Mixed race students in Japanese schools

Hi all,

My wife (Japanese) and I are planning to move to Japan in the future and she is a bit worried that our child would not be accepted or would be bullied/teased at school because he is mixed race. She insists that it will be necessary for him to attend an international school. I know that it really depends on a lot of things (the kids, the teachers, how diversified the area is, our son's attitude) but for those of you in this situation what has your impression been? Are Japanese schools hostile towards Japanese-foreign mixed kids? :?

Thanks for any replies!

Any thoughts from those with families in Japan?

I'm not trying to bash Japan or start a flame war if that is what people are worried about.

Any helpful and/or insightful replies are welcome.

So far I have not had any problems with my kid in kindergarten or first grade of elementary school, and I have not heard any bad reports whatsoever from several friends with kids slightly older. Most of us are caucasians, and one is black.

As you said, it is case by case. If your wife insists on an international school, be prepared to pay dearly for it!

Our girls are 17 and 21 now, born and raised here. They were both in local daycare (保育園) from about ten weeks to elementary school age, attended a local mission school for elementary, then switched to public JHS and then tested into the SHS of their choice. The older one is now a chemical engineering major at a kansai uni. The second has similar dreams...

Still, how old is yours--that could be important. I'd suggest that racial/hapa is far less important than language & social skills. Younger/very young probably means it'd be easier; already school age (depending on j-lang ability) might make me stop and think; hard to say about whether relocating to mega-city (with int'l schools) vs something small or more rural might be easier. Female might be easier than male. Maybe.

Thanks for the responses guys! He is only 4 weeks old and we are going to do our best to raise him to be bi-lingual. I have heard that the international schools are expensive and they are only located in the big cities and that is one reason I wanted to ask. We are hoping to live in the Kansai region and if we can manage it in on around Nara city.

Thanks again!