Subject: JA's and Japan WWII History
Paraphrasing an earlier message:
> Someone once told me, "you (Nikkei-jin) cannot take only
> the good things about your Japanese heritage."
Why not? Isn't that what our parents (those of us with issei parents)
wanted? In many cases they left Japan to get away from the bad things
about that culture and society. Of course, it could be argued that
the bad things are necessary to be able to produce the good things
(e.g. the school system teaches the self-discipline needed for
labour-intensive artwork like shibori).
> If possible, JAs and other Nikkeijin should come not as
> a tourist, but to liveand work here in Japan to help find
> out who they really are ... Japanese or Americans, or whatever.
> Then perhaps, these identity questions and how to communicate
> this will sort themselves out by themselves.
A good suggestion -- highly recommended!
Nikkei-jin who go to Japan will realize very quickly that they are not
Japanese. Depending on their upbringing, there will be certain resonances,
however. They will also see that the Japanese of today aren't so
"Japanese" themselves anymore, especially the younger generation.
Subject: JA's and Japan WWII History
> They will see that the Japanese of today are not so "Japanese"
> themselves anymore, especially the younger generation."
Who is to say what "Japanese" is? They are the Japanese people of Japan.
Subject: JA's and Japan WWII History
> > They will see that the Japanese of today are not so "Japanese"
> > themselves anymore, especially the younger generation.
>
> Who is to say what "Japanese" is? They are the Japanese people
> of Japan.
My point is that today's Japan and Japanese will surprise and/or
maybe disappoint those people who haven't been to Japan for a while
(a couple of generations, say -- or less), or people who have
only learned the traditional image of Japan from textbooks or
Hollywood movies.
It is natural for cultures to move forward and evolve.
Interestingly, the North American version of Japanese culture is
like a time capsule from Japan of many years ago: the slang,
some kanji, the songs that are popular at karaoke for instance.
The fujin-kai here still know how to make okashi, while most
housewives in Japan don't and just buy them at the store these days.
I've been told by more than one ryugakusei that they have had
more opportunities to do Japanese cultural activities here
than they did at home.
They were from a big Japanese city though, and were studying in
a big, multicultural North American city with a sizeable Nikkei
population and a Japan Foundation. On the other side of the coin,
I have seen a desperate letter from a student who was matched to
a ranch in rural Alberta, saying she "could never have imagined
such a bleak place."
Subject: JA's and Japan WWII History
> > We're all on this list because we think we can be both
> > Japanese AND American.
>
> It is a very romantic idea, but I think pretty near impossible.
> By trying to play both sides of the fence, you will satisfy
> noone, especially yourself.
It sounds almost like you think people should choose one side or the other
and somehow deny the other half. That's not what you mean, right?
I do think that there can be a balance between being of Japanese ancestry and
belonging to another culture. My personal goal (and struggle) is to find that balance.
I mean, by living in Japan, I wouldn't necessary "grok" the essence of my Japanese
side and forsake my American nature ... I don't think.
Subject: JA's and Japan WWII History
It's a given that I feel badly about inequities and
atrocities committed by any humans against others. That includes the
Crusades and Spanish Inquisition, slavery everywhere, the Holocaust, the
Rape of Nanking, biological experiments committed by Nazis and Japanese
during WWII, the firebombing of Tokyo and the Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima
and Nagasaki.
But as a JA, I feel a subtle but real sense of guilt over
Japanese atrocities because there hasn't been closure -- that apology that
Koreans and Chinese are waiting for. OTOH, I don't feel the same guilt over
Hiroshima. I'm just thinking aloud here, but why is that? Has there been
closure for the atomic bombings? Or has American culture and society
"processed" that event and moved on?
Subject: JA's and Japan WWII History
I think for many people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki (and their families),
there is no closure to the atomic bombs. There are people whose health is
still affected by the bombs. Recently, a man won a law-suit against
the Japanese government who refused him benefits as an atomic bomb victim.
Every year, when August came around, I always remember
that every year when I was in elementary school, I had to go back to school
(right in the middle of summer vacation!) to learn about the Hiroshima and
Nagasaki tragedies. I should point out, though, that my school was very
careful not to point a finger at the U.S. They just showed us films and
pictures, and told us of war tragedies. I don't recall them saying
"the U.S. dropped bombs." Instead, I think they said, "Atomic bombs were dropped."
As for what the Japanese government and military did before and during the
WWII, I personally think that the government should apologize to the victims
and move on. For your information, the American government never officially
apologized for the dropping of the atomic bombs.
