The Nikkei of Latin America and Latino Nikkei

14 Dec 2007 - 14 Feb 2022

Lic. Alberto Matsumoto examines the many different aspects of the Nikkei in Japan, from migration politics regarding the labor market for immigrants to acculturation with Japanese language and customs by way of primary and higher education. He analyzes the internal experiences of Latino Nikkei in their country of origin, including their identity and personal, cultural, and social coexistence in the changing context of globalization.

Stories from this series

The Significance of "International Nikkei Day" ~ Discovering the Identity of the Next Generation

Oct. 14, 2020 • Alberto J. Matsumoto

In June 2018, June 20th was designated as International Nikkei Day at the 150th Anniversary of Japanese Immigration to Hawaii and the 59th Convention of Japanese People Abroad, both held in Honolulu.1 The idea for International Nikkei Day was proposed by Andres Higa, an Argentinian of Japanese descent living in Nago City, Okinawa Prefecture, 2 and Andres Tadashi Isa, a Peruvian of Japanese descent.3 Both men, whose ancestors are from Okinawa,4 felt a sense of crisis that their roots were …

Andrés Higa International Nikkei Day Tadashi Andrés Ysa Urbina

Japan's foreign labor market: Future impact of robots and AI

Aug. 26, 2020 • Alberto J. Matsumoto

There are about 3 million foreigners living in Japan, of which 1.66 million are employed. This is a 13% increase from the previous year1 . The reason for this is the increase in technical intern trainees from Asian countries in recent years due to the conclusion of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) 2 . 70% of Japan's foreign labor market is made up of workers from Asian countries, many of whom come to Japan alone as technical intern trainees. According …

Reflections on the 2018 Survey on the Realities of the Next Generation of Japanese Descendants in Latin America: Part 3 - Cuba

July 17, 2020 • Alberto J. Matsumoto

Part 2: Argentina >> The Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Latin America and Caribbean Affairs Bureau also conducted a survey of the Japanese community in Cuba from October to November 2018. The year 2018, when the survey was conducted, marked the 120th anniversary of Japanese immigration to Cuba, and various commemorative events were held in the capital, Havana, sponsored by the Japanese Embassy and other organizations. It may be surprising, but Japanese immigrants have a longer history than those who immigrated …

communities Cuba Nikkei communities

Reflections on the 2018 Latin American Next Generation Nikkei Survey: Part 2 - Argentina

July 3, 2020 • Alberto J. Matsumoto

Part 1: Mexico >> Most of the Japanese who immigrated to Argentina before the war were individuals, and even after the war, the majority of immigrants were based on government agreements, such as for trainees, and the number was quite limited. On the other hand, there were many immigrants from neighboring countries such as Bolivia and Paraguay, and I think that the current population, including fourth-generation Japanese, is around 50,000. Until a dozen years ago, the conventional wisdom was that …

Argentina communities Nikkei communities

Reflections on the 2018 Latin American Next Generation Nikkei Survey: Part 1: Mexico

June 19, 2020 • Alberto J. Matsumoto

Introduction Over the past decade or so, the number of young Japanese people coming to Japan from South America for study or training has been increasing. Perhaps they could be called the millennial generation, they are curious, but as a result, while they are interested in a variety of things, they tend not to get too involved and instead prioritize "the fun of the moment" and "a sense of adventure." Even if they have goals, this generation is quite flexible …

communities Mexico Nikkei communities

2021 Paraguay COPANI ~ My wish - Part 2

April 15, 2020 • Alberto J. Matsumoto

Read Part 1 >> In recent years, many Nikkei leaders have expressed fatigue at the COPANI conference. Many point out the crammed lectures and the endless parade of subcommittees, and would like to see more time and distinctive presentations, not just content. Sometimes it may be necessary to take up relevant cases from other countries on important issues facing the host country, or to have the opportunity to hear the opinions of experts. The keynote speaker does not have to …

2020s Nikkei in Latin America Paraguay

Author in This Series

Alberto J. Matsumoto @albertomatsumoto

Nisei Japanese-Argentine. In 1990, he came to Japan as a government-financed international student. He received a Master’s degree in Law from the Yokohama National University. In 1997, he established a translation company specialized in public relations and legal work. He was a court interpreter in district courts and family courts in Yokohama and Tokyo. He also works as a broadcast interpreter at NHK. He teaches the history of Japanese immigrants and the educational system in Japan to Nikkei trainees at JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency). He also teaches Spanish at the University of Shizuoka and social economics and laws in Latin America at the Department of law at Dokkyo University. He gives lectures on multi-culturalism for foreign advisors. He has published books in Spanish on the themes of income tax and resident status. In Japanese, he has published “54 Chapters to Learn About Argentine” (Akashi Shoten), “Learn How to Speak Spanish in 30 Days” (Natsumesha) and others. http://www.ideamatsu.com

Updated June 2013