Interviews
Nikkei contributions to Paraguayan agriculture (Spanish)
(Spanish) The immigration treaty was for agricultural workers. For people to become farmers. So then a handful of Japanese settlements formed outside of the capital, far from the capital, and they developed a mechanized method of agriculture. A model form of farming, especially in the cultivation of bean, of soy beans, and then that’s something the Japanese began growing and exporting to Japan. So, other Paraguayans saw how valuable it was to grow beans, and they began learning from the Japanese how it’s grown, how to harvest it and export it, and then the multinationals starting moving in beans with the Paraguayans. There are huge tracts of beans everywhere and now Paraguay is considered the 5th largest exporter of beans in the world. And in a way, the Japanese and Nikkei have made their biggest contribution to Paraguay through other agricultural achievements as well. They brought new products, new farming techniques, new kinds of fertilizer, new industrial processes. And so they harvested really high quality produce.
Date: October 7, 2005
Location: California, US
Interviewer: Ann Kaneko
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum
Explore More Videos
Grandfather's arrival in the U.S., experiencing discrimination
(b. 1939) Japanese American painter, printmaker & professor
Mother's immigration to U.S. as a treaty merchant
(b. 1927) Japanese American Nisei. Family voluntarily returned to Japan during WWII.
Why her parents came to Canada
(1918-2004) Interned in Slocan during World War II. Active member of the Japanese Canadian community.
Family background of Fredrick Yoshihide Sasaki
(b. 1918) Issei businessman in Canada
Arranged marriage
(b.1912) Japanese Canadian Issei. Immigrated with husband to Canada in 1931
Her early life in Canada
(b.1912) Japanese Canadian Issei. Immigrated with husband to Canada in 1931
Daily life in his childhood
(b.1924) Japanese Canadian Nisei. Interpreter for British Army in Japan after WWII. Active in Japanese Canadian community
Sugar-beets farm in Alberta
(b.1924) Japanese Canadian Nisei. Interpreter for British Army in Japan after WWII. Active in Japanese Canadian community
Chose to go back to Japan
(b.1924) Japanese Canadian Nisei. Interpreter for British Army in Japan after WWII. Active in Japanese Canadian community
Choice to move east or go to Japan
(b.1920) Japanese Canadian Nisei. Established the Ikenobo Ikebana Society of Toronto
Coming to America
(b.1943) Shin-issei grand master of taiko; founded San Francisco Taiko Dojo in 1968.
Learning to do farm labor at a sugar beet farm
(1914-2018) Founder of the largest gladiolus bulb farm in the United States.
The reason for coming to Japan
(b. 1967) Hawai`i-born professional fighter in Japan
Father’s success in farm business
(b. 1922) Canadian Nisei who was unable to return to Canada from Japan until 1952
Yobiyose system in Canada
(b. 1922) Canadian Nisei who was unable to return to Canada from Japan until 1952