Naomi Osaka not the only mixed-race or minority Japanese who’s made it big
People of mixed descent or from ethnic minorities often face discrimination in Japan. The achievements of these five people, however, are redefining the national identity
While Japan celebrates Naomi Osaka’s defeat of Serena Williams in the US Open final to become the first Japanese tennis player to win a Grand Slam singles title, the biracial tennis prodigy is also challenging what it means to be Japanese in a racially homogeneous country.
The term for mixed-race in Japan is hafu, which comes from the English word “half”. Those with Japanese and Caucasian parents have typically been welcomed, especially in the country’s entertainment industry. People of African or other Asian descent, however, have faced discrimination.
We look at Osaka and four other bicultural personalities whose achievements have come to redefine the Japanese identity.
Naomi Osaka
The 20-year-old tennis player shot to stardom after beating Serena Williams on Saturday in a controversial match that saw Williams penalised for a heated exchange with the umpire.
Japan has, however, embraced the victory. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe congratulated Osaka on Twitter and praised her for bringing some encouragement to a country plagued by severe weather events this summer, including typhoons and an earthquake.
Osaka was born in Japan to a Japanese mother and a Haitian father. The family moved to the US when she was three and her father began training her and her sister to play tennis. She now holds dual Japanese and American citizenships.