The main purpose of this visit to South America was to attend the 15th Pan-American Convention of Japanese descendants (COPANI), held in Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay.1 At the immigration workshop, together with Professor Asaka Yukie of Nanzan University and Professor Ninomiya Masato of the University of Sao Paulo, I gave a presentation on Japanese descendants in South America.
The conference, held every two years, brings together influential Nikkei people in the Americas to discuss various topics, with the main aim of strengthening horizontal ties and promoting goodwill. There are also meetings of experts such as lawyers and legal scholars2 , and youth meetings. This time, the latter attracted a lot of attention, with some encouraging presentations, and the conclusion that left an impression was, "...Nikkei people are not people who assert their differences, but people who have the power to turn differences into positives." Most Nikkei communities in Latin America have a history of over 100 years, and are primarily third- and fourth-generation, naturally leading to intermarriage with non-Nikkei people. In this context, being too concerned with the identity of "Nikkei" can sometimes result in overemphasizing differences.
Up until now, Nikkei communities in every country have emphasized coexistence with the local community, while encouraging assimilation or social integration for second-generation and above, and expecting them to play an active role as members of society. As a result, there are many Nikkei who are successful in various fields, but it can also be said that they have been at the mercy of social distortions and structural problems in order to become part of society. Depending on the society and family environment in which they were born and raised, there are cases where they do not have to be very conscious of being Nikkei, and cases where they have to be conscious, but this is influenced by the times and the situation of the country, and complex factors are intertwined.
COPANI is an international meeting that can provide some hints on such dilemmas and differences, a place where people with different aims can participate across borders and generations, and a place where various lessons can be shared. Looking at the participation fee, travel expenses, accommodation expenses, etc., it is true that it is not a conference that anyone can easily participate in, and some have pointed out that it is elitist, but this is the only place where leaders and influential people from each part of the Americas can gather, and it is up to the participants to make it a meaningful meeting.
This time the event was held in Montevideo, but because there are very few Japanese immigrants and Japanese descendants in the country, neighboring countries such as Argentina and Chile provided indirect support, and financial cooperation was also provided by alumni, mainly one of the founders, Mr. Carlos Kasuga of Mexico (who waived participation fees for young people and subsidized accommodation costs), so that as many young people as possible could attend.
Uruguay's Japanese community is about 600 people, but like Chile, there has been no mass immigration of Japanese people. Generations have passed, and in 2008 the country celebrated the 100th anniversary of Japanese immigration. Some of those who immigrated after the war still make a living by growing flowers or working at dry cleaners, a characteristic similar to that of the Japanese in Buenos Aires.
The Oriental Republic of Uruguay is not well known in Japan, but historically it has been a country that has cooperated with its neighbors while shrewdly adjusting interests between the big powers of Brazil and Argentina. Its financial institutions are highly credible, so much so that it is called the Switzerland of South America, it is politically stable, and economically, as an agricultural and livestock country, it has developed agro-industry-related export industries with high added value. 20% of exports are meat, 14% are grains and rice, and wine and clothing have also been growing in recent years . The country's representative wine brand is Tannat, which goes very well with slightly rich, sweet and spicy Japanese cuisine.3 The meat dishes are also hearty, known for being as large as those in Argentina.
The luxury resort of Punta del Este is home to villas owned by wealthy people not only from Argentina but also from South America. And in Colonia del Sacramento, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, new luxury hotels and resort condominiums are being built, and the ferry port is also undergoing expansion. Foreign currency earnings from 2 million foreign tourists per year account for 6 % of the gross national product and 48% of the service sector's income. The number of direct flights from major cities in the United States, Europe, and South America has increased, making it easier to get there than before. In addition, many large passenger ships (cruisers) are also anchored here, so services for these ships and city tours are also a major source of income.
Exports of mineral resources are also increasing, and forestry development projects include the construction of a large paper mill on the Uruguay River.
Uruguay has a population of 3.3 million, which is smaller than the population of Yokohama, but its land area is exactly half that of Japan. Its gross national product is about 33 billion dollars, and its average annual income per capita is 9,000 dollars, higher than those of Brazil or Argentina. It is also characterized by a lack of large social disparities and a high level of education.
Because of the large number of immigrants from Italy and Spain, there are many cultural and racial similarities with neighboring Argentina, but due to the influence of slaves brought from Africa from the 17th century onwards, there is also a black culture similar to that of northeastern Brazil. This is reflected in the music and dance called Candombe, which is a very rhythmic parade that is an essential part of Uruguay's Carnival6 .
The people are friendly and the city has a different flavor from Buenos Aires, which has a similar immigrant composition, making it one of the most livable countries in South America.
Political stability is also an example for South America. In December, President Vásquez Tavares, who completed his term, visited Japan and expressed his full support for former guerrilla activist Mujica (the next president, due to take office in March 2010), even though this is a change of government within the same political party.7
Notes:
1. http://www.apnonline.net/ About APN (Spanish only)
2. http://www.apj.org.pe/fopan/historia About FOPAN (Spanish only)
3. http://www.e-food.jp/wine/urguay.html About Uruguayan wine 4. http://www.mercosur.jp/04_uruguay/isan_colonia.html
5. http://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/area/uruguay/index.html
http://www.uy.emb-japan.go.jp/index%20japones.htm
http://www.uruguay.gub.uy/estado/default.asp
6. http://asakawa-kats.com/uruguay/llamada.html
http://asakawa-kats.com/uruguay/index.html
7. http://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/area/uruguay/visit/0912.html
© 2010 Alberto J. Matsumoto