💬 A linguistic master(of)class

Yuji Beleza grew up in Kyoto, Japan, raised by an Irish mother who taught English and spoke four languages—English, Irish, Japanese, and Spanish—and a Japanese father who worked as a security guard.

From the get-go, Yuji wasn’t quite sure where he belonged. And to make matters worse, the kids at school often teased him for being the only student of mixed race, even though he spoke fluent Japanese.

One thing he was grateful for, however, is the appreciation for other cultures that his family instilled:

• “My sister and I learned early on how to switch between languages,” he told CNN. “And I think I had a pretty broad perspective from a young age because I was always curious and eager to learn about the world.”

To the other side of the world: As he got older, Yuji grew curious about his Irish roots and spent some time living in Ireland—where he still wasn’t completely accepted due to his Japanese heritage. After gravitating to the immigrant community, he realized that in order to make lasting friendships and connections, he would need to know more than English and Japanese.

And thus, his love for languages was born.

Skipping past the tireless toil...Yuji now speaks at least a part of 27 different languages. 

• He can speak Japanese, English, Russian, German, and Turkish fluenty. 
• He’s also conversational in about 10 more, and can greet people in dozens more. 

His entire career now centers around languages. Yuji creates quick, spontaneous interviews in dozens of languages and posts them on his social media—where he’s amassed millions of followers.

Bottom line: “I want people to see that language isn’t just grammar and vocabulary—it’s about recognition, empathy, and joy,” he told CNN. “Language can divide us, but it also brings us together. And if I can make just one person feel a little more visible, a little more valued—that’s everything.”