The economic crisis and terrorism drove thousands of Peruvian Nikkei to travel to Japan between the 1980s and 1990s. As much as a decision, it was a need for refuge, a truce, a white flag in the midst of ubiquitous violence.
However, there were also those who embraced migration as a challenge, a way to prove their worth outside their comfort zone.
One of them was Rafael Tokashiki Kishimoto. He was working for a Japanese automotive company in Peru when he decided to move to Japan in 1997 to start anew in the country of his ancestors.
“I came motivated by the challenge of working outside of Peru,” he recalls. “It was a difficult decision,” he adds. Saying goodbye to something familiar, whose coordinates we know by heart, to plunge into uncertainty isn't for everyone. It's hard, but for Rafael, the pull of the new prevailed.
So, he packed his bags and boarded the plane that took him to the country where his daughters were born.
The tent
“I started working in construction in the electrical field. Since I knew a lot of people there, I adapted quickly. The hardest part is the language, not just the writing; verbal communication isn't learned in a classroom,” he notes.
Although Rafael chose Japan as his destination in his quest to climb the ladder in a life characterized by a succession of challenges and adapted quickly to the country, making this his final stop was not in his plans.
Perhaps in the future, the possibility of returning to Peru or trying my luck elsewhere would arise. The world is big.
"In the early years, it felt like living in an eternal camp, since we didn't plan to stay in Japan forever. We didn't buy big, durable things, but rather small, cheap, and short-lived ones," he says.
Rafael and his wife thought they'd pack up their tents and leave Nihon at any moment. Until the family grew.
When everything changed
It's not like they sat down one day for one of those life-changing meetings and decided: we're staying. It just happened naturally.
“When our daughters were born, everything subconsciously changed: we bought a car, an apartment, and without realizing it, we were already well established,” he explains.
By then, Rafael was no longer working in construction. Eight months after arriving in Japan, he found a job in a data center, and he's still there ever since, almost 30 years later.
“I started working in the operations department, in charge of all infrastructure,” he says. He gained experience and years later was transferred to the design department.
"I currently focus on consulting on the design, construction, and operation of data centers for companies that serve companies like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft," he explains.
His case is unusual. He has found stability in times of constant turbulence, some so severe that they have caused shipwrecks.
His ability and experience speak for themselves, but so does his command of English, which has been an advantage in Japan. "I learned English in Peru, and that's the weak point of the Japanese," he notes.
“I always tell young foreigners that to be competitive in the Japanese market, they have to learn English (although they say that with artificial intelligence you won't need to speak other languages, knowing other languages makes you more mentally agile),” he emphasizes.
Triple identity
It's almost impossible for Japan not to influence the self-perception of Peruvian Nikkei. For many, their Peruvian identity is strengthened.
In Rafael's case, his status as an immigrant has reinforced both his Peruvian identity and his Nikkei identity. But there is a third ethnic-cultural dimension that he values more.
“I'm most interested in my Okinawan roots. Since I don't live in Okinawa, I'm still curious about my Okinawan roots. For example, if you do an internet search for Okinawa, the first thing that pops up is 'karate,'” he says.
“It's incredible how karate has reached so many people, beyond that small island, and I still find so many stories about karate's history that haven't left Okinawa.”
And your daughters? Do they consider themselves 100% Japanese? A little Peruvian? Nikkei?
"My daughters consider themselves 80% Japanese. Perhaps in time they'll become interested in our origins," she replies.
“My daughters and I communicate in Japanese, although I imagine it must be the same way our grandparents communicated with our parents, with quite a few limitations in vocabulary and a foreign accent.”
We stayed (almost certainly)
“I miss Peru, my family, and friends, but thanks to today's technology, the distance has shortened,” says Rafael.
"I miss Peruvian food, but luckily, Peruvian food is now expanding. There are already Peruvian restaurants in major cities in Japan," he says.
Peruvian Nikkei miss their homeland, but... there's always a but. Is it possible that they will one day end almost three decades of living in Japan and return to Peru?
“I think I'm staying in Japan at this point. Although you never know what's coming. Just as our grandparents migrated to Peru, we returned to Japan, which I call 'remigration.' It wouldn't be a surprise if our children in Japan had to 'remigrate' to South America again,” he replies.
"For now, Japan is stable, and I hope retirement is within our reach. Returning to Peru depends on how Japan fares in the coming years, but there are no plans at the moment," he explains.
However, Rafael doesn't rule anything out. Not even Japan, a rocky society like few others, is immune to the tidal waves that destabilize the planet.
"There's a lot of uncertainty, not only among the Nikkei people living here, but also among the Japanese themselves, about the country's future. Rumors of increasingly limited retirement income, rising taxes, and a weakening yen are keeping many people on the fence," he explains.
Japan, a perfect country?
“Japan has given me the opportunity to work for large companies worldwide,” says Rafael Tokashiki when asked what the land of his ancestors has added to his life.
Japan is a large country (in terms of economic power, civic spirit, order, etc.). However, living there for so many years has allowed Rafael to experience its other, dark and murky sides.
“Something that really intrigues me is the image of a perfect society that Japan has around the world. Living here, you realize it's a country that still has a lot of room for improvement, as well as many injustices,” he says.
What injustices? What's wrong with a country that seems to be the epitome of civility and efficiency?
"Like any country in the world, it has mafias, corrupt politicians, rigged public tenders, a press interested in particular interests, etc.," he responds.
"I see a lot of injustice in Japanese society when it comes to meritocracy; people are still chosen based on age and connections, not merit," he adds.
Another thing: the gap between men and women. Not surprisingly, Japan ranked 118th out of 146 countries in the 2024 gender gap ranking, according to the World Economic Forum.
"Japan still has a low percentage of women in high-ranking positions. Gender inequality is also evident in salaries," Rafael emphasizes.
Finally, the Peruvian Nikkei disputes that the Asian country is a model of integrity: "There are many people who take advantage of the social assistance system, both Japanese and foreigners, while another group doesn't even know about the existence of these programs."
© 2025 Enrique Higa Sakuda
