Nikkei in America

The term "Nikkei" has several meaning depends on the situations and environment. People are probably more familiar with the term Nikkei regarding the Japanese stock exchange. However, I would like to take about Nikkei the people. According to Discover Nikkei, a website dedicated to provide information and stories of older and current Japanese immigrants, Nikkei people are Japanese emigrant and their descendants who created communities throughout the world. What defines a Japanese as a Nikkei is unclear, as the matter is still debated, but it is suggested to be more than blood relation or affiliation Nikkei identity is symbolic, historic, and political. It involves processes of interpretation and synthesis between cultures. To be a Nikkei, one does not have to live outside Japan; there are Nikkei who return to Japan although they have separate identities with natives Japanese.

Discover Nikkei is a very interesting website for Japanese people in America, especially since they have profiles and interviews of several elderly Nikkei who was born in United States and their lives were heavily affected one way or another by the World War II. For instance, Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston (77 0r 78) was born in Inglewood, California spent her early childhood in incarceration at World War II concentration camp in Manzanar, California. She managed to get a college degree and eventually married and have 3 children. She and her husband wrote a book about what her family had gone through before, during, and after World War II, which made into a TV movie.

There are many more interviews of other elderly Nikkei in Discover Nikkei. I find it ver interesting to hear the stories of their lives either migrating from Japan or being an American of Japanese descendants. Some if not most had rough childhood due to the World War II, and it seemed that their lives turned out pretty well. What fascinating is that readers could hear first hand interview of them talking about their life.