Subject: JA's and Japan WWII History
In terms of your sense of guilt over Japanese government atrocities and
your seeming LACK of guilt regarding the bombings of Hiroshima and
Nagasaki -> I think a large part of this stems from a feeling of
inadequacy that is instilled within us by the larger society from the day
we're born.
I know that statement sounds a bit esoteric, so more plainly speaking ->
I think we grow up with a sense of self-hate (to many varying degrees) and
we may internalize guilt over something that we, ourselves as individuals,
had no control over or relation to (i.e. Japanese government atrocities).
-> As if we when "own up" to the horrible aspects of Japanese corporate
or governmental power, we're being responsible AMERICANS (or Nikkei)
and ... also, that maybe we see it as an opportunity to make the distinction
between ourselves and Japanese nationals, because we have that need to
validate ourselves so much. And perhaps THAT, in turn, is why we, as
Nikkei, will NOT make such a bitterly vocal statement about the atom
bombings -> we don't want to seem un-American, non-patriotic.
You have to ask yourself, "Why do _I_ 'feel less guilty' about
the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki?"
One more thing - I don't think it's about guilt. I hate white-guilt as
much as anybody and I'm not about to fall in to that arena myself. I
think it is completely demented and insane what has happened to people all
over the world at the hands of people of the Nazi government, the Japanese
government, "OUR" (the U.S.) government, and so on. The reason I keep
using the word "government" or "corporate" when speaking of issues of
atrocity or injustice is because I want to keep a clear perspective of WHO is
initiating the assault on a person or group of people. I believe that
YOU should not feel guilty, unless you feel you are playing a role
in this assault.
On another hand, we ALL play a role at some level in the perpetuation of
struggle for ALL people -> merely living as products of this capitalistic,
imperialistically-run country.
AND still yet, it is not about walking around with the burden of guilt.
I think it is about recognizing what is out there and CHOOSING to
do something about it.
It's like when I worked on a project with some guys who
put up posters that I felt were really degrading to womyn. I was upset at them,
and a lot of their sentiment was that they were "really sorry..." -- they felt guilty.
I tried to explain to them that my intention for expressing my feelings was
NOT to make them feel guilty, but for them to take a look at their actions
and see how it affected a whole lot of us once the topic was put out
there ... and most importantly, to think about how they may want to analyze
their thoughts and actions in the future.
These are a few ways in which one can DO something. I think that's what we all need to
be cognizant of ... it's okay for people to be proud that they can
recognize the political playground behind the war ... or to even be upset by
the war -> but what are we going to DO about it? I feel that if I just
sit around upset about it, my actions are only as good as someone who sits
smugly in their wise "Wag The Dog" analogy to the whole situation.
Subject: JA's and Japan WWII History
though my father (a sansei) doesn't seem to view himself as american,
he doesn't see himself as japanese either, and has no desire to ever go to japan.
probably due to all the stories of how the nisei were treated there,
the fact that he can't speak the language, etc. ...
my grandmother (a nisei) never cared to and refuses to this day to visit japan,
because of stories friends of hers had told her about their experience.
my grandparents stayed in the midwest after the war because she
refused to move back to california ... "they kicked us out, i don't wanna
go back and they don't want me there anyway." grudges abound ...
Subject: JA's and Japan WWII History
This is a little bit like my mom (an issei) -- after my dad died, she said she
wasn't interested in moving back to Japan. This despite the fact that she's
stubbornly refused to become very "American" since we moved to the U.S.
three decades ago. Of course, as has been pointed out on this list,
her idea of Japan is a 30-year-old snapshot, frozen in time, so she's not
in step with current Japan anyway. But I thought it was interesting that
though my dad was the very American one of the two, she's chosen to remain
in the U.S. (I guess it shouldn't surprise me too much since her children
all live near her). She visits her family in Japan at least once a year, though.
Subject: JA's and Japan WWII History
If I died today, I'd want to be buried here in the USA. I'm an American.
I doubt I would feel truly "Japanese" even if I lived in Japan for two
or three years.
But still I also cherish my Japanese culture, history, food, personality
traits, language (as lame as my skills may be) and, well, I think
UNDERSTANDING of Japanese people. They're simply not as foreign to me as
Japanese people might be to other, European Americans.
My goal in life is to balance the Japanese and American in me and
hopefully be a better person for it.
Last updated 28 February 1999