Japanese-Brazilians struggle with dual identities

Well me too, but no big deal! You should always be happy with yourself, despite how other people see you. Don't be mistreated because of your beliefs or racial background in silence. Fight for fairness no matter how small and most importantly do not mistreat others because it happened to you.

Be comfortable in your own skin and environment, there are too many Japanese-Brazilian living in the limbo with one leg here and the other one in Brazil, living in one country and longing for the other one. If you are not content here or in Brazil most likely the source of you suffering is inside you.

Being content and grateful for all the good in your life instead of complaining about all that you think should be your right is a great first step. Those who say "thank you" are usually happier than the ones who expect the world to serve them just because they are breathing. And being content does not mean that you don't have dreams and aspirations but it means that you know your goals and you are happy chasing them!

I'm also an ethnic mix, I don't have identity crisis, I belong to this one racial group, the human race.

Brazil accepted all those immigrants in need (also, most immigrants are rich now) and Japan has yet to figure out who are they? hold one they have a term "HALF".

A black person in Brazil is called a black Brazilian but a Japanese-Brazilian is called a Japones. ... There is always a separation, the assumption that they like sushi, not feijoada.

How interesting. Similarly, a Japan-born person who is not Japanese but who has lived in Japan all his/her life is called a gaijin. Thee is always a separation, perhaps even an element of surprise that he/she can speak Japanese and use chopsticks or enjoy eating natto.

Help me out here. Is that what would be called karma? Or is that simply irony? Or is that simply 'uniquely Japanese' on both sides?

It just goes to show that ignorance knows no borders.

How silly. i love Japanese Brazilians.

I believe it's clear that people and not nature that create our identities. Ethnicities and supposed racial groups are largely cultural and historical constructs and are primarily social rather than a biological phenomena. I'm not saying that they don't exist, but to the contrary races are very real in the world today. Therefore in order to understand them you have to look into the culture and interaction rather than the biology. In the end our true and real identity is that we are literally a child of God.

Racism is never good anywhere, reverse racism included.

they would never be considered Japanese

So, they're considered Brazilian Japanese or Japanese Brazilians. What's wrong with that? It's not racism.

zichi

I see. But why do you want to be considered Japanese rather than British-Japanese? You must be aware of some positive aspects of your position.

I have a non-Japanese Japanese friend in Japan. I know she is not native Japanese, but I don't usually think about that. And she seems to have some advantage of her looks.

Interesting article. What strikes me about all those interviewed is that they somehow want to be trewted as fullblooded Brazilians, yet deep down inside have this despicable Japanese superiority complex so many of thes islanders carry with them. To be honest, I suspect other Brazilians feel this and thus treat them accordingly. Also interesting is that these people are treated like foreigners in Japan, despite all this bloedline BS, sommany Japanese believe in.

A developing country like Brazil could be excused for racism but Japan is a developed country that acts like a third world state when it comes to race.

What's strange about Japan is that they like to put non-Asian races on pedestals as models, muses etc. but treat Asian immigrants of their own colour like utter needless crap.

So, they're considered Brazilian Japanese or Japanese Brazilians. What's wrong with that? It's not racism.

I suppose we can start calling light skinned Brazilians and their way of life as "White-Brazilians" and 'White-Brazilian culture" respectively exhaustively. BTW I find White-Black hybrid Brazil interesting. I hope to visit and meet White-Black hybrid Brazilian person there. The largely White-Black hybrid Brazilian football team is the pride and joy of White-Black hybrid Brazil. Do you like what I am doing here?

zichi, Finding good jobs is hard for Japanese too. Renting is a simply business. Landlords prefer Japanese guarantees in case of rent arrears. You shouldn't take it personally.

I have watched several TV programs where Japanese are doing documentaries about other countries, and while they are actually in those countries doing their documentary they refer to the population as gaijins. Hello, they gaijin is the one who is in somebody else's country. I bet you if they went to Mars they would refer to Martians as gaijins.

Japanese feel foreigners are treating Japanese as second or 3rd class citizens in Japan, like yourself for example, telling Japanese what is right or wrong, what not to eat, what not to hunt, where not to go etc, making Japanese cornered. About renting, tenant right might be stronger in Japan.

