Jero - African American Enka singer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEmeVeQe56U

A new enka singer has debuted just recently. His debut song is Umiyuki or "ocean snow". He is all over the Japanese music scene. His debut song was the 4th most popular song in a recent weekly ranking in Japan. This is the highest ranking an enka song has reached There is something distinct about him. He is an African-American from Pennsylvania. His Japanese grandmother sparked his interest in enka, traditional japanese songs. He has marked a new era for the enka genre. His name is Jero.

A lot of Japanese people are shocked, surprised, excited, and flattered as they watch an African-American sing an enka song in perfect japanese. His music video is highly amusing. Dressed in hip-hop, wearing a new-era cap, dancing to his own enka song, American style graffiti, and more.

What does this pose for the interesting fusion of tradition and modernity? A minority in Japan singing a traditional Japanese style music. Is it problematic? controversial? normal?

Japanese? American?

What does it mean to be Japanese? What does it mean to be American?

The United States of America is multiracial, multiethnic, and multicultural, compose of a white majority, and a number of minority groups. The distinctions are relatively clear here in the US. There are biological, physical, social, cultural, and other distinctions.

Most people believe that Japan is a homogeneous country. Japan is anything but a homogeneous country. Japan's minorities include Ainus, Okinawans/Ryukyuans, Burakumins (outcasts), Zainichi Koreans, Brazilians of Japanese descent, and much more. The Japanese minority issue stems from Japan's national identity.

Despite public discourse and powerful activism, racism in the US is still a major problem. In Japan, minority issues are largely ignored by the society and the state. They are not taught in schools, discrimination is prevalent, and the government enforce policies that make lives difficult for minorities. How serious is the minority issue in Japan? in the US? How important is national identity? nationality? ethnicity?

What defines Japanese? What defines American?

This is just one of the many things we will be talking about this summer at the 60th JASC......

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This semester I am taking Professor Christopher D. Scott's class titled "Race and Ethnicity in Japan". Professor Scott specializes in Zainichi Koreans (Koreans residing in Japan). He is also very knowledgeable about Japanese history, politics, literature, film, gender issues, and more. I am already looking forward to discussing minority issues in the 60th JASC, and, of course, hearing what the Minority Roundtable will be presenting in the final forum at Boston!

* I don't lead the minority RT, I'm just very interested in the issue! :)