Japanese American Identity & Self-Image | Asian American Poll

JAPANESE AMERICAN IDENTITY & SELF-IMAGE
(Updated Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:14:02 PM to reflect the 100 most recent valid responses.)

In relating with other Asian American groups, Japanese Americans most exhibit which of the following attitudes?
More Americanized than thou | 51%
More rooted in ancestral heritage | 0%
More anxious to be low key | 49%
More embracing of other AA | 0%

Which of the following has the most impact on the Japanese American identity?
Smallest percentage of recent immigrants | 36%
World War II internment | 51%
Japan's economic success | 6%
Smaller population than other AA groups | 7%

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WHAT YOU SAY

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MLK said
"Eurpoean-American children don't have to be taught what their culture is like, they live it every day at home, at school and at play".

I beg to differ. I am a 3rd generation JA whos wife comes from Japan. Our first language in the home is Japanese, a decision I made from the onset.

In public, for example, Burger King, we are chatting normally in Japanese during a meal. The white family next to us with children the same ages as ours are flabbergasted by our language use in that though we are generally speaking Japanese, our English words (Whopper, French fries, refill of coke, napkin, straw, playground, restroom) are not spoken with an accent.

They asked us if were Americans, I said yes but we have made it a point to converse in Japanese so as to preserve the culture.

The mother said that they spoke French and then made an attempt to speak some "bastardized French" to her child by saying "Eat your filet de poisson" (Poisson is Fish in French). He said, "What???".

One reason why White Americans cannot preserve their culture is that they are "mixed". Most are some variation of "Irish-Italian" (with a little bit of Cherokee). What is interesting is though they are mixed, they don't consider themselves mixed and society does not consider them mixed.

This "mix" contributes to their lack of culture. Most White Amercians trace some ancestry back to Germany, but while I was stationed in Germany, I did not meet any one fellow serviceman with a German last name who could speak better German than me.

Navy LCDR airdale Friday, May 10, 2002 at 07:23:52 (PDT)

You guys are right.

I know a lot of 3rd generation Chinese-Americans, and they seem to be more in contact with their Chinese roots than Japanese 3rd or 4th generation counterparts.

It had to do with the painful past of the war and of American white society's racist bigotry at that time.

But, I see that the current Chinese and Korean Americans are not so far behind.

We Asian Americans assimilate at too high a rate. Even more than other white ethnic groups such as Italians and Jews.

We need more pride Thursday, May 09, 2002 at 22:29:38 (PDT)

Hi, I'm a JA male from Honolulu. Are there any Hawaii residents lurking here?
Planky Wednesday, May 08, 2002 at 12:06:29 (PDT)

"Japanese Americans tend to practice more...American tendencies at a faster rate then other asain nationalities...[ of 'society over self']"

There has long been a common perception among Asian Americans that Japanese Americans seem more assimilated than other Asian groups in the U.S. The prevailing explanation is historical, however -- not cultural.

Japanese people who immigrated to the U.S. in the early 1900s remained very culturally Japanese. They continued to practice Japanese culture and way of life, as well as living in Japanese American "enclaves." In the California central vally -- modesto, stockton, sacramento and more -- were many Japan-towns (like Chinatowns).

However, during WWII, Japanese Americans were forced to abandon their homes, businesses and community. They had become extremely successful in the agricultural and merchant business -- but were cheated from it all by the U.S. government, their European neighbors, or sold for pennies.

During the concentration camp period, Japanese Americans were criticized by the U.S. government and society at large for being too clanish, too Japanese, and too unassimilated. When they were released from prison, officials warned them from sticking together or practicing their culture. They were forced to spread out and fit in with the majority.

Because the Japaense were forced to evacuate their homes and their communities, there are almost no distinctive Japan-towns that exist today (except in Hawaii -- where they were not interned).

This historical event accounts for much of why Japanese Americans today seem relatively more assimilated than their Asian counterparts in the U.S. But people who are not familiar with American history during WWII or the internment camps assume some cultural explanation for why Japanese Americans appear more assimilated.
read Ronald Takaki -- a great Japanese American historian Thursday, May 02, 2002 at 01:12:12 (PDT)

JA have no self-image and no national pride this will in turn make them easier to assimilate into mainstream America.
tagman Wednesday, May 01, 2002 at 13:24:15 (PDT)

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