Cooperation and strong ties bring Brazil and Japan together

President Michel Temer arrives in Tokyo this Tuesday (18) for the first official visit by a Brazilian Head of State to the country in eleven years.

The two countries maintain a rich joint work agenda, marked by traditional ties of cooperation and strong human bonds. Brazil is home to the largest population of Nipponese origin outside of Japan, with 1.6 million Japanese-Brazilians. Conversely, there are 180,000 Brazilians living in Japan today (the so-called "Dekasegi”).

André Haba Oliveira is one of them. The gaúcho, as Brazil calls Rio de Grande do Sul state natives, has been intermittently living in Japan for the last 14 years. Owner of a Brazilian-style steakhouse (one of the now world-famous churrascarias), he had doubts at first on whether the Japanese would approve of the Brazilian flavour, but was pleasantly surprised by the response.

“In the beginning, even before I joined the Brazilian cuisine business, I thought I would have to change a lot of things, like tone down the spices, because our taste is very marked. But in fact, it was the opposite. The Japanese have taken to our food quite well," he said.

André ended up forming a Japanese-Brazilian family. His wife and son are Japanese. Today, he says he is fully adapted. “It was an adaptation based on respect. Respect for a new culture, and when you accept that, you end up learning a lot and also teaching a lot to the Japanese.”

About his homeland, André does not hide his saudade, as Brazilians call a feeling of intense longing. “Speaking of Brazil is difficult because my heart stayed there, but we are here, working hard. Perhaps in the near future, with some opportunities that Brazil may offer us, we can return.”

Hope for the future

Andrea Kamiya came to visit her sister, who lives in Japan, and ended up staying. She saw in the country an opportunity to improve her life. “My initial plan was to stay for three months, and now I've been here for two years.”

The São Paulo native started out working in a factory, and is now an employee at an e-commerce company. “I am studying Japanese so I can get a better job in the future. I've been able to improve my financial conditions every day," he said.