Saki Tanaka: Reaching Greater Heights

How They Did it – Stories for Migrants by Migrants

Being both Japanese and Filipino has made my life an interesting journey. Therefore, I would like to share my story with other Japanese-Filipino children (JFC) to serve as an inspirational lesson for them to love and respect themselves, their cultural uniqueness, and their contribution to Japanese and Philippine society. 

I was born to a Japanese father and a Filipino mother. My beloved grandmother, whom I fondly call Okāsan, blessed me with a beautiful name that best suits my personality. “SA (佐)”, means to assist or to support, while “KI (紀)” implies a century or a long period of time. When combined, “Saki” means “to lead for the rest of her life”, which I have applied to how I live as a JFC.

Growing up in a family of mixed cultures, I experienced difficulty immersing in different worlds at a very young age. Just like everyone else, I have gone through highs and lows and faced my share of frustrations, discrimination, rejections, and heartaches. I was just like the sakura that wilts a few days after being drenched in the spring rain. Yet my experiences as a Japanese-Filipino child blessed with love made me blossom even in the most trying times.

When I moved to Japan I needed to adapt to Japanese culture and lifestyle. I did my best in everything: I studied the Japanese language intensively. I applied for various speech and essay contests. I wrote my life story, which was chosen and published in a book. I was a good teacher to my younger sisters in their studies, and I made every effort to cope up with life in Japan.

Attending junior and high school in Japan was a period of major adjustment for me. At first, I was a popular student at school because I was a rare person from another culture they were not familiar with. I remember being bullied in school by the popular girls because of my different Japanese accent. I could not blame them because whenever I recited and read in class, I would pronounce something wrong since there are many ways of pronouncing each kanji or Chinese character. I intentionally did not behave like other Japanese and spoke in English as well, and I did not apologize according to the Japanese custom.

They would treat me as gaijin (short for gaikokujin), which means “foreigner” even though I looked Japanese. Because they called me by an offensive name, I would often cry alone and eat lunch by myself. My obentō, prepared by my father, became my comfort food because it was a form of his love. It always saved my day throughout my entire school life. 

But one day, I found out that I could overcome my fear of being intimidated, that is, through music. While having our school lunch, I thought of making a song for my classmates who did not drink their milk. I used a theme song of a famous anime called Inuyasha sung by a well-known Korean singer named BoA. This song, which I improvised, was called “Every Heart—Minna no Kimochi” or “Every Heart—Everyone’s Feelings.” When I shared my version with my classmates, they were moved by the lyrics: “Megu megu miruku wa oishī yo, nondara kitto tsuyoko nareru yo (Meg milk is delicious, if you drink it you’ll grow stronger).” 

I was so happy because not only were my classmates able to drink milk, but they also learned that I could sing beautifully, too. Whenever there was a school trip, they made me sing. The popular girls who used to bully me before became friendly and accepted me into their circle. From then on, my passion for singing, which I inherited from my parents, made me feel that I belonged at school. 

But that did not stop me from aiming even higher: While attending high school, I worked for a cosmetic company as an assembly line worker, working eight hours a day on weekends and also as a part-timer at a burger restaurant. With my savings from these two jobs, I studied at a two-year college with a low tuition fee that I could pay for myself. There, I was given an English teacher’s license and elected president of the student council. 

As my Japanese improved (particularly as my knowledge of kanji gets broader), I earned better grades and got to meet new people from different walks of life. I started to enjoy my life a whole lot more. It was great to see myself progress through this learning opportunity, and it has definitely prepped me for the real world. 

I got a job after finishing junior college but I was not interested in my work because I had wanted to get a job related to interpersonal relations. Inspired to try and achieve, even more, I took the entrance examination to the University of the Philippines and passed. 

I decided to become a student again, this time as an Elementary Education student with a major in English. It was not that difficult for me to fit in because I already grew up accustomed to Filipino culture, and my mother’s family was there. However, in the second year at the university, I suspended my studies because of my economic situation. I returned to Japan and worked as an assistant teacher at a high school while I took online courses at the UP Open University (UPOU). I graduated in 2013 with a Bachelor’s degree, and since then, I have returned to Japan to pursue a career and support my family. 

Despite all the struggles and challenges, I learned to appreciate both Japanese and Filipino cultures: Japanese in terms of discipline, responsibility, and work ethics, and Filipino with regards to hospitality, caring for the elderly, family-orientedness, creativity, flexibility, and gender equality. 

Now that I am successful, I feel so grateful to have been surrounded by a loving and supportive family, friends, and amazing people who have helped me get to where I am today. I truly could not ask for more. I would also want my fellow JFC to realize the strength of educating themselves. After all, education is our greatest asset, and I believe that we are capable of reaching greater heights.

For those like me who have to constantly negotiate their cultural identity, it is important to accept oneself as part of two worlds. Although our experiences may be different from the rest, there is no need to sacrifice self-respect and belief in oneself. Learn how to love yourself and your cultural origins because nobody knows you more than yourself. You can earn the respect of others if you work hard to become a better version of yourself.

If life gives you obstacles, there is no reason to give up. Even if someone tells you that you are not good enough, prove them wrong. Do not let anything discourage you from being the person you are meant to be, and from living the life you are meant to live. So from now on, do something today that your future self and others will thank you for. You already have the power to make a difference and make the world a better place for everyone. As Mahatma Gandhi said, “Be the change that you wish to see in the world,” and that includes taking the best from both worlds.

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