Hāfu Voices - Living between two worlds in Japan

Interview de Jun Dupont | Hāfu Voices - Mars 2026

56min | 03/25/2026

Description

Dans cet épisode du Podcast "Hāfu Voices", j'ai reçu un ami très cher, Jun Dupont, Franco-Japonais de 46 ans, qui a grandi en France et navigue depuis toujours entre deux cultures sans jamais se considérer “à moitié” de quoi que ce soit.

Jun raconte son parcours d’apprentissage du japonais – entre une mère japonaise qui ne lui a jamais imposé une identité biculturelle stricte, des cours au lycée puis à l’INALCO, et des séjours réguliers au Japon.

Au fil de la conversation, il partage une réflexion très nuancée sur l’identité Hāfu :

✔️ se sentir complet, même quand on est perçu à travers des étiquettes

✔️ l’importance de l’humour et du lâcher-prise

✔️ comment la culture se transmet… ou non

✔️ comment nos parts françaises et japonaises peuvent entrer en contradiction

✔️ pourquoi certaines micro-agressions passent inaperçues jusqu’au jour où une expérience ouvre les yeux

Jun revient aussi sur un épisode marquant de discrimination envers un ami à lui, à la frontière d'un pays lorsqu’il avait 19–20 ans, un moment qui a changé sa manière de voir les discriminations: les siennes, celles des autres, et celles qu’il n’avait jamais remarquées jusque-là.

🎧 Dans cet échange intime, on parle de langue, d’héritage, de transmission, de contradictions internes… mais aussi de cette envie profonde de renouer avec ses racines après la disparition de sa mère, et de comprendre ce qu’on peut (ou pas) transmettre à ses enfants.

Ce que j’ai retenu de notre échange :

💡Les micro-agressions existent même quand on ne les remarque pas.

💡 Nos identités ne sont jamais “moitié-moitié”, mais faites de proportions changeantes.

💡On transmet ce qu’on peut, et nos enfants en feront ce qu’ils voudront, et c’est OK.

👉 Abonne-toi pour ne manquer aucun épisode sur l’identité multiculturelle, les hauts, les bas et tout ce qu’il y a entre les deux. 👉 DM si tu veux partager ta voix dans un prochain épisode.

I believe that we all have different experiences and by sharing it openly, we could help other Hāfu, multicultural people and simply people who are questioning their identities.

So if you are interested in sharing your experience, please contact me at yuko@yukodeneuville.com

With Gratitude, Yuko

I am Yuko, a French-Japanese Intercultural Transition Coach. Having lived abroad for over 30 years, I support people going through life transitions to dare to assert themselves, overcome their fears, and create a life without regrets.

If you are looking for gentleness, momentum, freedom, and authenticity: welcome here. ✨

Instagram : @yukodeneuvillecoach

Facebook : @Yuko Deneuville

🌐 www.yukodeneuville.com

Youtube: @Yuko Deneuville

If you'd like to have a chat to see how I could support you live YOUR Life with NO regrets, schedule a time here 😉:

https://calendly.com/deneuville-yuko-coach/30min

Bloom. Anytime, anywhere 🌸

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About Hāfu Voices - Living between two worlds in Japan

This podcast is rooted in the lived reality of people known in Japan as “Hāfu”, individuals of mixed heritage whose identities are shaped by movement between cultures, languages, and social expectations.

Being “Hāfu" in Japan is a distinct experience, marked by visibility, labeling, and constant negotiation of belonging.

Although the word "Hāfu / Half" can feel reductive or painful, it remains the commonly used term in Japan, and this project chooses to engage with it honestly rather than erase it.

Led by a host who is herself half Japanese and French, the podcast becomes both a personal and collective exploration of identity.

From early childhood, identity is shown not as a choice, but as something imposed and divided. Growing up between France and Japan, the host lived under two names, Laurence outside the home, Yuko inside, embodying two identities from the very beginning. Language, too, became a site of loss and adaptation: encouraged to abandon Japanese in early childhood to “fit in,” she later returned to Japan unable to speak her mother’s language, only to be labeled foreign once again.

Physical appearance, language gaps, and cultural expectations meant never fully being seen as Japanese in Japan, nor fully French in France. This back-and-forth, wanting to belong but never fully being allowed to, defined much of childhood and adolescence.

Over time, however, identity shifted from fragmentation to ownership. Choosing to use the name Yuko everywhere became a turning point unification of self rather than a performance for others. What once felt like a burden gradually revealed itself as a gift: multilingualism, cultural fluency, emotional adaptability, and a deep capacity to understand difference.

Yet the podcast does not romanticize this journey.

Through interviews with other Hāfu individuals, Japanese and French, American, African, Korean, or otherwise, it acknowledges that for many, the struggle continues into adulthood. Some still carry pain, confusion, or rejection tied to their identity.

The podcast gives space to both realities: the challenges and the gifts.

Conducted in French, English, or Japanese depending on the guest, each conversation prioritizes comfort, authenticity, and nuance. By inviting people to speak in their own language and from their own lived truth, the project becomes a platform for reflection, healing, and connection.

