Interviews

1. What does Nikkei mean to you? (Spanish)

2. Japanese vs. Peruvian identity (Spanish)

3. Peru Shimpo for the Nikkei community (Spanish)

4. Escaping to a small village in the mountains during the World War II (Spanish)

5. Post-war experiences in Lima (Spanish)

6. Stereotypes about Japanese: past and present (Spanish)

Kato,Alfredo

(b. 1937) Professional journalist

Peru Shimpo for the Nikkei community (Spanish)

(Spanish) Okay, so the most important roll that Peru Shimpo plays. I think it’s to keep people informed about everything that goes on throughout the Peruvian-Japanese community. That’s, I believe, the main reason that someone reads Peru Shimpo. Because according to a survey we did last year asking readers, “Why do you read Peru Shimpo?”, the main reason, they say, is, “because I want to find out about what’s going on in the Japanese community.” It’s the biggest, most important reason. After that comes, you know, ” Oh, to read the obituaries,” that sort of thing. But most of all it’s about what’s happening within the community.

communities Hawaii Japanese Americans Japanese language newspapers newspapers Nikkei Peru Peru Shimpo (newspaper) United States

Date: October 7, 2005

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Ann Kaneko

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

Interviewee Bio

Alfredo Kato was born in Cañete, Peru, on November 12, 1937. During World War II, his family lived in Cañete, but his father moved them to a mountainous region called Lunaguara. In 1947, they returned to Lima. At that time, Nikkei were not allowed to gather in public, so he attended Japanese school clandestinely.

He studied at la Universidad Católica and has been a journalist for 44 years. Currently, he is director of the Japanese Peruvian newspaper, Perú Shimpo and professor at the Universidad de San Martín de Porres. (October 7, 2005)