We Are Tomodachi Autumn / Winter 2017

20/38

20Japanese Emigrants and Their Descendants, the“Nikkei,”Bridge Japan with the WorldJapan is an island nation. In addition to this geographic limitation, there were various other factors that made overseas travel difficult in past eras. Since modern times, as interchange with overseas countries flourished, the number of Japanese nationals migrating abroad increased dramatically. Today approximately 3.8 million Japanese emigrants and their descendants, known as “Nikkei,” live and work all over the world.Nikkei in JapanAfter generations have passed since their Japanese ancestors first moved abroad, now many Nikkei come to live in Japan. All over Japan, some 240,000 Nikkei currently live and work alongside Japanese nationals. In Shizuoka Prefecture’s Hamamatsu City, which is home to There are five Nikkei employees at Iwata Shinkin Bank, and according to bank staff “it’s natural” to have the Japanese descendants working here. Iwata Shinkin Bank focuses its CSR (corporate social responsibility) activities to assist members of the Japanese-Brazilian community by offering them perks such as free legal consulting and Japanese language classes.Third-generation Japanese-Brazilian Luiza Sasai says the advantages of living in Japan include a comfortable lifestyle, public safety, and punctuality. “I’ve now lived longer in Japan than I did in Brazil, so my emotional attachment is stronger to Japan,” she says with a laugh.