noun
honorary white
Historical term from apartheid-era South Africa; non-white people, including Japanese, were granted certain privileges normally reserved for whites.
アパルトヘイト時代、日本人は名誉白人として扱われた。
During the apartheid era, Japanese people were treated as honorary whites.
Compound of 名誉 (honorary) and 白人 (white person). The term is a direct translation of the English 'honorary white' and is specific to the historical context of apartheid South Africa.