Its deeper intention is to question labels, explore how identity is shaped and reshaped over time, and ultimately help listeners, especially those who feel divided or unseen, move toward self-acceptance. Through shared stories, the podcast seeks to transform the idea of being "Hāfu" into something whole.

It is an invitation to realize that wether we are Hāfu, multicultural or simply have questions around our Identity, we are all unique.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About Hāfu Voices - Living between two worlds in Japan

This podcast is rooted in the lived reality of people known in Japan as “Hāfu”, individuals of mixed heritage whose identities are shaped by movement between cultures, languages, and social expectations.

Being “Hāfu" in Japan is a distinct experience, marked by visibility, labeling, and constant negotiation of belonging.

Although the word "Hāfu / Half" can feel reductive or painful, it remains the commonly used term in Japan, and this project chooses to engage with it honestly rather than erase it.

Led by a host who is herself half Japanese and French, the podcast becomes both a personal and collective exploration of identity.

From early childhood, identity is shown not as a choice, but as something imposed and divided. Growing up between France and Japan, the host lived under two names, Laurence outside the home, Yuko inside, embodying two identities from the very beginning. Language, too, became a site of loss and adaptation: encouraged to abandon Japanese in early childhood to “fit in,” she later returned to Japan unable to speak her mother’s language, only to be labeled foreign once again.

Physical appearance, language gaps, and cultural expectations meant never fully being seen as Japanese in Japan, nor fully French in France. This back-and-forth, wanting to belong but never fully being allowed to, defined much of childhood and adolescence.

Over time, however, identity shifted from fragmentation to ownership. Choosing to use the name Yuko everywhere became a turning point unification of self rather than a performance for others. What once felt like a burden gradually revealed itself as a gift: multilingualism, cultural fluency, emotional adaptability, and a deep capacity to understand difference.

Yet the podcast does not romanticize this journey.

Through interviews with other Hāfu individuals, Japanese and French, American, African, Korean, or otherwise, it acknowledges that for many, the struggle continues into adulthood. Some still carry pain, confusion, or rejection tied to their identity.

The podcast gives space to both realities: the challenges and the gifts.

Conducted in French, English, or Japanese depending on the guest, each conversation prioritizes comfort, authenticity, and nuance. By inviting people to speak in their own language and from their own lived truth, the project becomes a platform for reflection, healing, and connection.

Its deeper intention is to question labels, explore how identity is shaped and reshaped over time, and ultimately help listeners, especially those who feel divided or unseen, move toward self-acceptance. Through shared stories, the podcast seeks to transform the idea of being "Hāfu" into something whole.

It is an invitation to realize that wether we are Hāfu, multicultural or simply have questions around our Identity, we are all unique.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Description

Dans cet épisode du Podcast "Hāfu Voices", j'ai reçu un ami très cher, Jun Dupont, Franco-Japonais de 46 ans, qui a grandi en France et navigue depuis toujours entre deux cultures sans jamais se considérer “à moitié” de quoi que ce soit.

Jun raconte son parcours d’apprentissage du japonais – entre une mère japonaise qui ne lui a jamais imposé une identité biculturelle stricte, des cours au lycée puis à l’INALCO, et des séjours réguliers au Japon.

Au fil de la conversation, il partage une réflexion très nuancée sur l’identité Hāfu :

✔️ se sentir complet, même quand on est perçu à travers des étiquettes

✔️ l’importance de l’humour et du lâcher-prise

✔️ comment la culture se transmet… ou non

✔️ comment nos parts françaises et japonaises peuvent entrer en contradiction

✔️ pourquoi certaines micro-agressions passent inaperçues jusqu’au jour où une expérience ouvre les yeux

Jun revient aussi sur un épisode marquant de discrimination envers un ami à lui, à la frontière d'un pays lorsqu’il avait 19–20 ans, un moment qui a changé sa manière de voir les discriminations: les siennes, celles des autres, et celles qu’il n’avait jamais remarquées jusque-là.

🎧 Dans cet échange intime, on parle de langue, d’héritage, de transmission, de contradictions internes… mais aussi de cette envie profonde de renouer avec ses racines après la disparition de sa mère, et de comprendre ce qu’on peut (ou pas) transmettre à ses enfants.

Ce que j’ai retenu de notre échange :

💡Les micro-agressions existent même quand on ne les remarque pas.

💡 Nos identités ne sont jamais “moitié-moitié”, mais faites de proportions changeantes.

💡On transmet ce qu’on peut, et nos enfants en feront ce qu’ils voudront, et c’est OK.

👉 Abonne-toi pour ne manquer aucun épisode sur l’identité multiculturelle, les hauts, les bas et tout ce qu’il y a entre les deux. 👉 DM si tu veux partager ta voix dans un prochain épisode.

I believe that we all have different experiences and by sharing it openly, we could help other Hāfu, multicultural people and simply people who are questioning their identities.

So if you are interested in sharing your experience, please contact me at yuko@yukodeneuville.com

With Gratitude, Yuko

I am Yuko, a French-Japanese Intercultural Transition Coach. Having lived abroad for over 30 years, I support people going through life transitions to dare to assert themselves, overcome their fears, and create a life without regrets.

