Ethnic Identity of Mixed Japanese-Thai Young People in Thai and Japanese Medium Schools in Thailand

Globalisation has positioned Thailand as a significant economic partner of Japan, contributing to the growth of substantial Japanese communities and an increase in Japanese-Thai families within the country. Recognising education as a critical component of child development, this study examines the role of schooling in shaping the ethnic identity of mixed Japanese-Thai young people in two distinct educational settings: Thai and Japanese medium schools. The research participants are 23 mixed Japanese-Thai young individuals (aged 12-30) who have attended either Thai or Japanese medium schools in Thailand. I employed narrative inquiry, utilising the life story method, to identify key turning points in their educational experiences that shape their ethnic identity. The findings reveal that peer and teacher relationships of mixed Japanese-Thai young people within school contexts reflect Japan’s significant cultural and economic influence over Thailand, resulting in variations in ethnic options that are critical to their ethnic self-identification. The study indicates that the ethnic identity of mixed Japanese-Thai young people in Thai and Japanese medium schools is shaped in contrasting ways. This underscores that ethnic issues do not necessarily involve phenotypic differences but rather present distinctive ethnic debates within the Asian region.