2008 marks the 100th anniversary of Japanese immigration to Brazil and several events from the north to the south of the country. This is a curious fact when considering that the number of Japanese descendants, also known as the Nikkei population, in Brazil represents around 0.8% of the Brazilian population in 2007, that is, just over 1.5 million of the 184 millions of Brazilians.
What factors contributed and continue to contribute to the nationalization of the celebrations of the centenary of immigration, which is not easy, considering that the country is the fifth largest in the world in terms of surface area. Firstly, we can consider the fact that Brazil is able to welcome foreigners very well. Japanese immigrants managed to overcome their initial adaptation difficulties, which must also have been faced by immigrants of other nationalities, they became involved in Brazilian society and conquered their spaces to contribute to national development.
Examples of Japanese contributions range from the inclusion of new foods in Brazilian culture by immigrants, such as simple persimmons or sushi, reaching today's more sophisticated cuisine. But the contributions don't stop there, the contributions in the economic area are also factors that make Japan, its immigrants and descendants a separate chapter in the history of Brazil. The Japanese presence in the Brazilian agricultural sector is known, but over the years their descendants began to develop other professional activities and today they are in practically all areas of the Brazilian economy.
In addition to the contributions of the Nikkei population in Brazil, one must also consider the important presence of Japanese companies, which have participated and continue to participate in Brazilian economic development, which, with their foreign direct investments (FDI), establish and expand companies in the country, and generate new jobs. in the country. According to data from the Central Bank, Japan in 2000 was among the 10 largest FDI stocks in Brazil. And in the period from 2001 to 2006, the flow of invested resources was the eighth largest, totaling US$ 4.37 billion, a value 77% higher than the stock accumulated until 2000, demonstrating that the interest of Japanese companies in Brazil continues.
However, there was a readjustment in Japanese investments in the country, as, as mentioned by minister Celso Amorim in an interview, “in the 1970s, there were already around 500 Japanese companies located here. In the 80s and 90s, both countries went through economic difficulties and our exchange lost momentum. Now that problems such as inflation in Brazil and stagnation in Japan have been overcome, we need to find a way to reactivate the relationship”. In 2007 the number of Japanese companies had been reduced to 280, according to a Japanese publication called Toyo Keizai, however, it is a fact that the interests of Japanese executives and companies in Brazil are being revitalized.
Another contributing factor is the fact that although the Nikkei currently represent and are concentrated in the southeast region of the country, they are distributed in several states in the country from Rio Grande do Sul to Amazonas. Therefore, the fact that the festivities are being held in these different states shows that not only the presence of the Japanese community, but that it was well received in each of them. This positive relationship is a factor to be highlighted in Brazil, as it is a country that has managed to welcome several people of different ethnicities and promote a coexistence that is not only peaceful, but respectful and collaborative.
Particularly in relation to Japanese culture, in Brazil there is a growing interest, anime (Japanese cartoons) are a great attraction for the Brazilian public. According to a survey carried out in 2007 by the consultancy Nova Investe and Jetro, anime is among the four themes that stood out for being preferred by 70% or more of those surveyed, along with Culinary, History and Music. And in parallel with animeê, Japanese editorial products are also very successful in the country, particularly the comic books known as manga.
These facts do not allow us to reach conclusive statements, but they can contribute to expectations of expanding relations between the two countries. Again quoting Minister Amorim's words given in the aforementioned interview: “on the occasion of President Lula's visit to Japan, our countries decided that 2008 would be the "Year of Exchange". We also decided that 2008 would not just be about "festivities" but rather an opportunity to further strengthen the ties that unite us, building a truly strategic partnership. The relationship with Japan does not have any irritants, whether politically or economically”. That's the expectation.
The celebrations, in addition to serving to mark the centenary year, have contributed greatly to greater dissemination of information about Japan in Brazil and Brazil in Japan, as there are several documentaries, reports and news programs covering bilateral relations. These actions, at the very least, contribute to the people of both countries expanding their mutual knowledge, which is already a positive step towards relaunching relations, as it is not reasonable to like what you don't know.
* Brazilian Association of Japanese Studies (ABEJ), affiliated with Discover Nikkei, contributes this article to Discover Nikkei. ABEJ is a non-profit organization that brings together professors and researchers from different areas of knowledge about Japan, experts, students and people interested in Japanese issues.
© 2008 Alexandre Ratsuo Uehara
