Japan: A Promising Economic Stability
The amount of time living in Oizumi
does not influence the way many Peruvians see Japan. They have
a set idea that Japan is solely for work, and that Oizumi is the
place where they sleep to get a good night of rest and continue
on working, so that someday they can return home where they left
their loved ones. I often heard that the Peruvians unlike the
Japanese were very warm and amiable people; however there were
points during conversations when phrases such as "there is
too much poverty in Peru" would slip out, showing contradictory
discourse in their yearning for Peru.
Nikkei-Peruvian identity in Oizumi is not reasserted through the restaurants, night clubs or classes of traditional Peruvian dances. These are just places that provide a little connection to the country they left behind. Their identity is Peruvian, and their yearnings were confirmed by the constant rejection of Japanese culture. However, their future is unstable because they fluctuate between the decision of staying in Japan where they know they will have economic tranquillity, or going back to Peru where all their memories and loved ones live but where economic uncertainty is but expected.
For more information click below: