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Paper short abstract

Examining anti-migration sentiment in Japan, this paper traces African migration, Black culture, Hāfu identities, and racism, focusing on media controversies around African migration in Japan.

Paper long abstract

This paper examines anti-migration sentiment in contemporary Japan through the lens of the Black and African communities, situating current debates within a broader historical and cultural context. While Japan is often portrayed as ethnically homogeneous, African and Black migration has played a significant role in challenging dominant narratives of national identity and belonging, especially in the context of race. By examining the history of African migration to Japan, this paper highlights how global labour flows, education, and transnational networks have shaped Black presence in Japan, both physically and symbolically.

The paper also investigates the visibility of Black and African culture in Japan, including music, fashion, and everyday cultural exchange, and how these forms of visibility intersect with experiences of racism and exclusion. Particular attention is paid to the concept of Hāfu (half-Japanese), exploring how mixed-race identities complicate rigid understandings of “Japaneseness” and expose racial hierarchies embedded within society. Through this lens, the paper examines how Black hafu individuals navigate social belonging.

A central component of the analysis is a case study of media turmoil surrounding African hometowns in Japan.

Overall, this paper argues that anti-migration sentiment in Japan cannot be fully understood without addressing race and the lived experiences of Black and African communities. By foregrounding African migration, Black cultural presence, and Hāfu identities, the study contributes to Japanese studies, migration studies, and critical race scholarship by challenging myths of homogeneity and highlighting the racialised dimensions of belonging in Japan.