Should I mention death?

Hello,
Thank you for reading my post.

I know this question sounds a bit strange, but I am in a unique situation, so please let me explain.

I am half-Japanese and half-American. My biological (Japanese mom) passed away when I was 5 years old. Since, I�fve lived in America with my dad.

I�fm going to be going to Japan to learn Japanese. I plan to work in Japan in the future and I want to reconnect with my culture. I will be staying with a host family (my mom doesn�ft have any living relatives). I am to write several letters to my host family about my history, what I�fm like, interests, etc.

I know death can be a very taboo topic to Japanese. Should I mention that mom has passed or should I just say I�fm half Japanese raised in America in my letter? How should I approach the topic? Any advice would be helpful. Thank you very much.

I know death can be a very taboo topic to Japanese.

No, it isn't. I wonder where you got that idea. Just write how you'd write to an American host family.

I'm a Japanese resident in Japan who attended elementary school in America, if that helps.

I agree with Uco-san that it is not a taboo topic. And in your case, it would probably come naturally as part of your introduction – if the host family hears that you are half Japanese, they are likely to get curious about your parents and where you grew up and all that. And since it sounds like your mother passed away quite some time ago, you simply mention your mom�fs passing when you were small, and since then you have been living in the US�c which as a background story flows naturally, and that would be that.

And I�fm also a Japanese resident in Japan, who attended high school in the US for a few years.