We Are Tomodachi Autumn / Winter 2017

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22local schools hire interpreters to facilitate life for Nikkei who have moved to Japan with their families. We work to strengthen connections between the local community and the Nikkei by cooperating with local organizations to conduct disaster preparedness trainings, open language schools, and so on,” explains HICE Coordinator Lissa Kikuyama.Nikkei in their home countriesMany Nikkei serve as bridges between Japan and their home countries. The Japanese government is implementing many programs to deepen ties with Nikkei outside Japan, including an annual program inviting Nikkei from Central and South America to visit Japan.Priscila Megumi Kamoi is a third-generation Japanese-Brazilian living in Brazil. In 2016 she visited Japan, the native land of her grandparents, by participating in the Latin American Nikkei Invitation to Japan Program. Kamoi is a professional blogger who makes her living writing a travel blog called Jornada Kamoi～Viagens e Felicidade (“Kamoi’s Journey―Travels and Happiness”). Kamoi says the invitation program provided opportunities to deepen understanding of Japanese culture and life in Japan. “When I actually visited Japan, I noticed that people strictly followed traffic rules. They didn’t throw trash on the side of the road or make a lot of noise on the train. Respect for elders has not been forgotten, and manners are notably good. I think there’s a lot that Brazilians could learn from these attitudes. When living in Brazil I kind of forget that I’m Nikkei, but by participating in this program I was able to renew my awareness that my ancestors were Japanese. I felt compelled to convey Japanese culture and traditions to Brazil,” she said.After returning to Brazil, Kamoi partnered with the Consulate General of Japan in Curitiba to help with the Japanese national government’s public relations Kamoi runs a blog called Jornada Kamoi~Viagens e Felicidade. After participating in the invitational program, she partnered with the Consulate General of Japan in Curitiba to run series of lectures on Japanese culture and traditions and provide other information about Japan.Third-generation Japanese-Brazilian Priscila Megumi Kamoi participated in the “2016 Latin American Nikkei Invitation Program for Strengthening International Communication” after being introduced to the program by a friend.During the week-long invitational program, discussions among participants as well as lectures by experts, visits to companies, and cultural activities were conducted.