On Nikkei
What is Nikkei? Ryusuke Kawai, a non-fiction writer who translated "No-No Boy," covers a variety of topics related to Nikkei, including people, history, books, movies, and music, focusing on his own involvement with Nikkei.
Stories from this series
#14 Walking around ethnic town Tsurumi
Aug. 26, 2022 • Ryusuke Kawai
Okinawa and South America intersect Yokohama's Tsurumi Ward, home to a large community of Japanese people with ties to South America, including Brazilians of Okinawan descent, as well as people of Chinese, Filipino, Vietnamese and other foreign nationalities, is dotted with shops exuding the scent of Okinawa and South America. The local government is also promoting a multicultural society where everyone can live comfortably. Tsurumi Ward faces Tokyo Bay to the south, and is also home to Daikoku Pier, which …
No. 13 "Identity is a place to belong" - Michie Yasufuso, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of NPO ABC Japan
Aug. 12, 2022 • Ryusuke Kawai
Tsurumi Ward, Yokohama City: A city of multicultural coexistence Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, is the main setting for the NHK drama series "Chimudondon," which began airing in April this year. As shown in the drama, the area has long been known throughout Japan as a place with a community of Okinawans, but it is also home to a community of Japanese-Brazilians with roots in Okinawa and other Japanese-Brazilians with ties to South America. In addition, there are many people of foreign origin, …
12th Ukraine and Japan
July 22, 2022 • Ryusuke Kawai
Interview with Igarashi Kenta, a saxophonist who fled Ukraine Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24th of this year, many people fled to other countries for refuge. Refugees continue to arrive in faraway Japan, with the number reaching 1,565 as of July 18th. Among them is the young saxophonist Igarashi Kenta. Born to a Japanese father and a Ukrainian mother, Igarashi had been living in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, but fled to his father's homeland, Japan, to escape …
Vol. 11: "John Manjiro" published in English by Kensuke Ozaki, a trader living in California
July 8, 2022 • Ryusuke Kawai
Kensuke Ozaki (83), originally from Kochi Prefecture and currently living in California, has been working in the US for many years in the trade industry and other fields. He has recently self-published an English novel, "The Destiny of a Castaway JOHN MANJIRO," which follows the life of local hero John Manjiro. We interviewed Ozaki, who has tried various business ventures in Central America and the US, about his motivation for publishing the novel, the reactions he received, and his plans …
Vol. 10 Maizuru, Cherry Blossoms, and Japanese American Soldiers
June 24, 2022 • Ryusuke Kawai
Sometime last year, I was in the non-fiction section of a bookstore when I came across a book called "Sakura Falling in Maizuru" (by Hosokawa Goko, Asuka Shinsha, published in 2020) that caught my eye because the subtitle read "The Secrets of the Occupation Army and Japanese American Intelligence Soldiers." Maizuru (Kyoto Prefecture) is a port town facing the Sea of Japan, and is known as the gateway to Japan for Japanese soldiers and civilians who crossed the Sea of …
Part 9: Vladivostok, the Japanese Footprints
June 10, 2022 • Ryusuke Kawai
The closest European country to Japan In the previous article (No. 8) , we mentioned the Japanese settlement that was formed in Vladivostok, a port city in Russia's Far East, from the Meiji period through to the early Showa period. Apart from this historical fact, in recent years Vladivostok has also been attracting attention from Japan as a tourist destination. Upon further investigation, I found several websites introducing the attractions of Vladivostok. Among them, the YouTube channel " Vladivostok Channel …
