Descubra a los Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/es/interviews/clips/1549/

Business in Missouri (Japanese)

(Japanese) Compared to California, Missouri is a better place to live, if you have ways to make ends meet. It’s so much better there. The price of a house, for example, is about one-third or even one-fifth of the price here. And in my case, I couldn’t contract work, so I had to get a job and I was willing to learn things the American way. And since I knew how to do welding, even though it wasn’t my job in Japan, - I had some experience when I was young and I had skills - I had a welding job while I was there. I worked at six places in one year.

But in Missouri, there isn’t much population, with houses located sparsely. I did it once. I worked at six places and walked around, and back then it was two dollars and sixty cents. That was the minimum wage. And they would usually want the work done with minimum wage. And they would give me a check after a week or two. Then on the check they would write 8 or 9 dollars. When I told them there had been a mistake, they would tell me I could take it, because it was me. They would do things like that. They thought that it would keep me there. But as I was looking around, I stayed at one place for only a few weeks and moved to new places. I looked around six places and thought that maybe I could do it on my own. And then I had my own place - not on a big street - but I only had two customers during six months of business there. Just small jobs. I just couldn’t make a living with that.


negocios economía generaciones inmigrantes inmigración issei Japón ciudad de Kansas gestión migración Missouri posguerra shin-issei Estados Unidos soldadura Segunda Guerra Mundial

Fecha: July 17, 2016

Zona: California, US

Entrevista: Yoko Nishimura, Mitsue Watanabe

País: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

Entrevista

Nacido en agosto de 1936 en lo que hoy es la Ciudad de Higashi Matsushima (antes era el Distrito Monou-Gun, Ono-mura), de la Prefectura de Miyagi, de padres dedicados a la pesca y a la agricultura. Finalizado los estudios de la secundaria se fue a Yokohama en busca de trabajo y se desempeñó en tareas de instalación de caños y tubos, principalmente de plantas generadoras de energía eléctrica. En 1961 a los 25 años funda con su hermano una empresa contratista de la planta eléctrica denominada “Kahoku Sangyo”. Le va muy bien pero por diferencias con su hermano deja la empresa. En 1975 se presenta como candidato a alcalde de Yokohama pero pierde en las elecciones. Luego, decide emigrar a los Estados Unidos. Una vez que logra la residencia con el “green card” llama a su esposa y sus dos hijas, para vivir en la Ciudad de Kansas, Estado de Missouri. Sin embargo, al año y medio regresa nuevamente a Japón, pero como su hija no se adapta bien deciden volver nuevamente a los Estados Unidos, ubicándose en Los Angeles. Por eso, es un “shin-issei” (1º generación de la posguerra de décadas recientes). Desde ese entonces viven en la ciudad de Monrovia del Condado de Los Angeles, en la localidad aleñada de Baldwin Park, trabajando como soldador  de su propia companía AAM Welding Company. (Octubre de 2017)

Oda,Harunori

Deciding to come to America

(1927-2016) Empresario shin-issei

Oda,Harunori

Voyage to San Pedro

(1927-2016) Empresario shin-issei

Oda,Harunori

Getting started in America

(1927-2016) Empresario shin-issei

Oda,Harunori

Early impression of America

(1927-2016) Empresario shin-issei

Oda,Harunori

Learning the nursery business

(1927-2016) Empresario shin-issei

Oda,Harunori

Gardening to nursery

(1927-2016) Empresario shin-issei

Oda,Harunori

Expanding business

(1927-2016) Empresario shin-issei

Oda,Harunori

Next phase

(1927-2016) Empresario shin-issei

Oda,Harunori

Life Philosophy

(1927-2016) Empresario shin-issei

Fukuhara,Jimmy Ko

Family nursery business

(n. 1921) Veterano nisei que sirvió en la ocupación de Japón

Fukuhara,Jimmy Ko

After being discharged and returning to the nursery business

(n. 1921) Veterano nisei que sirvió en la ocupación de Japón

Shikota,Antonio Shinkiti

3.11 Earthquake stopped his business in Sendai and Fukushima (Portuguese)

(n. 1962) Brasileño japonés, dueño de una tienda de productos brasileños en Japón.

Shikota,Antonio Shinkiti

Transition from a factory worker to starting his own business (Portuguese)

(n. 1962) Brasileño japonés, dueño de una tienda de productos brasileños en Japón.

Fujioka,Robert T.

Great grandparents' hotel business in Hawaii

(n.1952) Antiguo ejecutivo de la banca, nacido en Hawái

Fujioka,Robert T.

Grandfather's business in Hawaii while in camp

(n.1952) Antiguo ejecutivo de la banca, nacido en Hawái