Peter Barakan

Peter Barakan (born 20 August 1951) is an English DJ, freelance broadcaster, and an author of books on music and English language education. He is best known as the presenter of Begin Japanology and Japanology Plus on NHK World. In Japan, he is known as the radio host of "Barakan Beat" on InterFM, "Weekend Sunshine" on NHK FM, and Lifestyle Museum on Tokyo FM. Barakan also curates "Live Magic!", presented by CreativeMan Productions, Tower Records, and InterFM. It is a two-day festival intent on promoting obscure western artists to a wider Japanese audience.

Early life Peter Barakan was born in London, England to an Anglo-Burmese mother and a Jewish father of Polish ancestry, and raised with his younger brother, musician Shane Fontayne. After attending junior high school, he graduated from SOAS, University of London.

Career

Early career (1974–1988) Barakan moved to Tokyo, Japan in early 1974, after accepting a job offer as a clerk at a music publishing company in Japan. as well as writing lyrics and handling international marketing for the Japanese band Yellow Magic Orchestra. In October 1988, with his start as host of the late-night weekly TBS program "CBS Document" (a Japanese edition of 60 Minutes), Barakan's popularity grew, especially among Japanese eager to study English, and among Americans starved for broadcasts from their home country.

He is currently hosting "Barakan Beat", a live show on InterFM,

Social issues During the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, Barakan was prevented from playing a nuclear protest song, because it could "create ' fuhyou higai''', which means 'damage from rumors'".

Similarly, in 2014, Barakan was pressured by two broadcast stations (other than InterFM) to steer clear of commenting on nuclear power issues.

In 2012, he led a U.N. sponsored multi-city mayoral panel discussion on community rebuilding following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.

Personal life Barakan is married to Mayumi Yoshida, and has a son and a daughter.

Filmography

Film

Television