[Lunchtime Lecture] Japan from the Perspective of a Brazilian Resident in Japan―Rethinking Multicultural Coexistence

  • Lecturer: Angelo Ishi (Professor, Musashi University)
  • Date: Friday, May 23, 2014, 12:15-1:30 pm (Doors open at 11:45 am)
  • Venue: Lecture Hall, International House of Japan
  • Language: Japanese (without English interpretation)
  • Admission: 1,000 yen (Students: 500 yen, IHJ members: Free)
  • (reservation required) *Lunch is NOT included.

With the forthcoming FIFA World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games, Brazil is now a focus of world attention. While the mass media in Brazil introduced the achievements of Japanese immigrants in 2008, the centenary anniversary of Japanese immigration to Brazil, the topic was not very popular in Japan. As the time shifts from “exchange” to “coexistence,” there seems to be a need for Japan not only to make efforts to welcome overseas visitors but also develop a different awareness of non-Japanese residents with a variety of backgrounds, including migrant workers and their families. Professor Ishi, who stresses that non-Japanese residents are not a source of concern but a treasury of human resources, will summarize the background of immigration policies in Japan and talk about the keys for awareness-raising for multicultural coexistence. He will also explain common issues faced by Brazilians living in Japan and in other foreign countries.

Angelo Ishi

Photo: Angelo IshiA third-generation Japanese Brazilian born in São Paulo. Professor Ishi calls himself a “first-generation Brazilian resident in Japan.” After graduating from the University of São Paulo, he worked for Abril, one of the largest magazine publishers in Brazil. He first arrived in Japan in 1990 as a government-sponsored international student and did postgraduate studies at Niigata University and the University of Tokyo. He then served as an editor of a newspaper in Portuguese for Brazilians living in Japan for three years. Professor Ishi works as a journalist while researching Japanese and Brazilian immigrants as well as the media. He also gives lectures all over Japan on the theme of international exchange and coexistence. He took his current position in 2010. His book Burajiru o shiru tame no 56-sho (56 Chapters to Know Brazil; Akashi Shoten, 2010) commands wide popularity as an introduction to Brazil.