Ariana Miyamoto may not seem Japanese, but her mannerisms and behaviour suggest otherwise. Miyamoto is this year's Miss Japan, and shockingly, is acknowledged way more by foreigners rather than her own people. The reason for this is very simple; Miyamoto is biracial, and identifies as a "hafu", a Japanese word taken from the word "half". She was born to an American father and a Japanese mother, but she knows little of her father's home back in Arkansas in the US.
"If it was not for the word hafu, it would be very hard to describe who I am, what kind of person I am in Japan," she says.
"If I say I am Japanese the reply would be: 'No, you can't be'. People will not believe that. But if I say I am 'hafu', people agree. There is no word like hafu outside Japan, but I think we need it here. In order for us mixed kids to live in Japan, it is indispensible and I value it."
When Miyamoto was selected as Miss Japan, public reactions were mixed. Many people living in Japan genuinely believe Japanese people are unique, even genetically separate from the rest of the world.
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