[6] 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.
[1] In the early 80's, after his departure as a clerk, Barakan began contributing to magazines and hosting a radio show as a freelancer,[8] as well as writing lyrics and handling international marketing for the Japanese band Yellow Magic Orchestra.
[5] Barakan’s broadcast experience eventually led him to NHK’s Japanology in 2003, where he is more well known internationally for exploring aspects of traditional and contemporary Japan, including interviews with experts in various fields.
[16] Similarly, in 2014, Barakan was pressured by two broadcast stations (other than InterFM) to steer clear of commenting on nuclear power issues.
[17] In 2012, he led a U.N. sponsored multi-city mayoral panel discussion on community rebuilding following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.