The thoughts of people working in a foreign land

Asahi Shimbun Morning Edition – June 26, 1999

A young man from Brazil worked at a high-tech factory, but during work, he suddenly let out strange screams and became delusional. He was taken to a psychiatrist. His great-grandfather had immigrated to South America and succeeded in a coffee plantation, but due to worsening economic conditions, his family returned to Japan.

With medication and rest, he recovered significantly and returned to Brazil to continue treatment. However, a year and a half later, he came back to Japan and relapsed. South America was no longer a secure home for him, and yet Japan, despite sending out immigrants, was reluctant to accept them. The depth of his emotions was immeasurable.

The United States, a country of immigrants, now appears to respect minority groups. However, even Los Angeles, the “City of Angels,” originally belonged to Mexicans. The 1995 film Mi Familia tells the story of a Mexican immigrant family in Los Angeles over half a century.

After the Mexican Revolution, a man walked for a year to reach Los Angeles, relying on distant relatives. He married, grew sugarcane for a living, and raised six children.

During the Great Depression, Mexicans were blamed for the lack of jobs, and anti-immigrant movements surged. While shopping, his pregnant wife was arrested and deported, despite being a U.S. citizen. Two years later, she walked back to Los Angeles with their newborn son.

As they grew up, the second son was shot dead by the police. However, the eldest son became a writer, the eldest daughter became a restaurant owner, the second daughter transformed from a nun into a human rights activist, and the third son became a lawyer. The youngest son, who witnessed his brother’s death, later married a woman facing deportation to El Salvador, eventually learning the struggles of being a father himself.

The aging parents left East Los Angeles, the immigrant district, and continued growing sugarcane quietly. Their unwavering love for all their children reflected the essence of family. The film was understated but deeply comforting.

To better support the health and stress-related issues of war orphans and foreign residents in Japan, medical institutions have started providing interpreters and information in Portuguese and other languages. It is a small yet significant step forward.