Ariana Miyamoto, who will represent Miss Japan in the Miss Universe pageant, speaks fluent Japanese, was born and raised in Nagasaki … and is apparently “not Japanese enough.”
Miyamoto, whose father is African-American, had to spend her first television experience apologizing to reporters because she does not “look Japanese.” She assured the media that there were “many Japanese things about her.”
Many people across the country are expressing their doubts that a “hafu” (the term for someone who is biracial) could represent Japan, with some on Twitter asking questions like, “Is it okay to select a hafu to represent Japan?” and “Because this is Miss Universe Japan, don’t you think hafu are a no-no?”
Some have said that she does not “look Japanese” and that her face is “too gaijin,” meaning “outside person.” A few are even complaining that Japan is not getting a “pure-blooded Japenese” girl to represent Japan.
Leave a Reply