If you didn't know, Brazil is the country that hosts the largest Japanese community outside Japan. There are more than 1.5 million Japanese and descendants, according to the Consulate General of Japan. Of these, 400 thousand Japanese are in São Paulo. And it is there that the largest Japanese enclave outside Japan is located, the Liberdade District. Not to mention all the communities spread from the south to the central-west of the country.
Japanese immigration to Brazil celebrates its 110th anniversary in 2018. It all began with the first Japanese immigrant ship, called the Kasato Maru. This ship is known for symbolizing the ground zero of the lasting history between Japan and Brazil. In this article, we will learn a little about the history of this ship and the impact it has had on Brazil to this day.
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The beginning of immigration to Brazil
From 1616 to 1858, Japan became a closed country. But this came to an end in the 1860s, when the country abolished the closed door policy. In 1968, around 190 Japanese were sent to Hawaii. But they ended up becoming slaves, going there without the Japanese government's permission. So much so that Japan banned the population from leaving the country for more than 15 years.
But in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Japan went through an industrial period. This caused overpopulation and poverty in rural areas. Immigration then came as a solution to these problems. Those who left the country were expected to return years later with money for their families.
As an initial plan, the main destinations for immigrants were Hawaii, the USA, Canada and Australia. But several problems were noticed, such as racism, discrimination and the fear of the country's residents of losing their jobs to the immigrants. So certain rules were soon put in place to limit and control the number of Japanese immigrants.
This is how the Japanese government saw South America. Brazil, for example, was in dire need of cheap labor on its coffee plantations. Because of the poor working conditions, the Italian government was no longer sending farmers to Brazil. Some Japanese farmers were even fooled by false advertisements about working conditions in Brazil.
Kasato Maru heading to Brazil
It was then that in 1908, leaving the city of Kobe, the Russian ship known to the Japanese as the Kasato Maru disembarked from the port bound for Santos. More than 780 people came on board, most of them farmers from various regions of Japan. When they arrived, most of them went to work, under contract, in coffee plantations in the state of São Paulo.
Many of the immigrants received housing, clothing and food from farm owners. But, due to poor working conditions and low pay, many problems and disputes have arisen. Leading many to flee the plantations, taking on other jobs. Others started their own coffee plantations, making the majority decide to settle in Brazil.
Japanese immigrants contributed a lot to Brazil. They helped a lot in the development and adaptation of new techniques of food production. In addition to the introduction of new products, which were not cultivated in Brazil before. Not to mention the contribution in the industrial sector, both with labor and with Japanese industries. So much so that more and more Japanese set their roots in this country, so different from theirs, which is Brazil. The Brazilian economy and culture owe thanks to the enormous support and contribution of the Japanese to the country.