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The 21-year-old, born in Japan to a Haitian
father and Japanese mother but raised in the United States, told
NHK it will be special for her to represent host Japan at the
Tokyo Games, the public broadcaster said.
Osaka, who will turn 22 on Wednesday, faced that deadline to
relinquish one nationality because neither Japan nor the United
States permits dual citizenship for adults.
The Japanese Olympic Committee and a U.S.-based agent for Osaka
in the United States could not immediately be reached outside
business hours.
Japan, which has long prided itself on being homogeneous, is
becoming more ethnically diverse. But prejudice remains against
"haafu", or half-Japanese, including cases of bullying against
mixed-race children.
And while Japan has largely embraced Osaka, she still faces some
indignities.
Two weeks ago, Osaka laughed off comments by a Japanese comedy
duo who said she was "too sunburned" and "needed some bleach",
and turned the tables with a plug for Japanese cosmetic giant
Shiseido, one of her sponsors.
In January, Japanese noodle company Nissin removed a commercial
in which a cartoon character depicting Osaka was shown with pale
skin and light brown hair, after it prompted an outcry.
(Reporting by Daniel Leussink; Editing by William Mallard & Kim
Coghill)
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