Katsuo Higuchi
@katsuohiguchiA Nisei native of Tupã, São Paulo State, he holds a Law degree, specializing in Labor Relations. Over the course of 50 years, he worked as an executive and entrepreneur in the Human Resources field. A Business Consultant, he’s also a columnist for the newspaper Nippo Brasil.
Updated June 2017
Stories from This Author
COVID-19 and its impact on the lives of Brazilian Nikkei
May 25, 2020 • Katsuo Higuchi
As has happened in other countries, Covid-19 hit Brazil in a devastating way, showing those who did not believe in it, its lethal malignancy. On May 9, more than 10,000 deaths had already been recorded, with catastrophic numbers expected to reach in the coming months, despite the containment measures taken by the country's health authorities. Horizontal quarantine was adopted to try to combat evil. With this, the doors of commerce and industry were closed; the movement of people was prohibited. …
ITADAKIMASU, GOCHISOSAMA and other values
May 4, 2020 • Katsuo Higuchi
Matías, who happens to be our Argentine son-in-law, the first time he was at our house he was welcomed with a lunch beautifully prepared by Cecília, my wife. At the table, invited to start the meal, he made a comment that immediately earned him positive points with his family. He said: “The Japanese bow – itadakimasu – before meals, which I consider to be a most significant attitude!” and added: “I traveled to Japan a few times for work and, …
Uchina Mensoore - Welcome to Okinawa
July 31, 2019 • Katsuo Higuchi
Rain or shine, nothing stops Rádio Taissô groups from meeting daily at the traditional Praça da Liberdade in São Paulo to practice community gymnastics. An event that also takes place in several other locations, even in other cities. The instrumental music in the background, which echoes through the speaker, dictates the rhythm of the light and harmonious movements that dozens of people, committed and excited, begin to make. Dressed in character, in all-white gym clothes, including sneakers, they perform a …
KOKI IWAI , the celebration of longevity
June 24, 2019 • Katsuo Higuchi
A comment made by a friend piqued my interest and I soon did some research and found what I was looking for. The prestigious Harvard University, in the USA, has been studying a fascinating topic for more than seven decades: What makes people happy in life? What makes a good life to live? Refraining from commenting on details of the work, merely for reasons of space in this column, but trusting in the seriousness of the renowned institution, I learned …
My unforgettable uncle
May 9, 2019 • Katsuo Higuchi
As a child, I used to read a monthly magazine that still exists today, in which there was a section called “My unforgettable type”, my favorite, where the lives of remarkable characters were portrayed. Ordinary people who, through their qualities or attitudes, had stood out or influenced the lives of others, equally common. An unforgettable figure for me was Uncle Yotiam or Tim for many, my late uncle on my mother's side, who left us a legacy of good and …
The decasséguis are returning. Japan thanks you.
March 27, 2019 • Katsuo Higuchi
“Mr. Higuchi, I read the news that Japan will need more than 300,000 foreign workers in the next five years. Do you think it’s worth working in Japan?” asked me a senior Nikkei who seemed to know me, while I was waiting for the lecture “The Brazilian Community in Japan”, by emeritus professor at the University of Shizuoka – Shigehiro Ikegami – to begin. at Japan House in São Paulo, on February 20th. The question asked so informally and abruptly …
UMÊ-SHÛ by AIKO, the incomparable Brazilian plum liqueur
Feb. 1, 2019 • Katsuo Higuchi
An apprentice philosopher says that “old age, among other qualities, brings knowledge and wisdom!” Perhaps this is the big reason why UMÊ-SHU by AIKO be so successful among us, poor mortals who don't even enjoy a beer. But the liqueur is so delicious that, when we taste it, we reserve the best glass in the house to sip the precious drink. It is usually accompanied by ice cubes, which further enhances its smooth aroma, slightly sweet taste and pleasant acidity. …
SHINDO RENMEI, a Dark Chapter in the History of Japanese Immigration in Brazil
Nov. 7, 2018 • Katsuo Higuchi
History With the arrival of the steamer Kasato Maru at the Port of Santos in 1908, the cycle of Japanese immigration began in Brazil, which up until the 1940s brought in nearly 200,000 Japanese immigrants. Most immigrants left Japan, at that time devastated by a severe economic and social crisis, for Brazil, a new and promising country that offered the possibility of employment and the opportunity to earn a fortune in a short time. Most of them intended to save …
JAPAN AND SWITZERLAND: Similar in their differences
Sept. 26, 2018 • Katsuo Higuchi
The poet Mário Quintana once said: “ traveling is changing the clothes of the soul! “ Traveling is great, it’s good for the soul and the heart! When we travel, we broaden our horizons, we expand our borders. We return in a different way, rejuvenated, with a new state of mind and a different way of thinking and acting. You even become a better person, I dare say. Imagine taking a plane, crossing the ocean and, after a few hours, …
Women Entrepreneurs
May 7, 2018 • Katsuo Higuchi
A very common expression today, especially among experienced professionals, is “entrepreneurship” which, in a nutshell, means “willingness to take on new businesses or projects, identifying opportunities and transforming them into their own business activity”. It presupposes a creative, innovative, bold spirit. Thinking about starting your own business is one of those dreams that almost everyone has but that rarely comes true for a simple but crucial reason: the fear of failure. In fact, fear is part of business, just as …
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