I'm not about to talk about the aggression of the Japanese army around the time of the World War II. I want to write out some important historical events because I am wishing to learn & be noted about the path that was taken until they became isolated from other countries. Many people say "Stop war and love one another." It is so easy to say it. Nobody wishes to be isolated, disliked, or misunderstood.
I will also write some brief notes on the history of Japanese-Americans. It is interesting to know that Japanese citizens in Japan and Japanese Americans seldom interact each other. The both parties are so different. There is a significant gap between them in terms of thoughts, ideas, and perceptions. - Some while ago, I watched a Japanese NHK TV program where the Japanese Business Federation and a Japanese American delegation were having a discussion. A Japanese American asks "I would like to ask you to look around in this room. How many women are there? How many women are on corporate boards? How many foreigners?" and he appeals to the Japanese in the congress that they should be more diversed. - Watching the program, I was able to find that there was a huge gap between them. "Be diversed" was said a couple of times from the Japanese American side, but I thought the both parties have different things in their heads about that word.
I still remember when one of the Japanese side said something like this in English. I got itchy all around my body. I felt uncomfortable. I personally had to be disappointed with it, although I come across this type of thing quite often. That is what that Japanese gentleman of a high position had to say.
"We both share the same blood. As you know, we Japanese have very unique DNA. We have to do something together with our special traits."
They say this kind of thing very politely and humbly, beacuse they really think it is perfectly true. - There should be no question about it.
Getting involved with global activities can cause misunderstanding, miscommunication, conflicts, or isolation; and it is true even now today. With this extending globalized economy, Japan would be one of the countries that most likely has to face these problems. As I look around in the internet news, there are misunderstandings or even confilicts taking place between a Japanese company and a non-Japanese company. Some of them are widely reported on the news. I personally feel a cultural gap whenever I see the perceptions of Japanese side and another are often misinterpreted, misunderstood, or overlooked. Oftentimes, important factors on both sides are left unrecognized. It is not just about a language or IQ. There are millions of people with high IQ in Japanese companies. These things (different behaviors, perceptions, spoken words, written words, etc) can be observed even when walking outside during a lunch break or holiday. Being bilingual means being conscious of that sort of thing at all times (especially when you are in a homogeneous community, such as here in Japan).
I do hope I might be able to work even more as a cultural bridge, so things will be better on both sides. That's what I can do, and that's who I am.
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[0-1] Background of Japanese in Japan
The Japanese economic presence and political interest in Manchuria had been growing ever since the end of the Russo-Japanese War (1904–05). The Treaty of Portsmouth that ended the war had granted Japan the lease of the South Manchuria Railway branch (from Changchun to Lüshun) of the China Far East Railway. The Japanese government, however, claimed that this control included all the rights and privileges that China granted to Russia in the 1896.
[0-2] Background of Japanese immigrants to the U.S.
Significant numbers of Japanese migration started with the 1868 Meiji Restoration (明治維新), when there were political, cultural, and social changes. Particularly after the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, immigrants from Japan were sought by industrialists to replace the Chinese immigrants.
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[1] 1929: The Great Depression
The depression originated in the U.S., starting with the fall in stock prices. This began around September, 1929 and became a worldwide issue with the stock market crash of October 29, 1929 (known as Black Tuesday). It quickly spread to almost every country in the world.
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[2-1] 1931: The Japanese Army & The Manchurian Incident
In September, 1931 a small quantity of dynamite was detonated by Lt. Kawamoto Suemori close to a railroad owned by Japan's South Manchuria Railway near Mukden (now Shenyang). The Imperial Japanese Army accused Chinese dissidents of this act, which responded with a full invasion that led to the occupation of Manchuria. Japan established its puppet state of Manchukuo six months later. - This incident has widely been said that it was what the Japanese Kanto Army had plotted.
[2-2] Japanese Immigrants Resisting Discrimination
Post-World War I nativist activists pressured states to pass laws prohibiting Japanese immigrants from leasing or owning land. The Issei (1st generation) also sought to retain their rightful place in communities. One discriminatory legislation prompted a 30 percent decline in Oregon’s Japanese population by 1928.
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[3-1] 1932: The Japan Withdrew from the League of Nations
In 1932, Japan withdrew from the League of Nations, as did Germany, Italy, Spain, etc.
Initially the Japanese scored major victories in Shanghai and by the end of 1937 captured the Chinese capital of Nanking. The Chinese central government moved to Chungking in order to resist.
By 1939 the war had reached stalemate after Chinese victories in Changsha and Guangxi. The Japanese were also unable to defeat the Chinese communists forces in Shaanxi, which performed harassment and sabotage operations against the Japanese.
[3-2] 1920s-1930s: Cultural Activities of Japanese-Americans in the U.S.
Some Japanese Americans raised funds, established social supports, as well as sports activities. They also sought to educate neighbors to ease discrimination in a friendly manner. Some Japanese-American groups sponsored numerous cultural and diplomatic events.
The Nisei hoped to realize their immigrant parents’ dreams to find success in the United States through American citizenship and its benefits.
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[4-1] 1941: The Pacific War
It is generally considered that the Pacific War began in December 1941 with the Japanese invasion of Thailand for the invasion of British Malaya, and the attack on Pearl Harbor of Hawaii in the United States.
[4-2]1942: Removal of Japanese-Americans to Concentration Camps
On the other hand, there had been Japanese Americans trying to settle in the U.S. They had been trying to prove their “Americanness” in order to counteract the prejudice they were facing. But with the onset of the Pearl Harbor attack, both Nisei (2nd generation) and Issei (1st generation) were targeted in the anti-Japanese hysteria.
On February 19, 1942, Executive Order 9066 was issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, which ordered the relocation of 120,000 Japanese Americans from the West Coast to 10 inland concentration camps. - Two-thirds of those interned were American citizens.
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[5-1] 1945: Unconditional Surrender of Japan
Japan surrendered in 1945.
[5-2] Courageous activities by Japanese-Americans
A number of Nisei challenged the constitutionality of the curfew and evacuation and were imprisoned.
The 442nd Regimental Combat team, made up entirely of Japanese Americans, became the most highly–decorated regiment in the history of the United States armed forces, including 21 Medal of Honor recipients.
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Reference:
1. "日本人はなぜ戦争へと向かったのか"(上) (NHK取材班 編著/NHK出版)
2. "Japanese Americans In the Columbia River Basin" (Washington State University Vancouver) http://archive.vancouver.wsu.edu/crbeha/ja/ja.htm
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