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https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/629/

Main differences between Japanese and Japanese Americans

I guess my underlying feeling there is that Japanese Americans have been taught and actively pursued not being Japanese. Whereas Japanese know they’re Japanese and are very comfortable being Japanese. They may not be comfortable being anything else.

And in that way, maybe being Japanese American is better because—or not better, but it’s different. There’s an advantage there because Japanese Americans, I believe, have been so active in trying to be other people that they’re not Japanese—trying to be white Americans or just assimilate into whatever culture that they’re in. And I guess that helped me out, that assimilation and that ability to kind of melt in. Maybe I can never take a principle role in a group or something, but I can blend in, and I can function very, very well.

So maybe that’s an advantage. I guess the difference there is that one’s trying not to be what they really are. The other one is just what they are. That’s it.


Finding Home (film) identity Japanese Americans

Date: September 12, 2003

Location: Tokyo, Japan

Interviewer: Art Nomura

Contributed by: Art Nomura, Finding Home.

Interviewee Bio

Vince Ota, (Sansei on his mother’s side, Yonsei on his father’s), was born in New Hampshire. From there, he and his family lived in several cities throughout the United States and also lived in London before finally settling in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Growing up in a small town in Maryland, Vince did not have much contact with other Asian Americans, except during the summers he spent in Los Angeles with relatives. He describes his upbringing as “pretty White American.” Vince eventually moved to southern California where he attended community college and the California Institute of the Arts. He worked as a creative designer and lived in Los Angeles for seven years until moving to Japan. Vince has lived in Japan since 1996 and plans to stay. At the time of the interview, he was working as a creative designer. (September 12, 2003)

James Hirabayashi
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Nickname

(1926 - 2012) Scholar and professor of anthropology. Leader in the establishment of ethnic studies as an academic discipline

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James Hirabayashi
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Not bringing shame to family

(1926 - 2012) Scholar and professor of anthropology. Leader in the establishment of ethnic studies as an academic discipline

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James Hirabayashi
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Context affects meaning

(1926 - 2012) Scholar and professor of anthropology. Leader in the establishment of ethnic studies as an academic discipline

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James Hirabayashi
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Testing assumptions of Japanese scholars

(1926 - 2012) Scholar and professor of anthropology. Leader in the establishment of ethnic studies as an academic discipline

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Steve Kaji
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FOB's

Hawaii born Nikkei living in Japan. English Teacher at YMCA.

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Eric Morton
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Addressing multiracial identity can be difficult

Starred at wide receiver for Dartmouth College, now a patent attorney. Brother of Johnnie and Chad Morton.

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Ann K. Nakamura
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Image of Americans

Sansei from Hawaii living in Japan. Teacher and businesswoman.

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Robert (Bob) Kiyoshi Okasaki
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Grandmother's influence on decision to go to Japan

(b.1942) Japanese American ceramist, who has lived in Japan for over 30 years.

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Robert (Bob) Kiyoshi Okasaki
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Band-Aid realization

(b.1942) Japanese American ceramist, who has lived in Japan for over 30 years.

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Robert (Bob) Kiyoshi Okasaki
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Japanese influence growing up

(b.1942) Japanese American ceramist, who has lived in Japan for over 30 years.

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Robert (Bob) Kiyoshi Okasaki
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Looking at your country from the outside

(b.1942) Japanese American ceramist, who has lived in Japan for over 30 years.

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Robert (Bob) Kiyoshi Okasaki
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Wife's family in Japan

(b.1942) Japanese American ceramist, who has lived in Japan for over 30 years.

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Yukio Takeshita
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Lack of notion of citizenship in Japan

(b.1935) American born Japanese. Retired businessman.

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Yukio Takeshita
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Involvement in JACL

(b.1935) American born Japanese. Retired businessman.

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Yukio Takeshita
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Impression of Japan upon arrival

(b.1935) American born Japanese. Retired businessman.

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