Interviews

1. Defining "Nikkei" through lineage and community involvement (Spanish)

2. The term Nikkei reflects ties to Japan (Spanish)

3. Japanese language education for Paraguayan Nisei (Spanish)

4. Treatment of Japanese Paraguayans during World War II (Spanish)

5. Inclusiveness of the first Japanese colony in Paraguay (Spanish)

6. Nikkei contributions to Paraguayan agriculture (Spanish)

7. Paraguayan with a Japanese face (Spanish)

Kasamatsu,Emi

Nisei Paraguayan, Researcher

Paraguayan with a Japanese face (Spanish)

(Spanish) In reality there’s a clash, because there are two different ways of thinking. One is the Christian way that has its rules, they’re dogmatic, they don’t tend to work so much either because they’re descended from the Spanish. They like to celebrate more, they like being that way(?) or being in charge. But, the Japanese aren’t like that. Still, little by little, not with the first generation, but more or less with the second, and the third generation is already pretty well integrated into the Paraguayan community. I even surveyed some young people before coming here and they said, “I feel Japanese.” That’s what one Japanese kid said: “I feel Japanese.” But the important thing is to maintain the good qualities of the Japanese, even though you are a Paraguayan. And you would do, you would work for your country, which is Paraguay. Me myself, as a Nisei, I would say that too. I have a Japanese face, but my heart is Paraguayan. If I was asked to choose where I had to give my life, I would choose Paraguay.

Hawaii identity Japanese Americans Nikkei United States

Date: October 7, 2005

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Ann Kaneko

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

Interviewee Bio

Emilia Yumi Kasamatsu (also known as “Emi”) was born and raised in La Colmena, Paraguay. La Colmena was the first Japanese colony in Paraguay. Her father was a prominent figure in the colony as an organizer and administrator. Emi has fond memories of a strict education that was a mix of Japanese and Paraguayan ideals. Her education provided an understanding of future aspirations and projections of her adult life in the capital of Paraguay. Kasamatsu graduated from the Facultad de Filosofía y Letras with a Bachelor in Literature, and received her postgraduate degree in Gender and Development at the Universidad Nacional de Asunción (UNA). She has published a variety of books on the topic of Japanese immigration into Paraguay and the Americas, which are written in the Spanish language and translated into Japanese and English: La presencia japonesa en el Paraguay (1987), La historia de la Asociación Panamericana Nikkei presencia e inmigración japonesas en las Americas (2005) (bilingual editions: Spanish and English); Edited by Akemi Kikumura: New World, New Lives (2002) and Encyclopedia of Japanese Descendants in the Americas (2002) in English and Japanese. Emi Kasamatsu is President of the Centro Social de Beneficencia Japonesa in Paraguay (2006-2008) and the first Vice President of the Asociación Paraguayo Japonesa (2005-2008). She was President of Centro Nikkei Paraguayo (an association of the Nisei in Paraguay) and the 6th Convención Panamericana Nikkei. Kasamatsu was delegate of Paraguay between 1987-2007. She is Vice Director of the Paraguayan Japanese Center for the Development of Human Resources, and is involved with the Academic and Cultural Coordination. (May 23, 2007)