Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/826/

The reactions of others when I got my American citizenship (Japanese)

(Japanese) Well my husband is American, and when I told my American friends that I was going to go to the oathing ceremony to get my citizenship, they all got really exited for me, and bought me this bronze statue of an American eagle, telling me that I should go to a party wearing a patriotic tie or something. They’d say, “you’ve got to celebrate with a glass of wine right after you get it!” They were definitely way more excited than me. I was just thinking, “Well, glad I got it.” I guess Americans really believe that the US is the best country in the world, so they’re really proud about their nationality; for me, though, it wasn’t because I thought of America as the greatest of all countries—it’s just a place where I’m comfortable at. The weather is nice, and I do have a job. For those reasons… how should I explain this… so others were really happy for me for getting my citizenship, and I even received a card from my husband’s friend which said something about “your dreams” and “your goals” and such, but I was just kind of like, “Oh… OK.” On the other hand, what’s also funny is that when I told my Japanese friends the same thing (about getting my citizenship), not one person said “congratulations,” but instead replied nonchalantly, “Oh, really.” Yes, “Oh, really,” and that was it. One lady, who has been living here for as long as me and already has two children, asked me with a curious look, “Why would you change your citizenship?” She said, “You’re supposed to be Japanese.” To me, that reaction was the strangest of all.


citizenship identity

Date: March 1, 2007

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Yoko Nishimura

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

Interviewee Bio

Yumi Matsubara was born and grew up in Gifu prefecture in Japan. Growing up in a conservative family in Japan, she didn’t tell her parents that she was moving to Los Angeles, California, to improve her English. She first attended an English language school for a couple of months before studying fashion at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM) in Los Angeles. After she graduated from FIDM in 1994, she started working in the fashion industry.

Around this time, her desire to make a permanent home in the United States was growing. Her company agreed to support her green card (permanent residency), so she started the green card process. In 1999, however, the financial situation of her company deteriorated and she left the company before she received her U.S. permanent residency. She decided to marry an American citizen in November 1999 after just two weeks of dating. She received her green card in May 2001 and her American citizenship in December 2006. Currently, she works in the fashion industry in Los Angeles where she serves as a grader* and spec writer. (March 1, 2007)

* Grader: a person who produces scaled versions of an original pattern to produce clothes across a range of sizes and fits.

Kosaki,Richard

Growing up in Waikiki

(b. 1924) Political scientist, educator, and administrator from Hawai`i

Hirabayashi,Roy

The philosophy of playing Taiko

(b.1951) Co-founder and managing director of San Jose Taiko.

(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero

Learning Japanese traditions by observing his mother and grandmother

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

Mizuki,Peter

Japanese wife with American citizenship

Sansei Japanese American living in Japan and Kendo practioner

Kogiso,Mónica

Nihongo gakko - Preserving Japanese culture (Spanish)

(b. 1969) Former president of Centro Nikkei Argentino.

Mizuki,Peter

Not wanting to stand out as a foreigner

Sansei Japanese American living in Japan and Kendo practioner

Yamasaki,Frank

Have compassion for all of humanity

(b. 1923) Nisei from Washington. Resisted draft during WWII.

Kogiso,Mónica

Identity crisis (Spanish)

(b. 1969) Former president of Centro Nikkei Argentino.

(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero

Never sang Enka outside the family

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

Kansuma,Fujima

Both Japanese and American identities though Japanese dance

(1918-2023) Nisei Japanese kabuki dancer

Herzig,Aiko Yoshinaga

Results of being more American than Japanese

(1924-2018) Researcher, Activist

(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero

Trying to convey the meaning of the songs

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

Endo,Kenny

Internship on a Native American reservation in Arizona

(b.1952) Master drummer, artistic director of the Taiko Center of the Pacific

Ota,Vince

Different tension between East Coast and Los Angeles

Japanese American Creative designer living in Japan