If you are looking for gentleness, momentum, freedom, and authenticity: welcome here. ✨

Instagram : @yukodeneuvillecoach

Facebook : @Yuko Deneuville

🌐 www.yukodeneuville.com

Youtube: @Yuko Deneuville

If you'd like to have a chat to see how I could support you live YOUR Life with NO regrets, schedule a time here 😉:

https://calendly.com/deneuville-yuko-coach/30min

Bloom. Anytime, anywhere 🌸

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About Hāfu Voices - Living between two worlds in Japan

This podcast is rooted in the lived reality of people known in Japan as “Hāfu”, individuals of mixed heritage whose identities are shaped by movement between cultures, languages, and social expectations.

Being “Hāfu" in Japan is a distinct experience, marked by visibility, labeling, and constant negotiation of belonging.

Although the word "Hāfu / Half" can feel reductive or painful, it remains the commonly used term in Japan, and this project chooses to engage with it honestly rather than erase it.

Led by a host who is herself half Japanese and French, the podcast becomes both a personal and collective exploration of identity.

From early childhood, identity is shown not as a choice, but as something imposed and divided. Growing up between France and Japan, the host lived under two names, Laurence outside the home, Yuko inside, embodying two identities from the very beginning. Language, too, became a site of loss and adaptation: encouraged to abandon Japanese in early childhood to “fit in,” she later returned to Japan unable to speak her mother’s language, only to be labeled foreign once again.

Physical appearance, language gaps, and cultural expectations meant never fully being seen as Japanese in Japan, nor fully French in France. This back-and-forth, wanting to belong but never fully being allowed to, defined much of childhood and adolescence.

Over time, however, identity shifted from fragmentation to ownership. Choosing to use the name Yuko everywhere became a turning point unification of self rather than a performance for others. What once felt like a burden gradually revealed itself as a gift: multilingualism, cultural fluency, emotional adaptability, and a deep capacity to understand difference.

Yet the podcast does not romanticize this journey.

Through interviews with other Hāfu individuals, Japanese and French, American, African, Korean, or otherwise, it acknowledges that for many, the struggle continues into adulthood. Some still carry pain, confusion, or rejection tied to their identity.

The podcast gives space to both realities: the challenges and the gifts.

Conducted in French, English, or Japanese depending on the guest, each conversation prioritizes comfort, authenticity, and nuance. By inviting people to speak in their own language and from their own lived truth, the project becomes a platform for reflection, healing, and connection.

Its deeper intention is to question labels, explore how identity is shaped and reshaped over time, and ultimately help listeners, especially those who feel divided or unseen, move toward self-acceptance. Through shared stories, the podcast seeks to transform the idea of being "Hāfu" into something whole.

It is an invitation to realize that wether we are Hāfu, multicultural or simply have questions around our Identity, we are all unique.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About Hāfu Voices - Living between two worlds in Japan

This podcast is rooted in the lived reality of people known in Japan as “Hāfu”, individuals of mixed heritage whose identities are shaped by movement between cultures, languages, and social expectations.

Being “Hāfu" in Japan is a distinct experience, marked by visibility, labeling, and constant negotiation of belonging.

Although the word "Hāfu / Half" can feel reductive or painful, it remains the commonly used term in Japan, and this project chooses to engage with it honestly rather than erase it.

Led by a host who is herself half Japanese and French, the podcast becomes both a personal and collective exploration of identity.

From early childhood, identity is shown not as a choice, but as something imposed and divided. Growing up between France and Japan, the host lived under two names, Laurence outside the home, Yuko inside, embodying two identities from the very beginning. Language, too, became a site of loss and adaptation: encouraged to abandon Japanese in early childhood to “fit in,” she later returned to Japan unable to speak her mother’s language, only to be labeled foreign once again.

Physical appearance, language gaps, and cultural expectations meant never fully being seen as Japanese in Japan, nor fully French in France. This back-and-forth, wanting to belong but never fully being allowed to, defined much of childhood and adolescence.

Over time, however, identity shifted from fragmentation to ownership. Choosing to use the name Yuko everywhere became a turning point unification of self rather than a performance for others. What once felt like a burden gradually revealed itself as a gift: multilingualism, cultural fluency, emotional adaptability, and a deep capacity to understand difference.

Yet the podcast does not romanticize this journey.

Through interviews with other Hāfu individuals, Japanese and French, American, African, Korean, or otherwise, it acknowledges that for many, the struggle continues into adulthood. Some still carry pain, confusion, or rejection tied to their identity.

The podcast gives space to both realities: the challenges and the gifts.

Conducted in French, English, or Japanese depending on the guest, each conversation prioritizes comfort, authenticity, and nuance. By inviting people to speak in their own language and from their own lived truth, the project becomes a platform for reflection, healing, and connection.

Its deeper intention is to question labels, explore how identity is shaped and reshaped over time, and ultimately help listeners, especially those who feel divided or unseen, move toward self-acceptance. Through shared stories, the podcast seeks to transform the idea of being "Hāfu" into something whole.

It is an invitation to realize that wether we are Hāfu, multicultural or simply have questions around our Identity, we are all unique.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

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