January 15 - Launch of the book "Nikkei in Brazil"

Date: Jan. 15, 2008

Time: 7 p.m.

---

A book that addresses the Nikkei presence in Brazilian society will be launched at the Legislative Assembly of the State of São Paulo. This is a publication of utmost importance for the study of Japanese immigration in Brazil. Conceived through the cooperation of renowned professors and professionals from various fields , NIKKEI IN BRAZIL will be one of the reference works in the centennial of Japanese immigration to Brazil. Below is a brief release of the book, courtesy of Professor Kiyoshi Harada, coordinator of the volume. NIKKEI IN BRAZIL is a collective work, coordinated by Professor Kiyoshi Harada, and written by him and eleven other renowned professionals from different fields of knowledge, which examines, with a great deal of critical spirit, the phenomenon of Japanese immigration to Brazil. It contains 630 pages and more than 50 photographic illustrations. It aims to pay tribute to the Nikkei community in Brazil, being part of the celebrations commemorating Japanese immigration to Brazil. It will be officially launched on January 15, 2008, at the Hall of the Legislative Assembly of the State of São Paulo, at 7:00 p.m., with the presence of federal, state and municipal authorities; leaders of the main entities; businessmen; professionals from various sectors and the Nikkei community in general. Divided into 15 different but interconnected chapters, the book's main objective is to demonstrate how and why Japanese immigrants, who arrived here as colonists in a practically hostile climate, facing all sorts of difficulties, such as those narrated in the mini-series “Haru and Natsu”, and also overcoming the misfortunes arising from the Second World War, managed to achieve, by themselves and through their descendants, in less than a century, such great progress in terms of integration into local society, ceasing to be a “colony” and becoming one of the most important segments of the broad multiracial and multicultural Brazilian society. The book highlights the participation of the Nikkei in high positions at the national level and in the sphere of the three branches of government. It represents a true x-ray of its activities in Brazil, serving as a reflection tool on what the Nikkei have done and are doing, as well as a valuable record for future generations. In this sense, numerous personalities from the artistic, cultural, political, sports, economic, educational, professional, scientific worlds, etc., are cited in direct connection with the themes or episodes addressed in the work. Many people will certainly be surprised to see their names in the book. Seeking to broaden as much as possible the number of participants in the conceptual formulation of today's Nikkei community, nineteen distinguished personalities were interviewed by the coordinator of this work, who formulated generic questions, linked to the community, and questions specific to the area of activity of each interviewee. The answers given by these people, who left their mark on their time and continue to leave their mark on Japanese-Brazilian history, greatly enriched the content of the various themes addressed in the work. At the end of the book, 16 appendices were included, which list Nikkei personalities who are members of public and private institutions mentioned in the book, as well as a list of leading visual artists and Japanese schools in Brazil. Launch of the book "Nikkei in Brazil" Date: January 15, 2008 Time: 7:00 p.m. Location: Hall of the Nove de Julho Palace (Legislative Assembly of the State of São Paulo) - Pedro Álvares Cabral Avenue, 201 - Ibirapuera - SP Cover: Illustration by visual artist Kazuo Wakabayashi.

---