Japanese is very much an ethnicity more than it is a nationality. The Japanese people were biologically and linguistically formed as distinct during a period from 400 BCE to 1,200 CE. They have always seen themselves as distinct, and everyone else as "different" (including other Asian groups).
-They are genetically distinct, forming their own population cluster.
-They have a shared language (a unique one a that: the Japanese language is classified as a language isolate).
-They have a continued culture/history that extends back for thousands of years, where their ancestors first colonized the Japanese isles approximately 400 BCE.
-Their history is based almost entirely in being rather isolated in the Japanese islands, with continued outside contact being a very new phenomena. This isolation has created a people who are very distinct in genetics/culture/language/etc.
-It is borderline impossible to gain a Japanese citizenship if you aren't Japanese by blood yourself. They see foreigners as being total outsiders (including other Asian groups).
This girl is half Japanese, and as such they will never see her as being "Actually Japanese." Ever.
American is a nationality, not a race/ethnicity. Anyone can be an American. You need to fit a very narrow, specific criteria to be Japanese.
But hey, at the end of the day, what she identifies as is none of my business.
nikka
Japan is a nation
Japanese is a nationality
period end of story.
