'Foreign' Japanese native speaker

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Reply #1 - 2012 September 19, 12:32 am
delta Banned
Registered: 2012-09-15 Posts: 226

I thought it would be cool to meet / see videos of a Japanese native speaker whose parents are both foreigners (particularly non-asian) and specially know his/her story about how was growing up in Japan.

Reply #2 - 2012 September 19, 1:12 am
kitakitsune Member
From: Tokyo Registered: 2008-10-19 Posts: 1006

Thane Camus is the only person I know who fully fits the description.

He's white and moved to Japan at the age of 9 and speaks Japanese and English natively. If I remember correctly he actually dropped out of college in the US because of culture shock and not being able to adjust to the US. He used to have a popular TV show and now owns his own talent management business.

And yea, he is the grandson of the philosopher.

If you want to listen to him speak Japanese it's here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9qCRpvUIrI

Or perfectly switch from Japanese to English - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lorc3qvC … ure=relmfu

Last edited by kitakitsune (2012 September 19, 1:16 am)

Reply #3 - 2012 September 19, 4:32 am
delta Banned
Registered: 2012-09-15 Posts: 226

kitakitsune wrote:

If I remember correctly

Do you remember where you read it?

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Reply #4 - 2012 September 19, 5:01 am
kitakitsune Member
From: Tokyo Registered: 2008-10-19 Posts: 1006

I can't remember where I read it to save my life but I distinctly remember him saying that he went to college in New York and dropped out after a year to return to Japan because he was having a hard time adjusting to American society.

Reply #5 - 2012 September 19, 5:04 am
kitakitsune Member
From: Tokyo Registered: 2008-10-19 Posts: 1006

Japanese wikipedia says he dropped out because he was homesick and had went through a major breakup.

And he actually moved to Japan when he was 6 and not 9.

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%BB% … F%E3%83%A5

Reply #6 - 2012 September 19, 5:06 am
buonaparte Member
Registered: 2010-11-25 Posts: 796

Amélie Nothomb????
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Am%C3%A9lie_Nothomb

Reply #7 - 2012 September 19, 6:07 am
Adent Member
From: California Registered: 2012-07-10 Posts: 12

Look up Ken Tanaka on youtube.

Reply #8 - 2012 September 19, 6:18 am
dizmox Member
Registered: 2007-08-11 Posts: 1149

Adent wrote:

Look up Ken Tanaka on youtube.

Just an actor.

Reply #9 - 2012 September 20, 10:37 pm
aphasiac Member
From: 台湾 Registered: 2009-03-16 Posts: 1036

Brian Burton Lewis, presenter on Japan music TV, is a white American born and raised in Japan (his parents were Christian missionaries)

Wikipedia:
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ブ&# … 2;ス

Speaking Japanese:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6s7VLsWRbE

Here's a clip of him switching between Japanese and English while interviewing British TV stars Adam and Joe:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-SRJjH18Q4

Last edited by aphasiac (2012 September 20, 10:40 pm)

Reply #10 - 2012 September 20, 10:46 pm
delta Banned
Registered: 2012-09-15 Posts: 226

@aphasiac
That's it.

Reply #11 - 2012 September 21, 2:46 am
dtcamero Member
From: new york Registered: 2010-05-15 Posts: 653

Mike Havenaar is a member of the japanese national soccer team. He's got 2 dutch parents but was raised in japan and speaks 'native' japanese although it sounds a little funny I have to admit...I do wonder if people ever have a hard time understanding him. he also speaks dutch and some english.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Havenaar

interview in japanese:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtXbvFz_ … re=related

interview in dutch, english:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzC493lWsCQ

Last edited by dtcamero (2012 September 21, 2:56 am)

Reply #12 - 2012 September 21, 3:14 am
dtcamero Member
From: new york Registered: 2010-05-15 Posts: 653

aphasiac wrote:

Brian Burton Lewis, presenter on Japan music TV, is a white American born and raised in Japan (his parents were Christian missionaries)

interesting that his parents were missionaries. he also did a podcast interview with an av star named yokoyama miyuki that had some quite raunchy jokes.

http://itunes.apple.com/hk/podcast/chot … d315325343
(#s 26 and 27 - 「もしもしもしもしも」feat.ブライアンバートンルイス)

Reply #13 - 2012 September 21, 8:06 am
Norman Member
From: Japan Registered: 2012-02-19 Posts: 146

Steven Segal's Japanese is near native. He came to Japan at some point in his youth. I've heard he even has the Osaka dialect mastered better than his Aikido.

Reply #14 - 2012 September 21, 8:06 am
delta Banned
Registered: 2012-09-15 Posts: 226

Check
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pg4BjOcitlY

Fishy. He sounds far from even somewhat native and I think he is reading, I think I can see his eyes moving, but maybe I am wrong. It would suck if he's a fake because I grew up loving his movies.

Last edited by delta (2012 September 21, 9:26 am)

Reply #15 - 2012 September 21, 9:30 am
Norman Member
From: Japan Registered: 2012-02-19 Posts: 146

delta wrote:

Check
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pg4BjOcitlY

Fishy. He sounds far from even somewhat native and I think he is reading, I think I can see his eyes moving, but maybe I am wrong. It would suck if he's a fake because I grew up loving his movies.

When he uses English, he also sounds like he's reading. He's just not a great actor. I heard about his Japanese ability from a Japanese friend who has trained under him in aikido for 20 something years.

Reply #16 - 2012 September 21, 9:46 am
aphasiac Member
From: 台湾 Registered: 2009-03-16 Posts: 1036

delta wrote:

Check
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pg4BjOcitlY

Fishy. He sounds far from even somewhat native and I think he is reading, I think I can see his eyes moving, but maybe I am wrong. It would suck if he's a fake because I grew up loving his movies.

The fakest thing in that clip is his hair..

Reply #17 - 2012 October 06, 11:10 am
Amandajapanda New member
From: gumdrop house on lollipop lane Registered: 2012-07-15 Posts: 1

Crystal Kay. She's a singer. Her father is black and her mother is Korean, but she was born in Japan and speaks Japanese and English. She doesn't look Japanese at all

Reply #18 - 2012 October 06, 11:41 am
kitakitsune Member
From: Tokyo Registered: 2008-10-19 Posts: 1006

delta wrote:

Check
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pg4BjOcitlY

Fishy. He sounds far from even somewhat native and I think he is reading, I think I can see his eyes moving, but maybe I am wrong. It would suck if he's a fake because I grew up loving his movies.

His Japanese isn't fake.

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

Reply #19 - 2012 October 06, 5:26 pm
delta Banned
Registered: 2012-09-15 Posts: 226

@kitakitsune
So it seems. smile

Reply #20 - 2012 October 07, 12:13 am
Rael89 Member
From: new york Registered: 2008-07-26 Posts: 103

Is Steven Segal the most hateable person on TV or is it just me?

Last edited by Rael89 (2012 October 07, 1:38 am)

Reply #21 - 2012 October 10, 2:42 pm
weirdo Member
From: california Registered: 2010-01-14 Posts: 34

I suppose a Japanese-American doesn't count, then.

But, according to my friend that attended an international school, there are plenty of people that fit the OPs description in the インター community. You'll probably find some footage of them if you google some of the school names like American school in Japan (ASIJ) or Saint Mary's.

[edit]
I think I found what you wanted, OP.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JrWetzRL88

Last edited by weirdo (2012 October 12, 1:47 am)

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