The Nikkei of Latin America and Latino Nikkei

Dec. 14, 2007 - Feb. 14, 2022

Lic. Alberto Matsumoto examines the many different aspects of the Nikkei in Japan, from migration politics regarding the labor market for immigrants to acculturation with Japanese language and customs by way of primary and higher education. He analyzes the internal experiences of Latino Nikkei in their country of origin, including their identity and personal, cultural, and social coexistence in the changing context of globalization.

Stories from this series

Japanese Language Education Abroad

Jan. 23, 2017 • Alberto J. Matsumoto

In recent years, the popularity of Japanese anime, manga and Japanese cuisine has led to an increase in the number of people studying Japanese overseas, which has in turn led to an increase in the number of foreigners coming to Japan. According to a survey conducted by the Japan Foundation in 20121, there are approximately 4 million people around the world studying Japanese language under 63,000 teachers at 16,000 institutions. Over the past 30 years, the number of learners has …

education Japanese language schools language schools

The pension situation in South America and pension issues for South American workers in Japan

Nov. 23, 2016 • Alberto J. Matsumoto

In recent years, consultations for foreigners at consultation desks have been increasing regarding pensions, nursing care, and retirement. As of December 2015, there are 230,000 foreigners from South America residing in Japan, including 170,000 Brazilians, 47,000 Peruvians, 5,400 Bolivians, and 2,600 Argentines. By age, those aged 60 or older make up 10% or less of the total, so it is not likely that many South Americans will be faced with pension or nursing care issues right away. However, with almost …

Japan Latin America Nikkei in Japan pensions

Thumbnail for Latin America's low savings rate: is Japan's also quite low? -What is the savings rate of Japanese South American worker households in Japan?-

Latin America's low savings rate: is Japan's also quite low? -What is the savings rate of Japanese South American worker households in Japan?-

Oct. 10, 2016 • Alberto J. Matsumoto

Since around 2000, Latin American countries have been attracting attention for their high economic growth rates, and the consumer market of the new middle class has become the focus of global attention. International prices of primary products such as oil, mineral resources, and grains have soared, and many countries (Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Bolivia, Venezuela, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, etc.) have had good finances and implemented comprehensive social policies, leading to the belief that they would finally be able …

Japan Latin America savings wealth

The connection between the next generation of Japanese descendants and Japan: Changes in Japanese societies in Latin America

Sept. 30, 2016 • Alberto J. Matsumoto

What kind of Nikkei are the "next generation of Nikkei1 "? Are they simply the descendants of Japanese who emigrated to Latin America - third, fourth, fifth generation, etc. (including not only Japanese, but also people of other races and ethnicities such as half and quota2 )? Or are they the "millennials" generation of Nikkei who have moved away from Japaneseness, young people who are free of ties, have a weak sense of belonging, are flexible, like new things, and …

Nikkei in Latin America youth

Is the principle of equal pay for equal work difficult to apply to foreign workers?

July 25, 2016 • Alberto J. Matsumoto

At the end of January this year, the government announced its intention to take steps to realize equal pay for equal work as part of the "Japan Plan for a Society of 100 Million Active Parties." The government's intention is to correct the wage disparity that exists between regular and non-regular employment and to improve the income of non-regular workers, but it goes without saying that there are pros and cons to this argument.1 Around the same time, I came …

equal pay for equal work Nikkei in Japan work environment

The economic relationship between Latin America and Japan that Japanese people don't know about

May 18, 2016 • Alberto J. Matsumoto

Latin America is home to the world's largest Japanese community, numbering 1.65 million. Meanwhile, in Japan, a Japanese community of 240,000 South American people is forming as Japanese workers who immigrated there since the 1990s have settled there. Japanese people are Japanese immigrants before and after the war and their descendants, but now there are more families with non-Japanese spouses, and the community is becoming quite diverse. Japanese people are often connected to Japan through the Japanese language and culture, …

economies Japan Latin America

Author in This Series

Alberto J. Matsumoto @albertomatsumoto

Nisei Japanese-Argentine. In 1990, he came to Japan as a government-financed international student. He received a Master’s degree in Law from the Yokohama National University. In 1997, he established a translation company specialized in public relations and legal work. He was a court interpreter in district courts and family courts in Yokohama and Tokyo. He also works as a broadcast interpreter at NHK. He teaches the history of Japanese immigrants and the educational system in Japan to Nikkei trainees at JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency). He also teaches Spanish at the University of Shizuoka and social economics and laws in Latin America at the Department of law at Dokkyo University. He gives lectures on multi-culturalism for foreign advisors. He has published books in Spanish on the themes of income tax and resident status. In Japanese, he has published “54 Chapters to Learn About Argentine” (Akashi Shoten), “Learn How to Speak Spanish in 30 Days” (Natsumesha) and others. http://www.ideamatsu.com

Updated June 2013