Japan loves its top tennis star. But do they think she's Japanese?
| Tokyo
September was a very good month for Masao Tsutsumi.
Mr. Tsutsumi, who piloted Nissan鈥檚 sponsorship of Naomi Osaka, latched onto the young tennis star before she became a household name in Japan. When he鈥檇 first broached Ms. Osaka鈥檚 name to his team mid-2018, their response was lukewarm: 鈥淏ut she鈥檚 only No. 17 in the world.鈥�
Then came September 2018. Within a week, Ms. Osaka beat Serena Williams for the U.S. Open title, jetted to Japan, and headlined a press conference at Nissan鈥檚 gleaming headquarters in Yokohama. When a Nissan executive asked about her favorite car, her response was broadcast for the world to hear: GT-R.
Why We Wrote This
Who counts as Japanese? The island nation has started to wrestle with questions of diversity later than many of its peers. Lately, one young tennis phenom has had to carry much of that heavy conversation on her shoulders.
It was Nissan鈥檚 flagship sports car, the one that goes 0 to 60 mph in under three seconds聽鈥� seemingly like the career of Ms. Osaka, who is now No. 1 for women鈥檚 singles, and the first Japanese player to achieve that ranking. A special Osaka-branded edition GT-R marketed only in Japan sold out within a month.
鈥淢y boss told me, 鈥榊ou鈥檙e a lucky guy,鈥欌�� Mr. Tsutsumi says with a chuckle, basking in the glory of a corporate sponsorship purchased when the stock, as they say, was underpriced. 鈥淲e came after Citizen [watches], and everyone else came after.鈥�
Ms. Osaka has been a huge draw for brands seeking to grasp onto a rising star with appeal across cultures: Yonex sports gear, Nissin Foods, Shiseido cosmetics, and All Nippon Airways have also jumped on board. Yet, as she catapults onto the world stage, the half-Haitian, half-Japanese star鈥檚 popularity is intensifying聽discussions around ethnic identity and multiculturalism in a country deemed one of the most homogenous on earth. Her rise comes at a poignant time, as Japan struggles with an aging and shrinking population; the government has decided that allowing more foreigners into the country is a matter of economic survival.
鈥楿nwritten rule鈥� to being Japanese
By now, Ms. Osaka鈥檚 story is familiar to many Japanese; she was born in Japan to a Haitian father and Japanese mother. By the time she was four, her family had relocated to the United States. Later, her parents had their dual-citizen daughter represent Japan in international competitions, laying the groundwork for her to be a Japanese star.
Yet as a half-black woman, Ms. Osaka 鈥渄oes not meet the social prerequisites for full Japanese acceptance,鈥� according to Baye McNeil, an African American columnist for The聽Japan Times. 鈥淭he unwritten rule鈥� to being Japanese, Mr. McNeil writes in an email, is 鈥渓ooking Japanese.鈥�
Indeed, in modern times, Japan has struggled to integrate foreigners into society, and debated how porous its borders should be. This reluctance is rooted in a number of phenomena, including an imperial past that promoted Japanese as racially superior. Post-World War II, the government did little to protect minorities against discrimination in the housing and job markets. Many older Japanese associate the success of the country鈥檚 postwar economic growth with its homogeneity, says Waseda University sociologist Shunsuke Tanabe. 鈥淎 certain number of people believe in this 鈥榤yth.鈥欌��
One lingering effect is firm resistance to immigration. Today, foreigners make up only about 2% of Japan鈥檚 total population. Right-wing tabloids have not been kind to Ms. Osaka聽鈥� remarking, for example, that she speaks poor Japanese聽鈥� while The Japan Times published an op-ed called 鈥�?鈥� which suggested her decision to play for Japan was motivated by profit, though the writer concludes she is聽鈥渧ery Japanese.鈥�
Meanwhile, advertisers have made missteps. In January, instant noodle-maker Nissin Foods released an image of Ms. Osaka that Westernized her features and lightened her skin. It was created by a popular manga artist, and branding expert Alan Casey says Nissin didn鈥檛 necessarily stray 鈥渙utside the visual cues of manga聽鈥� size of the eyes, size of the hair, super-exaggerated and often very Western, like an inconceivably small chin.鈥�
鈥淸Nissin] simply weren鈥檛 aware of the issues around racial discrimination around the world,鈥� Professor Tanabe says, calling Japanese society聽鈥渁bout 30 years behind the global trend.鈥�
Even so, the public backlash was immense and immediate. Nissin offered an apology, promised to be more sensitive, and halted the campaign.聽
鈥楤ridging鈥� the distance
Yet for most Japanese, Ms. Osaka鈥檚 mannerisms 鈥渂ridge the distance,鈥� sociologists say. She鈥檚 soft-spoken. She has a trademark humility so prized by Japanese culture. She loves matcha green tea ice cream. She also wins major tournaments.
Everyone loves a winner.
Indeed, Ms. Osaka is popular in Japan, full stop. A year ago, only 7 of 10 Japanese knew of her, according to Hakuhodo DY Media Partners surveys. 鈥淣ow almost all Japanese know her name,鈥� says聽Koki Takekata of Hakuhodo. In Hakuhodo surveys, respondents describe her as cheerful, friendly, and powerful.
In general, acceptance may be growing for people outside 鈥渢raditional鈥� ideas of Japaneseness. A Pew Research Center study in 2018 found that due to their work and talents, though only 23% want to see immigration increase. In 2018, Okinawa prefecture elected the country鈥檚 first biracial governor, the son of a U.S. Marine and Japanese mother.
In Ms. Osaka鈥檚 case, it may ultimately be official nationality that the Japanese care about. According to Japanese law, Ms. Osaka must choose between her U.S. and Japanese passports before the age of 22 ().聽But what if she chooses American citizenship? And what if she stops winning?
鈥淚 think Naomi Osaka helps in the short-term [with acceptance] for mixed-race individuals,鈥� says Erin Chung, director of the East Asian Studies program at Johns Hopkins University. 鈥淏ut I don鈥檛 think it will eradicate racism in Japan.鈥�
Inspiring the next generation
Hideaki Morinaga will worry about such philosophical issues another day; for now he鈥檚 basking in the energy Ms. Osaka has breathed into his suburban Tokyo tennis club.
The day after her U.S. Open win, his phone at Kyodo Indoor Tennis School began ringing. 鈥淭hey wanted tennis classes for their kids,鈥� Mr. Morinaga says, with a grin. He added four classes a week, with enough demand for a waitlist.
Club members also wanted Ms. Osaka鈥檚 branded merchandise, which began moving off the shelves of the club鈥檚 tiny shop: Yonex Ezone 98 rackets. Poly Tour Strike 125 strings. Yonex鈥檚 Pro series racket bags. Adidas sneakers (which she鈥檚 since left for Nike).
鈥淭ennis lovers are very happy to have Naomi winning,鈥� Mr. Morinaga says. 鈥淪he鈥檚 a Japanese winning major competitions.鈥�
Nearby, Yukiko Tani waits for her children to finish a lesson. Her 13-year-old son took inspiration from Japanese tennis star Kei Nishikori, while her daughter worships Ms. Osaka. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to apply for Olympic tickets,鈥� Ms. Tani says, in hopes of seeing her play at the Tokyo games.
This summer, Ms. Tani will send her son to Malaysia for a British-run tennis camp. Her kids already attend school with many multiracial students, Ms. Tani says, and she鈥檇 like them to become even more comfortable with a multicultural environment. It鈥檚 where the world is headed.
鈥淜ids are very accepting,鈥� Ms. Tani says.
