Reflections on the Japanese American Leadership Delegation

Photo: Meeting with Prime Minister Fukuda at his official residence in Tokyo

Thirteen Japanese Americans were invited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the recommendation of Consuls General of Japan in the U.S. and the Japanese American National Museum to participate in the 8th JALD – Japanese American Leadership Delegation to Tokyo, Fukuoka, and Kyoto from February 29th through March 9th. To say that it was an extreme honor and privilege to be chosen as one of the 13-Japanese Americans (JAs) for the JALD trip is quite an understatement, as it truly marks the most awe-inspiring 10 days of my entire career.

Coming from Georgia, where Japanese Americans (JAs) are very few in number, the opportunity to get together as a group of JAs was a rare occasion for me. I found the Japanese American Leadership Delegation trip not only magical, because of the once-in-a-lifetime encounters with high-level people, but also an eye-opening experience filled with a multitude of new ways to further deepen my roots not only in Japan, but within the U.S. as well. I owe such deep gratitude to Consul General Shoji Ogawa of Japan in Atlanta, Consul Hiroshi Furusawa of Los Angeles, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, and Irene Hirano of the Japanese American National Museum.

It was the first time that I felt connected with other JAs and experienced the sense of brother and sisterhood with my JA colleagues. With 13-delegates coming from 10 different cities, as expected, there are dissimilarities because of the way we grew up and where we were raised individually. Our different backgrounds were also determined by the number of other JA’s we grew up with in our respective neighborhoods and surrounding areas. Looking Westward and closest to Japan – the Hawaiian JAs had deeper experiences of culture, in terms of the Japanese language and social activities and they were more knowledgeable of formalities closely associated with traditional Japanese customs. In California, where there is a sizeable number of Japanese and other Asians, there were more opportunities to acquire culture through Japantown or Little Tokyo. However, further East and particularly in the South, JAs are uncommon and it was a rare treat for me to have such close contact with other third and fourth generation Japanese during the JALD trip.

Living in Japan from 1977 to 1986, I felt that there was a huge disconnect between the Japanese nationals and Japanese Americans. It was almost as if the Japanese did not acknowledge the bloodline between us, largely because JAs are so Americanized. But in our defense, most JAs were taught to assimilate into American customs and culture particularly after WWII, so much so, that the “Japanese” part of us was lost over the decades. But after getting to know my fellow JAs, I found that we are very much Americanized, and we share a common bond that is deep within us; we respect our Japanese ancestry, love Japan and desire to be included as part of the Japanese – even if only as a small part. Although many of the delegates do not speak Japanese well, it did not mean that they were unaware or unappreciative of many Japanese customs and manners.

We expressed to many of the Japanese government leaders that when relations are bad between Japan and the US – the JAs take the hit, whether it is in verbal confrontation or going back to the days of WWII, when our parents and grandparents were incarcerated in internment camps, simply because they were of Japanese ancestry.

It was during this trip that I noticed that the Japanese moved away from issues that dwelled on our differences, and shifted toward a more inclusive feeling, focusing on our commonalities. At one point, the JAs were referred to as “brothers and sisters across the ocean.” To me, it was a very humbling and magnanimous statement about our group; an affirmation that the Japanese see us as their own.

It was also heartening to see that so many Japanese officials were reaching out to the JAs to form a bridge between us, thereby creating a stronger bond between the two countries. The President of the Japan Foundation expressed that he is hoping for a deeper understanding between Japanese and JAs, and said he hopes and dreams about how JAs can work with the Japanese. He also enlisted the JAs to alert Japan and confide in the Japanese, if we know of something that is of particular urgency. I was very grateful to hear this, as I understood his statement to mean that he trusted the JAs deeply and was offering a way to form a more substantive and meaningful relationship with us.

The point of building people to people relationships was mentioned a number of times during our trip and I believe as part of our role as a JALD delegate – we need to serve as ambassadors for Japan by promoting the country, its products, and its people. The JAs were also referred to as “the glue that holds the two countries together.” With that said, I also believe it is our utmost duty as JAs to be effective leaders for the future of both countries and to create a plan(s) that would further enhance the relationship.

As mentioned earlier, I spent almost a decade living in Tokyo, but this trip brought quite a discovery for me as a Japanese American. By far, it was the most momentous 9-days of my life, covering the cities of Tokyo, Fukuoka and Kyoto. The days passed by in a blur as we met notables ranging from Princess Takamado to Prime Minister Fukuda, and from Fukuoka Governor Aso to a Kyogen Master in Kyoto. The trip was almost surreal because of whom the group was so privileged to meet. We later laughed and said - the only person we didn’t get to visit was the Emperor! Ah – something left for the 9th JALD Delegation to do!

We were asked the question, “Do you identify yourselves as Asians?” My answer is – “Yes”, because people living in America see me as different – as an Asian. And if you ask me if I see myself as Japanese – I would say – “Absolutely!” Even though I was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, I will always see myself as Japanese – and I’m very proud to be blessed with being from two wonderful countries and to have special qualities from both nations!

Ms. Sachi Koto is the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Japan-America Society of Georgia, and the President of Sachi Koto Communications. Ms. Koto was a delegate for the 2008 Japanese American Leadership Delegation to Japan, which was held from February 29 to March 9.