The Nikkei of Latin America and Latino Nikkei

Examining Japan's support policies for Japanese Latinos: The danger of labeling them as "weak"

Alberto J. Matsumoto

At the end of August 2010, the Japanese government announced the "Basic Policy on Measures for Japanese-descendant Foreigners Settling in Japan" through the Cabinet Office1 . The policy was announced in response to a request from local governments with large concentrations of Japanese-descendant foreigners to the national government to "formulate …

Intercultural negotiations in the interpreting field: the importance of your native language as the core

Alberto J. Matsumoto

Among Japan's Latino Japanese community, there are those who were born in Peru, came to Japan at a young age, were educated in Japanese schools, and speak Spanish at home, and their parents say, "My son/daughter is bilingual and fluent in both languages ​​(Spanish and Japanese)." My native language is …

The Nikkei of Latin America and Latino Nikkei

Social and family circumstances in South America and Japanese Latinos in Japan

Alberto J. Matsumoto

In the previous issue , we introduced the educational situation in South America and pointed out that it is reflected to some extent in the Japanese Latinos in Japan. In this article, we would like to consider how the social situation and family circumstances in South America also have some …

The Nikkei of Latin America and Latino Nikkei

The current educational situation in South America and educational issues facing Japanese Latinos in Japan

Alberto J. Matsumoto

Twenty years have passed since Japanese workers first came to Japan, but last year, due to the impact of the global economic crisis at the end of 2008, about 15% of Brazilians (more than 45,000 people) and 4% of Peruvians (more than 2,250 people) residing in Japan returned to their …

South American Economy and Employment Opportunities for Japanese Latinos in a Changing Labor Market

Alberto J. Matsumoto

The global economic crisis that followed the Lehman Shock naturally spread to Latin American countries, affecting sales and employment in the export industry, commerce, and service sectors of Brazil, Peru, and Chile, which had experienced relatively steady economic growth. According to the latest report by the International Labour Organization (ILO), …

The Nikkei of Latin America and Latino Nikkei

Japanese Latino Brotherhood Groups in Japan and Their Challenges

Alberto J. Matsumoto

It has been 20 years since Japanese workers from South America came to Japan, and up until now, Brazilians, Peruvians, Bolivians, and others have established organizations throughout Japan for the purpose of mutual aid and exchange and friendship with local communities. Some Peruvians have even established organizations for their compatriots …

From the experiences of Argentina and Japan

Alberto J. Matsumoto

I was born in 1962 in Escobar, a town on the outskirts of the capital Buenos Aires. This town is home to the largest number of Japanese and Japanese-Brazilian immigrants in Argentina. It is reported that there are still two or three families from Kagawa Prefecture, including my parents. Many …

The Nikkei of Latin America and Latino Nikkei

What is the social integration of foreigners in Japan?

Alberto J. Matsumoto

In February 2010, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kanagawa Prefecture, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) jointly held the International Workshop on Acceptance and Social Integration of Foreign Nationals1 . I spent several months discussing this issue from various perspectives with other members of a subcommittee called "Raising Awareness …

The Nikkei of Latin America and Latino Nikkei

Considering the return of Japanese descendants through the repatriation support program

Alberto J. Matsumoto

As fiscal 2009 draws to a close, applications for the program to support the return of Japanese workers to Japan closed on March 5. According to a (almost confirmed) tally by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, 20,649 people have returned to Japan with government subsidies, of which 19,107 …

The Nikkei of Latin America and Latino Nikkei

Keeping an eye on developments in Montevideo COPANI and Uruguay

Alberto J. Matsumoto

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 …