes, especially the Dutch. As relationships between the Japanese and foreigners were strictly forbidden, their biracial offspring were often "exiled from Japan". However, the population of half-Japanese children quickly increased after the Second World War during the American Occupation of Japan, where it is said that an estimate of "5,000 to 10,000 babies had been born to American servicemen and Japanese women by 1952". These babies were often abandoned by their parents: their American fathers returning back to the US after their service and their Japanese mothers often still living in poverty, where they are unable to raise a child, as well as their fear of unacceptance by their communities by raising and producing a "hāfu" child.

Origins of ""Hāfu""

The exact English translation of the Japanese term "hāfu" is "half". This word in itself creates the notion of a person who is not 'whole' and therefore an outsider in society. This term puts heavy "emphasis on "blood impurity" and the obvious separation of the half-Japanese from the majority of Japanese", where for this reason, even "hāfu's" are not considered and socially accepted to be Japanese.

However, the term "hāfu" was actually created to replace the term "ainoko", which means “child [born] between [parents of different breeds],” i.e., “betweener” or “cross” or “hybrid.” Today, the term "ainoko" is considered "a discriminatory word when used toward people, but some people still use it in the vernacular to describe hybrid (haiburiddo ハイブリッド) designs and animals".

Hāfu in Modern Japanese Popular Culture

Models

Although half-Japanese children have had a difficult time fitting into society in the past, in 1967 in the issue Kindai Ega it was "reported that Japanese show business was experiencing a “konketsu tarento buumu” (mixed-blood talent boom)". The reason for this is related to the US Occupation of Japan after World War I. During this occupation, the Japanese remained submissive over the American's, which naturally created a sense of "whiteness" and a racial hierarchy. White facial features became to be considered beautiful. Therefore, "hāfu" people became the epitome of beauty in Japan as while they still had Japanese features, they also had white features, making them more "exotic looking".

Miss Universe Japan 2015

In 2015, Ariana Miyamoto, whose mother is Japanese while her father is African American, was crowned Miss Universe Japan. Miyamoto has since experienced racial abuse from other Japanese citizens as well as the media. The reason for this being that "she isn't Japanese enough to represent Japan", as she is "only "hāfu"".