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https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/1046/

The Nikkei Integration into society (Spanish)

(Spanish) This fusion of the Japanese with Peruvians still hasn’t taken place because even today we still have the immigrant’s mentality, do we not? We’re their descendants, us, and we still feel this sense of logic of ‘survivors of the survivors’, right? That is why we have strong ideas of saving, to surpass adversities of solidarity, do we not? It’s good in a way, but bad in another. Or sometimes, it’s just what it is: not good not bad, just what it is. And I think that is the reason it hasn’t taken place yet, because in the end, what does an immigrant think? That he’s going to return. The funny thing is that we’re not going to return, are we? Because with the dekasegi phenomenon, the experience of the massive relocation of Peruvians working in Japan, we found ourselves with the truth: We’re not from Japan, we’re from Peru. And sometimes in Peru, people like us and sometimes they don’t, and we have to live with that. But I think that is basically because of this mentality that we still think we’re immigrants.


dekasegi foreign workers identity immigration Nikkei in Japan Peru

Date: February 26, 2008

Location: Lima, Peru

Interviewer: Harumi Nako

Contributed by: Asociación Peruano Japonesa (APJ)

Interviewee Bio

Doris Moromisato Miasato (1962) was born in Chambala, an agricultural zone of Lima, Peru. She graduated with a degree in Law and Political Science at the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos.

She has published the collection of poems Morada donde la luna perdió su palidez [Home were the moon lost its paleness] (1988), Chambala era un camino [Chambala was the path] (1999), Diario de la mujer es ponja [Diary of a Jap woman] (2004), Paisaje Terrestre [Terrestrial Path] (2007), as well as the story book Okinawa, un siglo en el Perú [Okinawa. A century in Peru] (2006). Her poems, stories, essays, and features have also been included in several anthologies and have been translated into several languages.

She is an ecologist, feminist and Buddhist. In 2006, the Okinawa Municipality nominated her as an Ambassador of Good Will. Nowadays, she is columnist for the Discover Nikkei Website, and since 2005 she has managed the organization of book fairs as Cultural Director of Cámara Peruana del Libro. (February 26, 2008)

Wally Kaname Yonamine
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Wally Kaname Yonamine

His parents' experience with Japanese resistance toward intermarriage with Okinawans

(b.1925) Nisei of Okinawan descent. Had a 38-year career in Japan as a baseball player, coach, scout, and manager.

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Wally Kaname Yonamine
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Wally Kaname Yonamine

Working in cane fields as teenager, and how it helped in his athletic training (Japanese)

(b.1925) Nisei of Okinawan descent. Had a 38-year career in Japan as a baseball player, coach, scout, and manager.

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Roy H. Matsumoto
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Roy H. Matsumoto

Nickname

(b.1913) Kibei from California who served in the MIS with Merrill’s Marauders during WWII.

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Roy H. Matsumoto
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Roy H. Matsumoto

Mixed emotions after declaration of war on Japan

(b.1913) Kibei from California who served in the MIS with Merrill’s Marauders during WWII.

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Etsuo Hongo
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Etsuo Hongo

The reason he came to the United States (Japanese)

(1949 - 2019) Taiko player. Founded five taiko groups in Southern California

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Richard Kosaki
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Richard Kosaki

Growing up in Waikiki

(b. 1924) Political scientist, educator, and administrator from Hawai`i

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Roy Hirabayashi
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Roy Hirabayashi

The philosophy of playing Taiko

(b.1951) Co-founder and managing director of San Jose Taiko.

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Jero (Jerome Charles White Jr.)
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Jero (Jerome Charles White Jr.)

Learning Japanese traditions by observing his mother and grandmother

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

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Art Shibayama
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Art Shibayama

Activities growing up in Peru

(1930-2018) Nisei born in Peru. Taken to the United States during WWII.

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Mónica Kogiso
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Mónica Kogiso

History of her family's immigration (Spanish)

(b. 1969) Former president of Centro Nikkei Argentino.

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Art Shibayama
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Art Shibayama

Family's deportation from Peru to U.S. after the bombing of Pearl Harbor

(1930-2018) Nisei born in Peru. Taken to the United States during WWII.

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Art Shibayama
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Art Shibayama

Denied redress as a Japanese Peruvian

(1930-2018) Nisei born in Peru. Taken to the United States during WWII.

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Mónica Kogiso
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Mónica Kogiso

Nihongo gakko - Preserving Japanese culture (Spanish)

(b. 1969) Former president of Centro Nikkei Argentino.

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Peter Mizuki
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Peter Mizuki

Not wanting to stand out as a foreigner

Sansei Japanese American living in Japan and Kendo practioner

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Frank Yamasaki
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Frank Yamasaki

Have compassion for all of humanity

(b. 1923) Nisei from Washington. Resisted draft during WWII.

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