but that also breeds prejudice.

One of my friends was bilingual, people envied that... she struggled with....

Hey guys and girls on Ask Japanese this is CathyCat

"Ha-fu" = Half is a word that in Japan commonly is used to describe

people who are half Japanese and whose other parent is from a different country than from Japan.

We often in our interview heard people say "oh I envy people who are half"

and ... I know that there a quite a lot of difficulties for people who are half

Japanese... however many Japanese still said they envy them so this time we're gonna go

find out what they envy about them and if they can actually analyze and

criticize what kind of problems people who are half Japanese have here in Japan.

So let's go and find out and Ask Japanese.

Could it be that you are half Japanese? - No - That's wrong

Do you envy people who are half Japanese

I do. I have a charming image of them. - What kind of image?

That they are open to different cultures

and such.

I envy that they have pretty eyes. - Apart from their eyes

what do you envy? - I envy that they can speak other languages

What is half Japanese citizens do you admire the most?

The Norther European type. - The blonde hair? - Yeah. - And you?

I like half Japanese talents we see on TV

What perks and hardships do you think

half Japanese people struggle with? Any friends?

I had some. - An asian half Japanese classmate

No matter in which of the two countries they life in, they can make a life

there maybe. But if they have to live in one of the two countries

like Japan, they might feel like they are not completely from there.

I think that's tough. - Having to choose between countries

Yeah. - Having the culture of two countries

and knowing about it equally, makes them a target

for prejudice. I think often bystanders will say

"you can speak a lot right" even if they can't speak English and such.

There is an ideal of what being "half Japanese" is in Japan and they can't fulfill it?

Yeah. - It's too late for you to become half Japanese

but if you could be, what country do you admire so much?

I have never wanted to be Half Japanese. - Why so?

I am born in Japan. I am Japanese. I love Japan.

I like my current lifestyle. I have the confidence that

I am Japanese. I think that is good.

The life here is good. Everyone accepts me as Japanese.

- I envy half Japanese half European people

But if you could choose, would you want to only be Japanese

or Half Japanese. - I think when it's about admiration

I admire abroad because I have lived my life in Japan.

I admire abroad more.

Hey guys! Today's topic is...

Do you admire half Japanese people? - I wish I was born

Half Japanese. I am using makeup to have a lid crease

but half Japanese people have it easier. - You admire a lid crease?

I do. - I admire half Japanese people.

My favorite celebrities are all Half Japanese. They have defined faces

and tall noses, lid creases, big lips. I envy that.

I always think that. - Me toooooo

I would rather be a foreigner fully.

I love abroad, I love traveling. I want to speak more English

Do you have any friends who are half Japanese?

I do! One is half German, one is half British

Wow where did you meet? School? - School

Our school has some German education implemented that's why

we have many half Japanese students. - I have some Half Japanese friends

A half Korean friend and ...

A quarter friend. - Half Philippine and

other friends. - Think of your friends now

Think of half Japanese friends who are not TV celebrities

and live in Japan. What perks and hardships do

you think they have. - One of my friends struggled with...

people expecting her to speak English because she was half Japanese.

But she couldn't really. - Your friend from the Philippines?

Yes. - She was always living in Japan you see. Her face

looks foreign. But she has only lived in Japan, and only speaks Japanese.

That was her struggle. - What are the perks?

She was super cute and others were cool

I envied that...

friend who was half Korean could speak Japanese and of course Korean

and also English. She was bilingual and everyone envied that.

But she struggled with...

similarly a lot of prejudice that people had

I realized that.

My favorite actor is called Shirota

he is half Japanese and struggled...

Yes he is from Spain! - Your smile just got bigger! - Yes

What did he struggle with? - He went to auditions

as actor a lot but

because he was half Spanish, his face looked too foreign

and he is tall. He got told "We are not looking for your type."

he failed about 100 auditions. - So auditions only wanted "Japanese looking"

people, even though he was half Japanese he got treated like a foreigner. - Yes

He suffered from that. - First...

I think half Japanese who live in Japan

must often be mistaken for foreigners in Japan

they won't be accepted fully.

Even though they are living here.

They might struggle to find their place in life.

I think. But advantage wise..

they might struggle with their place, but they have 2 countries to choose from

more than Japanese do.

Quick question: Do you happen to be half Japanese?

Nope we are not. - So...

we often hear interviewees say they admire Half Japanese people

I wanted to find out why today. - Their eye color

The eyes are a beautiful brown and not black. - I thought brown shades are similar?

Their brown is different. As if they are wearing brown contact lenses.

Nice eyes. I envy that. - So you think Half Japanese people have brighter eyes?

Their faces are more defined. I envy that.

They have "defined features" - Yes.

What do you wish you had? - Long lashes

You struggle with your lashes?

We use a lot of mascara. - I'll tell you my mascara

hint after the interview - Thank you. - Now this is impossible

but if you could become half Japanese, what other country would you choose?

Russia. They are so tall, stylish and pale

I see... - Russian beauty?

I would choose the UK - Why? - Just because

So many said even if you are half Japanese, some people will treat

you like a foreigner, expecting you to speak certain languages and

a good example was the talent that was trying to go to about 100

auditions and got turned down because they looked

too non Japanese even though they were Japanese in their heart of hearts and lived all their life there

that's a common problem that I hear from a lot of people who have parents

from different countries. I am glad that some people were able to critically

talk about this issue, while others just said "they are pretty I wish I was so pretty"

There are 2 sides of the coin.

How is it with you guys, I am sure that some of you who are watching have parents from

different countries. Let us know the hardships and maybe if you have any advantages of having

parents from two different places. I like what one of my "half" friends has said

he said "I am not a half - I am double" and I like that. So let us know in the comments

down below. Also don't forget to subscribe, tick the notification

bell and leave us a like just to say "thanks for making this video!" thank you for watching

and I catch you soon for more stuff on Ask Japanese. Bye.