(Japanese) In fact, when I work with Japanese companies, in such an environment where nothing is related to Brazil, I feel like there might be something that only I don’t understand or I’m not aware of. Since I don’t want to be in such situations, when I meet people for the first time, especially when there is no chance to bring up “Brazil,” I try to tell them I’m from Brazil.
Well, under such circumstances, uh, how should I say this, it’s not like I want to declare my identity as Brazilian or Nikkei, but rather I don’t want to be rude to others without knowing that I’m being rude, so if they know that I’m from Brazil, well, I’m hoping that they might be a bit tolerant, so I try to tell them a bit about where I come from.
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum
Interviewee Bio
Paulo Issamu Hirano was born in São Paulo in January, 1979. As a Sansei whose grandparents are from Kumamoto Prefecture, he grew up in the Monte Kemel region near Liberdade. In 1989, he moved to Japan as his father, who had come as a dekasegi, called on him. Ever since, he has lived in Oizumi-machi in Gunma Prefecture. At first he was having a hard time with the language, but he made more friends as he learned Japanese. Currently he supports the Brazilian community as a graphic designer with his Japanese skills. In 2009, he started his own business and runs a design studio now. He publishes free magazines that introduce Oizumi-machi. He dedicates his life to making Oizumi-machi a Brazil town. (August, 2017)