Japanese Migrants facing Criminal Justice in Mexico
This series addresses cases of Japanese migrants in Mexico who had to face criminal justice. The description of the accusations and the development of their defense are based on the content of the existing files in the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation. The reader will be able to appreciate the development of the judicial process and the final resolution of the judges, who in most cases proved their innocence.
Stories from this series
Part 4: Shinichi Morishita and the Fire of the Japanese Association
May 20, 2019 • Carlos Uscanga , Rogelio Vargas
Shinichi Morishita was arrested in December 1926 for the murder of Saburo Mashiko, the then secretary of the Japanese Association based in Mexicali, Baja California. The popular jury that would judge Morishita would be formed almost two years later. The resolution of this body would acquit him, unanimously, of the crime on February 2, 1928; without mentioning in the file the reasons for that decision. However, the acquittal sentence would be annulled by the criminal judge of the Northern District …
Part 3: Francisco Nishikawa Nakamura - In Self Defense
May 13, 2019 • Carlos Uscanga , Rogelio Vargas
Francisco Nishikawa Nakamura, a Japanese migrant residing in the Santa María de la Ribera neighborhood of the Federal District, killed his compatriot Francisco Ozaki in self-defense in Manuel Matsumoto's carpentry workshop, the latter being a witness to the events. For that act, Nishikawa was, in the first instance, acquitted by the courts of the first criminal court. Said resolution would be annulled by the public ministry for not being convincing in the light of the facts, which is why it …
Part 2: Isaac Nagaya Tanaka and the Risks of the Apothecary
May 6, 2019 • Carlos Uscanga , Rogelio Vargas
Isaac Nagaya Tanaka (Aichi Prefecture, Japan, 1890) was a naturalized Mexican apothecary and merchant of Japanese origin who lived in the town of Huixtla, Chiapas, being the owner of the “San Francisco” pharmacy located on the central-north avenue of that municipality. On March 6, 1950, the mixed court of first instance of that town issued an order of formal imprisonment to the complainant for the manslaughter of Pedro García de Labra for a vaccine that the Japanese had given him …
Part 1: Francisco Ishino Kawanishi and the Smuggling Accusation
April 29, 2019 • Carlos Uscanga , Rogelio Vargas
Presentation In Latin America, it is a field of study that has been little analyzed as to how Asian migrants, particularly Japanese, faced - at different times - various vicissitudes before criminal justice. Existing studies have given priority to the analysis of the adaptation of new migrants to the rules of society and their ability to improve through hard work, honesty and a great sense of honor. However, the above loses sight of the fact that during their residence and …
