"Hafu"

Yesterday in the Japan Times a talented journalist and friend of mine, Kris Kosaka, published an article about a project by "hafu" Japanese filmmaker Megumi Nishikura. "Hafu" is the Japanese word for people who have one Japanese parent and one parent from a country other than Japan. 1 in every 30 babies born in Japan today, including my own (though one of my kids was born in the US, so I'm not sure if that counts in the statistic), are either "hafu" or have two parents who are not Japanese.

Megumi Nishikura, who is a peace activist as well as a filmmaker, wants to explore the lives of "hafu" living in Japan, and show how they are finding ways to gain better acceptance by a culture that largely considers them not Japanese. This attitude is changing, in part due to people like Nishikura, who are working hard on public awareness. Her film "Hafu," in which she is collaborating with another "hafu" Lara Perez Takagi, is one such campaign.

To learn more about it, see the article or watch this short fund-raising video.

The original "Hafu Project," which began in 2008 and was a source of inspiration for Nishikura, can be linked to here. They provide statistics as well as a visual and sociological study of "hafu" people, and a discussion of many of the unique challenges that face these individuals, such as answering the seemingly simple question, "Where are you from?"

These are both great resources for families with "hafu" members. Consider supporting one of them today.