Japanese Brazilians

Japanese Brazilians are Brazilian citizens of Japanese ancestry or Japanese immigrants living in Brazil. In 2022, Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that there were 2 million Japanese descendants in Brazil, making it the country with the largest population of Japanese origin outside Japan. Most of these descendants have lived in Brazil for three or more generations and hold only Brazilian citizenship. The term Nikkei is used to refer to Japanese people and their descendants.

Japanese immigration to Brazil officially began on June 18, 1908, when the ship Kasato Maru arrived at Porto de Santos, bringing 781 Japanese workers to coffee plantations in the São Paulo state. This date is now celebrated as the national day of Japanese immigration in Brazil. Immigration continued until 1973, when the last immigrant ship, the Nippon Maru, arrived. During this time, 242,171 Japanese immigrants came to Brazil, making them one of the largest immigrant groups in the country.

In the early 20th century, Japan faced overpopulation and poverty, while Brazil needed labor for its coffee plantations. After Italian immigrants stopped coming due to a decree from the Italian government, Brazil turned to Japan for workers. Over time, many Japanese immigrants moved from farms to cities, starting small businesses and achieving high levels of education and income. With Brazil's economic challenges in the late 1980s, many Japanese descendants moved to Japan for better opportunities, known as Dekasegis.

History

Background

Between the late 1800s and early 1900s, coffee was Brazil’s main export. At first, farmers used African workers, but after Brazil ended the slave trade in 1850, they needed new workers. They brought in many European immigrants, especially Italians, to work on coffee farms. But these workers often faced bad conditions and low pay.

Japan, after years of isolation, began opening up and modernizing. Many Japanese people faced hard times and started looking for better lives elsewhere. The United States and Australia had rules blocking Japanese immigrants, so Brazil became an important place for them.

First immigrants

In 1907, Brazil and Japan made an agreement allowing Japanese people to move to Brazil. The first group of Japanese immigrants arrived in 1908 on a ship called the Kasato Maru. Many were farmers, and some were from Okinawa. They mostly worked on coffee farms.

More Japanese families came in the following years. By the time World War I started in 1914, over 164,000 Japanese had moved to Brazil, with most settling in São Paulo where the coffee farms were.

New life in Brazil

Many Japanese immigrants hoped to work for a few years, save money, and return home. But life was very hard. They were paid little, worked long hours, and often owed money to landowners. Because they had to stay together as families, it was almost impossible to save enough to go back to Japan. Only a small number managed to return.

Some Japanese immigrants started their own farms and grew crops like strawberries, tea, and rice. They built communities and schools to teach their children the Japanese language. By the 1930s, they had become important to Brazil’s agriculture, growing things like silk, peaches, and vegetables.

Prejudice and forced assimilation

During World War II, Brazil was concerned about its Japanese community. The government banned Japanese newspapers and schools, and many Japanese people were not allowed to travel or drive. Some were arrested or moved away from coastal areas. It was a difficult time, but after the war ended, things began to improve.

Prestige

Over time, Japanese Brazilians became known for their hard work and success. They opened small businesses, worked in farming, and many went to college. By the 1970s, they were among the most successful groups in Brazil, known for their education and strong families.

Integration and intermarriage

Many Japanese people who came to Brazil before World War II planned to stay only for a few years, work, save money, and return to Japan. They did not focus on fitting into Brazilian society. Their children went to Japanese schools where they learned the Japanese language and customs. After World War II, Japan became strong again, and many Japanese in Brazil decided to stay. Those who arrived after the war wanted to make Brazil their home and integrated more easily into Brazilian society.

Over time, Japanese Brazilians began to feel more connected to Brazil. They stopped expecting to return to Japan and started thinking of Brazil as their home. By the 1920s, some had even converted to Catholicism, Brazil’s main religion, and chose Brazilian godparents for their children. Later generations, like the Sansei and Yonsei, became even more integrated into Brazilian culture while still keeping some Japanese traditions, especially in food and values like discipline and education.

Even today, people of Japanese descent in Brazil are often still called “Japanese” based on their appearance, not their nationality or culture. This can make them feel different from other Brazilians. When they visit Japan, they often discover that they are not seen as fully Japanese either, creating a unique experience of belonging to both cultures but not fully fitting into either.

Image gallery

Here are some pictures showing Japanese people and families living in Brazil. These images show different moments in their lives, from working on farms to celebrating traditions.

Japanese from Maringá

In 2008, a count was done to learn more about people of Japanese origin living in the city of Maringá in Paraná. This helped create a picture of the Japanese-Brazilian community there.

Reversal in the migration flow (Dekasegi)

See also: Brazilians in Japan

In the late 1980s, Brazil faced a big economic problem called the "Década Perdida." At the same time, Japan was doing very well. Because of this, about 85,000 people from Brazil with Japanese family background moved to Japan to find better jobs between 1980 and 1990. These people were called "Dekasegis."

In the 1990s, Japan changed its rules to let more people from Brazil work there. This led to many more Brazilians moving to Japan. By 2007, there were over 300,000 Brazilians living in Japan, working mainly in factories. However, after Japan had a big money problem in 2008, many Brazilians went back to Brazil. By 2023, the number went up again to about 212,000 people.

Many Brazilian children in Japan have a hard time in school because they don't speak Japanese well. But Brazilian culture is becoming more popular in Japan, with big carnivals, Portuguese language use, and Brazilian music liked by many people.

100th anniversary

In 2008, special events were held in Japan and Brazil to celebrate 100 years since Japanese people first came to live in Brazil. Then-Prince Naruhito of Japan visited Brazil on June 17 to join these celebrations. He went to cities like Brasília, São Paulo, Paraná, Minas Gerais, and Rio de Janeiro. During his visit, he met many Japanese immigrants and their families. He even broke a usual rule of the Japanese Monarchy to greet people warmly. The Prince spoke to big crowds, with 50,000 people in São Paulo’s sambódromo and 75,000 in Paraná. He also visited the University of São Paulo, where Japanese students make up a big part of the school. He ended his speech by saying thank you in Portuguese.

Media

In São Paulo, there are two Japanese publications: the São Paulo Shimbun and the Nikkey Shimbun. The São Paulo Shimbun started in 1946, and the Nikkey Shimbun began in 1998. The Nikkey Shimbun also has a Portuguese version called the Jornal Nippak, and both have websites in Portuguese.

Earlier, the Nambei was Brazil's first Japanese newspaper, starting in 1916. By 1933, 90% of people from East Asia living in Brazil read Japanese publications, which included 20 periodicals, 15 magazines, and five newspapers. This growth happened because many Japanese people moved to Brazil. During World War II, the government stopped Japanese newspapers from being published.

Education

Japanese families in Brazil have many schools to help their children learn the Japanese language and culture. Some schools are full-time, like the Escola Japonesa de São Paulo and the Escola Japonesa do Rio de Janeiro. Others are part-time schools that meet after regular school hours.

In the past, many more Japanese schools operated across Brazil, but some have closed. Today, students can still find Japanese language classes in places like São Paulo State, Curitiba, and other cities. These schools help keep Japanese traditions and language alive for Brazilian families with Japanese roots.