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  • Japan has a bad reputation when it comes to accepting foreigners, and it's well-earned.

  • Only 1.3% of the population is foreign-born,

  • and black people are especially rare.

  • But now, one Nigerian-American is becoming ubiquitous there,

  • because he's on Japanese TV every single day.

  • Ike Nwala is a pretty recognizable face in Japan.

  • He's a member of a popular comedy troupe, and he even appears in commercials.

  • Ike originally came to Japan working for Goldman Sachs,

  • but he quit to join up with a talent agency,

  • and his celebrity exploded practically overnight.

  • Part of his popularity is because of his ability to switch back and forth

  • between Japanese and English whenever he needs.

  • Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, welcome to Tokyo Disney Sea.

  • So you're a comedian, but you do kind-of everything?

  • In Japan, if you're a comedian, they just see you as an entertainer,

  • so they expect that you can do anything.

  • So I do narration jobs, I do voice jobs.

  • I do my main job, comedy.

  • Even music.

  • Sorry about that, you've gotta take your shoes off.

  • Yeah, no, it's all good.

  • You pretty much do your own hair, though?

  • Yeah, I do my own hair. It's kinda...

  • they don't know how to do black hair.

  • This is every day for you though, right? — Yeah, this is everyday.

  • Dang, man. — Monday through Friday.

  • Wear the funky clothing...

  • Since last year, Ike's been one of the main hosts of a show calledOha-Suta.”

  • That means that, while a lot of adults recognize him as a sketch comic,

  • to their kids, he's like Steve on Blue's Clues.

  • This isn't just any kids show.

  • No, this is like the Japanese version of Sesame Street.

  • It's the most famous children's TV show in Japan.

  • But just because Ike's famous doesn't mean he doesn't have to deal with prejudice.

  • Japan's one of the most ethnically homogeneous countries in the word,

  • and it doesn't have the best reputation for diversity.

  • What's it like being a black dude living in Japan?

  • — I'm pretty sure you experienced the whole train thing,

  • where you sit down and then, like,

  • there's open seats next to you, but people don't sit down.

  • That's happened, yeah.

  • — I don't think Japanese people are racist.

  • I think they just don't know.

  • Okay.

  • Let's do this.

  • Ike sees himself as a comedian,

  • so you might think that being onOha-Sutais just a distraction from his career goals.

  • But Ike says a kid's TV show is an important place for him to be.

  • — I think me being on the children's show every day is huge.

  • Why's that?

  • The children now, who are going to be growing up to be adults,

  • they already have the image of...

  • different people, you know?

  • Little kids seeing you on TV and it's, “Oh, this is just a… he's another guy.”

  • Yeah, “He's a normal guy.”

  • Whereas, you know, 15 years before,

  • things were just like, “Oh, a black guy!”

  • We've seen a lot of white people, but, likewoah, black guy!”

  • You know?

  • He's like a Pokémon or something!”

  • I don't know.

  • He's a rare Pokémon!”

  • You know?

Japan has a bad reputation when it comes to accepting foreigners, and it's well-earned.

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