Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/1554/

Advantages of living in Japan (Portuguese)

(Portuguese )

The advantage is that we have whatever you can imagine; everything is easier here, ya know? In financial terms, everything is secure ... There’s no doubt that if you work here, you’re going to have your money, and it won’t be difficult as long as you do some work. Once you’ve worked at your job, it's all smooth sailing.

Now in Brazil things are different, ya know ... It's ... It’s a great country, see, I like Brazil very much, but the disadvantage is that Brazil oscillates a lot, has ups and downs, ya know what I mean? So what happens is that if you have a trade and you’re in a good position, suddenly there comes a crisis and if you go down it’s hard to get back on your feet again. So, in Brazil … I believe that in Japan it’s easier, ya know?

The economy here is more stable, even with this ... this ... this ... this crisis, ya know, but here things can pick up faster, know what I mean? It's a “fast-paced country,” ya know … It’s a ... It's a system that’s – it's different from Brazil, see? It’s easier for you to get back up on your feet.


Brazil Japan

Date: October 19, 2016

Location: Gunma, Japan

Interviewer: Shigeru Kojima

Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

Interviewee Bio

Antonio Shinkiti Shikota was born on September 12, 1962, in the city of Campinas, São Paulo state, Brazil. His parents were born in Japan. Wanting to start his own business, he followed a friend’s advice and went to Japan. Initially, he worked as a factory worker and ended up liking it so he stayed in the country. Today, he lives in the city of Oizumi and he is the owner of an itinerant Brazilian products store in Japan. The itinerant store is a truck that offers a variety of Brazilian products directed mainly at the Nikkei public. Antonio is very fond of living in Japan and the city of Oizumi. (February 2018) 

Uesugi,Takeo

Returning to Japan after studying in New York

(1940-2016) Issei Landscape Architect

Hirano,Paulo Issamu

The difference between Nikkei community in Oizumi and Brazil (Japanese)

(b. 1979) Sansei Nikkei Brazilian who lives in Oizumi-machi in Gunma prefecture. He runs his own design studio.

Uchimura,Sawako Ashizawa

Unique Identity from Having Multiple Backgrounds

(b. 1938) Philipines-born hikiagesha who later migrated to the United States.

Ninomiya,Masato

Foreign language education was severely restricted during the war

Professor of Law, University of Sao Paulo, Lawyer, Translator (b. 1948)

Yonamine,Wally Kaname

The privations of living in post-war Japan, 1952

(b.1925) Nisei of Okinawan descent. Had a 38-year career in Japan as a baseball player, coach, scout, and manager.

Sakata,Reiko T.

Parent’s Marriage

(b. 1939) a businesswoman whose family volunterily moved to Salt Lake City in Utah during the war.