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Decided to leave Japan to Argentina (Spanish)

(Spanish) After the war I was unable to go anywhere. Although Japan was occupied by the Americans and their allies, the first country that opened its doors was Argentina. Juan Perón’s Argentina. Perón welcomed the Japanese even though Japan was still not a country (because of the occupation). I never planned to come here, therefore. It was the only country available; I couldn’t opt to go to another country.


Argentina immigration migration

Date: February 23, 2007

Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina

Interviewer: Takeshi Nishimura, Ricardo Hokama

Contributed by: Centro Nikkei Argentino

Interviewee Bio

Takagi Kazuomi was born in Japan on March 27, 1925, in the Mie province. He arrived in Argentina as a tourist and never returned to Japan. By chance he started out in journalism, a profession that provided employment for more than fifty years on radio and in the graphic arts. Today, at eighty-one years old, he continues to fervently work as a journalist for the newspaper of the Japanese collectivity, La Plata Hochi (Japanese Section), including acting stints in various forms of publicity. He passed away on November 10, 2014 at age 89. (January 2021)

Kimi Wakabayashi
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Kimi Wakabayashi

Her early life in Canada

(b.1912) Japanese Canadian Issei. Immigrated with husband to Canada in 1931

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Mitsuo Ito
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Mitsuo Ito

Chose to go back to Japan

(b.1924) Japanese Canadian Nisei. Interpreter for British Army in Japan after WWII. Active in Japanese Canadian community

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Seiichi Tanaka
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Seiichi Tanaka

Coming to America

(b.1943) Shin-issei grand master of taiko; founded San Francisco Taiko Dojo in 1968.

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Enson Inoue
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Enson Inoue

The reason for coming to Japan

(b. 1967) Hawai`i-born professional fighter in Japan

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Emi Kasamatsu
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Emi Kasamatsu

Treatment of Japanese Paraguayans during World War II (Spanish)

Nisei Paraguayan, Researcher

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Bill Hashizume
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Bill Hashizume

Yobiyose system in Canada

(b. 1922) Canadian Nisei who was unable to return to Canada from Japan until 1952

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Bill Hashizume
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Bill Hashizume

Reason to come back to Canada in 1954

(b. 1922) Canadian Nisei who was unable to return to Canada from Japan until 1952

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Masako Iino
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Masako Iino

Impressions from interviews with Issei women (Japanese)

Tsuda College President, researcher of Nikkei history

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Mónica Kogiso
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Mónica Kogiso

Nikkei means fusion (Spanish)

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

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Roberto Hirose
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Roberto Hirose

The various realities of Nikkei in Latin America (Spanish)

(b. 1950) Nisei Chilean, Businessman

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John Naka
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John Naka

Avoiding the Japanese military

(1914-2004) Nisei Bonsai master in the United States

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Paula Hoyos Hattori
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Paula Hoyos Hattori

Identity (Spanish)

Sansei Argentinean

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Ryoko Hokama
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Ryoko Hokama

From Japan to Argentina (Japanese)

(b. 1917) Okinawan, Issei Argentinean

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Ryoko Hokama
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Ryoko Hokama

Running a laundry service in Argentina (Japanese)

(b. 1917) Okinawan, Issei Argentinean

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Ryoko Hokama
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Ryoko Hokama

Initial struggles with the language barrier (Japanese)

(b. 1917) Okinawan, Issei Argentinean

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