I live in the USA but born in Japan. My parents are Nisei from so I was born an American citizen. I had many fights with the local Japanese kids since I was always dressed for the American school and walking the opposite direction. Usually called ainoko(half-breed) so when I moved to the States it was interesting that I was called Japanese or Jap or "chink" and had to fight the local kids until I established myself. I consider myself an American of Japanese ancestry, not Japanese-American. Since I speak Japanese and English fluently I have fun now confusing people in both countries, especially when I am in Japan With a caucasian wife and out for a meal on occasion been asked whether we want seperate checks, I take it in stride now and do not take it personally.

It is funny, all this talk about racism, It is not that Brazilian discriminate against Japanese or descendants of Japanese, But it will always be notorious when you see a person with different skin color or slanted eyes, in LatinAmerica they would call them "Chinos", not in the derogate sense (although there are some cases) it is because they stand off,

Besides, mixed races embrace all the culture of the country whereas with Chinese and Japanese who preserve their language or their customs, they themselves set apart from Brazilian, Peruvian, Chileans and Argentinians. Even if your not fair skinned and have a mixed skin color and your eyes are not slanted their names are a dead giveaway (like William Takahiro Higuchi, for example).

But what i want to make clear here is that in LatinAmerica they are considered different, mostly based on their looks and their behaviour, they are not considered Foreigners, like it seems so in Japan.

I live close a city which received a lot of immigrants from different countries, on October 12th the city makes a festival in commemoration of "race day" and all the ethnic communities can show off themselves with dancing and food, it is really marvelous.

So what you would call a person whose father is from former Yugoslavia and the Mother is Japanese Living in LatinAmerica? I have a very dear friend who is proud to bear 4 names (First , middle name, Family name, and mother's name) in my Country and in many Latin american countries we use 4 names so my friend has his first and family name of Yugoslavian origin and the Middle name and 2nd family name are of Japanese origin.

pretty neat huh?

I have watched several TV programs where Japanese are doing documentaries about other countries, and while they are actually in those countries doing their documentary they refer to the population as gaijins. Hello, they gaijin is the one who is in somebody else's country. I bet you if they went to Mars they would refer to Martians as gaijins.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe this is a problem of translation. I understand that people learning Japanese are told that gaijin means foreigner. However, I believe that a better translation of its meaning is non-Japanese.

Therefore; a Japanese person will never be non-Japanese even though a Japanese person is on foreign (or as avigator suggests, inter-terrestrial) soil. A Japanese can blithely waltz through the world as well as outer space looking at everyone else as gaijin, or other.

Non-Japanese, of course, will see Japanese people as foreigners all the time (even if they do become naturalized, hyphenated citizens). Still other.

Hmmm. Racism is not so uniquely Japanese, after all.

.

yuki 911Jun. 19, 2014 - 02:20AM JST I consider myself an American of Japanese ancestry, not Japanese-American. Since I speak Japanese and English fluently I have fun now confusing people in both countries,

In the U.S., even if you are a third or fourth generation Japanese-American, you will most likely be called "Asian-American" because in most peoples eyes, all Asians look alike with similar features. You will rarely be called "American" because of how you look. If you are first generation white that is born in the U.S., there is no question, you are automatically an "American" in the eyes of rest of the society.

I meet many Brazilian Japanese who described their identity crisis as a hell where they are not accepted as part of any of their 2 cultures.

"I grew up in Brazil being called JAPA, JAPONES, SUSHI EATER, even teachers would mock me by saying: OPEN YOUR EYES so you can get it right. Wake up... Then after growing up, decided to come to Japan to finally be part of at least one of my nations. As I arrived here, people called me ”BUTAJIRU JIN",　Brazilian! They kept asking me if I new how to dance samba, how good I was at playing soccer. So, I have dual nationality, but I am not accepted as part of them."

"Even though I was born in Japan, do not speak a single word of Portuguese, neither had been to Brazil, I've grown up being called BRAZILIAN. That's because my parents were born in Brazil to Japanese immigrants who went there in the 60's."

Even though Brazil is a multicultural country, it's normal there to divide everything (just like in any other nation)

And just another thing to remind you guys: Brazil is huge, "Feijoada and samba" are not part of every Brazilian's life.

Being white in Brazil is also a reason to be treated as a "tourist" wherever you go.

if your well is strong then such situation will bring best out of you. i personally understand the problem of such people. but lets say to your self " we are special" be excel in your own work and compel others to admire you

I'm willing to bet most Japanese will be quick to claim Yu Darvish as Japanese can some one explain this because I see no difference.