This is a book I grabbed in a sayonara giveaway from one of my retiring university teachers, some 5 years ago. It’s also part of many sociology books, I collected in the past few years, even though I have no knowledge or skill in the field. It just felt “a good topic, with good analysis angles”. It just took me forever to start reading it but then I devoured the book. As usual, don’t expect a summary.

What is it about?

The book focuses on the Japanese Brazilians, the largest Japanese Diaspora, still active today, from its beginning in 1908 to the early 2000 (the book was publsihed in 2003). It goes from the early emigrants, looking for a new, prosperous life in Brazil, at a time when life in Japan was still very hard, especially in the newly included/annexed Okinawa (Okinawaian made up to 50% of the early emigrants) to the latest generations (nissei, sansei) who quit their mid to upper middle class life in Brazil to find work at the lowest levels in factories in Japan.

But beyond this very simple historical account, the main focus is how these emigrants found their place in Brazil, from the early work in the plantations and the discrimination laws passed by the Japanese government against Okinawaians, to being respected members of the Brazilian community, how Brazil governments and dictature position toward them changed etc. A chapter also focuses on how some of them, who was initially going back and forth between the two countries, especially to pay respect to their ancestors finally stopped doing so and brought ancestors-related worship items in Brazil, in a way, setting their root in that country. On the other end of the world, how do these second to fourth generation Japanese Brazilians brought to Japan to work as low-level workers with specially issued visa, find some kind of place in that country which says they are part of but they don’t understand at all and where they are actually seen as foreigners.

Verdict

I really liked this book though it took me some time to get used to the vocabulary and the fact that each chapter is independant from the oteher.

It really made me to learn much more about Okinawa (and Hokkaido as they share similar issues). And to go deeper into sociology.