The RealTalk. Episode #3 “Being mixed Black and Japanese in Japan” that I moderated is now available.
Episode 3 of RealTalk. dives into what it’s like to grow up and navigate life in Japan as a biracial Black and Japanese person. Three women — Saki, Lei, and KTea — speak on their personal experiences growing up and living in Japan, time abroad in the US, and their observations about Japan’s views on mixed identities and the infrastructure which contributes to these views. All from their perspectives and through their own experiences.
Watch in full or in parts
Part 1: https://youtu.be/gIbbuSdasRo
Introduces the guests and springboards into life in Japan as a biracial woman. Here they touch on numerous aspects of biracial identity: childhood, comments from family and strangers, “standing out” vs. “fitting in” and the different values the US and Japan puts on these, “othering”, stagnance vs. tradition or culture, and infrastructure in government and education which influences people’s lives and views.
Part 2: https://youtu.be/AZpxpwVzDjU
Asks how growing up in Japan influenced each guest’s identity, as well as what it means to be “Japanese”. The guests compare Japanese and American culture, pinpointing aspects of each that seem to be at odds with each other, and they express their exasperation with being asked to choose one background over the other. Societal and familial pressures are brought up, along with diversity within a mixed family, and mixed people being embraced in Japan only after success. All women convey some things they wish Japanese people would consider, be aware of, and try to understand.
Part 3: https://youtu.be/jI76Rji27do
Kicks off with the guests’ take on the term “hafu.” They discuss how they grew to understand the word’s use and nuance, and compare it to the term “mixed.” More importantly though, they note the importance of respecting people’s preference in how they identify themselves. Host Jay also asks for the guests’ perceptions of how things in Japan have changed since the murder of George Floyd and BLM going global as a movement. They also touch on BLM’s relation to Stop Asian Hate. Finally, they discuss their hopes for Japanese society in the future, emphasizing the importance of education.
Part 4: https://youtu.be/ccK5zyyPuBg
Guests speak on relating experiences of racial profiling by Japanese police, and thoughts on the question, “Where are you from?” which insinuates that mixed Japanese people aren’t Japanese.
Presented by Black Lives Matter Tokyo, RealTalk. is a web-based educational series that aims to explore the topics surrounding racism and systemic injustice in the US, Japan and around the world. In each episode, we will engage in important conversations around breaking down stereotypes, achieving racial equity, embracing inclusion and many more. Real lives, real thoughts, RealTalk.
It would really help us out if you could watch, like, and share these important conversations. Thank you!