Are there many non asian Japanese growing up and living in Japan?

[pinson27]

Just curious about this. People say there's still not as many foreigners in Japan but there are some like you guys who live there. Then you may have sons and daughters born in Japan but who are not asian.

Are there many and how do they feel psychologically living in a society where most are Japanese are Asian?

 

[Half-n-Half]

Demographics of Japan - Wikipedia
"Ethnic Groups: 99.4% Japanese and 0.6% other, mostly Korean (40.4% of non-Japanese), some Chinese and Filipinos. Ainu, Ryukyuans and hisabetsu buraku constitute native Japanese minority groups. Japan is one of the most homogenous countries on the planet, and although there have been many claims (mostly conjecture) about the Japanese being of a mixed background, nothing has been proven.
Foreign Citizens: More than 2.5 million (possibly higher because of the illegal immigrants), 14.9% up in five years. North and South Koreans 1 million, Chinese 0.5 million, Filipinos 0.5 million, and Brazilian 250,000 with others like Peruvian, American, Canadian, British, Indonesian, Thai, African, Iranian, Russian, and other nationals."


So not very many foreigners (Japan has a population of roughly 150 million, or half that of the U.S). As for how the children of foreigners feel, I'm sure they feel like they are Japanese. Speaking for myself, I was born to a Japanese mother and American father, yet I still consider myself American and know I would be considered a gaijin in Japan. I have heard stories though of children in Japan born to foreign parents who are made fun of in school because they might have "funny" names or look different. I don't know how common this is, so don't quote me on it.

 

[Ewok85]

(Japan has a population of roughly 150 million, or half that of the U.S)

Wow, that is rough - last I heard it was "roughly" 130mil, really 127~8million.

 

[Half-n-Half]

Yea, those numbers sound more accurate. I must have gotten excited when typing up my response .

 

[GaijinPunch]

It is rare to see white kids. They are generally children of:

1: Bankers
2: Diplomats
3: Missionaries

Group 1 often marry Japanese. 2 and 3 are more likely to import their spouses.

There's a few caucasion kids running around my neighborhood, but there are far more half.

 

[pipokun]

Don't worry your sons or daughters are 2nd generation, born and educated here, after all.
The 1.5 generation who came here with their parents may be an issue we have to tackle with.

 

[Mike Cash]

Just curious about this. People say there's still not as many foreigners in Japan but there are some like you guys who live there. Then you may have sons and daughters born in Japan but who are not asian.

Are there many and how do they feel psychologically living in a society where most are Japanese are Asian?

I just realized that being an American you may think that, as in America, citizenship in Japan is based upon being born in the country. It isn't.

Familiarize yourself with the difference between "jus soli" and "jus sanguinus" and perhaps you'll have a bit better idea why the sort of situation you postulate either doesn't exist at all or is extraordinarily rare.

 

[diceke]

http://www.f-marinos.com/topteam/members/players_fw20.php
He's a Japanese, born and bred in Japan, but is non-Asian. Others are mostly "hybrid".☝

 

[Mike Cash]

He's a Japanese, born and bred in Japan, but is non-Asian. Others are mostly "hybrid".

How did he acquire Japanese citizenship?

EDIT:

I answered my own question with Wikipedia:

Mike Havenaar - Wikipedia

He became a naturalized citizen in 1994.

 

[Glenn]

According to wikipedia:

日本リーグのマツダSC監督だったハンス・オフトに誘われた父が、そのマツダSCでプレーしている時、日本で生まれた。母も元はオランダ人（1994年に一家共々日本国籍を取得したため、オランダ系日本人となっている）で、陸上の7種競技でオランダチャンピオンになった経験を持つ。

For the non-Japanese-reading crowd, it says that his dad came to Japan and played for Matsuda SC after being invited by the then coach, and during that time he was born. His mom is also Dutch, and in 1994 the whole family acquired Japanese citizenship.

 

[Elizabeth]

According to wikipedia:

日本リーグのマツダSC監督だったハンス・オフトに誘われた父が、そのマツダSCでプレーしている時、日本で生まれた。母も元はオランダ人（1994年に一家共々日本国籍を取得したため、オランダ系日本人となっている）で、陸上の7種競技でオランダチャンピオンになった経験を持つ。

For the non-Japanese-reading crowd, it says that his dad came to Japan and played for Matsuda SC after being invited by the then coach, and during that time he was born. His mom is also Danish, and in 1994 the whole family acquired Japanese citizenship.

Actually she's Dutch, though, from the Netherlands, which makes him Dutch lineage Japanese, whatever that implies...

 

[Glenn]

Ah, crap. I knew I should have checked on that. Couldn't remember which adjective that sounds nothing like "Holland" is used to describe people from there in English. I'll edit it.

EDIT:

I answered my own question with Wikipedia:

Mike Havenaar - Wikipedia

He became a naturalized citizen in 1994.

So my effort was for naught. Well, actually I did find out that "Mazda" in Japanese is ﾆ筑ﾆ団ﾆ胆, which I find pretty interesting.

 

[Mike Cash]

But in order to get any sort of population of non-Asian Japanese citizens, it will require people such as Havenaar to marry non-Asian spouses, pass on citizenship through jus sanguinus, and then have those kids repeat the process.

I don't look to spot this happening in sufficient numbers for anyone to notice.

 

[pinson27]

Mike Cash, thanks for the info. Wow, that's kind of odd and weird. Actually now that i think about it. that Jus sanguinus is kind of a racist theory. Why wouldn't you recognize someone who speaks Japanese and is raised in Japan. Man, that's sick.

 

[pipokun]

that Jus sanguinus is kind of a racist theory.

I think it is just a matter of your choice.
An old woman who marryed an American about 40 or 50 years ago and living in Hawaii said something like... "I want to vote, so I won't be naturalised in the US." I wish I would give her millions of ballots.

Another story

Vietnamese economist's success story in Japan
http://www.thanhniennews.com/features/?catid=10&newsid=25327
Tran Van Tho is a former economic advisor to the Japanese government, head of a major Japanese bank's ODA assessment committee, and professor at two prestigious Japanese universities.
...
He retains his Vietnamese citizenship. Even in the desperate times soon after the war he refused to consider Japanese citizenship, which would have brought him plenty of benefits.
But having a Vietnamese passport was not easy either. Once, he and two other colleagues were invited to Europe for a conference. While the others got their visas easily, his took several weeks despite the official invitation.
Then, on arriving in the country, he was delayed for a long time, simply because of his Vietnamese passport.
For all that, unlike some of his compatriots, he was not ashamed of his Vietnamese tag.
"Our country has to develop to earn respect."

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

Wow, that's kind of odd and weird. Actually now that i think about it. that Jus sanguinus is kind of a racist theory. Why wouldn't you recognize someone who speaks Japanese and is raised in Japan. Man, that's sick.

It's not odd, weird, or sick. It's just different from the U.S.A.

And Japan is not alone.
Jus sanguinis - Wikipedia

 

[Mike Cash]

Mike Cash, thanks for the info.

I'm sad that I had to be the source of it. I thought that sort of thing was taught at junior high school.

Wow, that's kind of odd and weird. Actually now that i think about it. that Jus sanguinus is kind of a racist theory. Why wouldn't you recognize someone who speaks Japanese and is raised in Japan. Man, that's sick.

Nothing racist about it. Havenaar's kids, even if he marries a white woman, are eligible for Japanese citizenship through their blood relation to a Japanese citizen (Havenaar himself).