by Masako Justa Itoh

My experience in the Nikkei Youth Summit was as if someone would take me out in the sun, inside a flower pot to make me bloom. This metaphor is not mine; it’s from Akira Kurosawa´s autobiography. In this book he talks about his childhood and the positive action of one of his teachers, who influenced him and his classmates. This metaphor applies also to my fellow companions, because is exactly the way I feel receiving this kind of confidence being selective to join the Nikkei reunion. It’s also our responsibility to cause this kind of influence in our country, to try to stimulate them with our projects; in my case it includes future plans in theatre, literature and journalism.

These days help me to reinforce the concept of communion (Kizuna) between the Nikkei’s of all over the world. This brotherhood transcends the place of our birth and emerges of the call to make the cultural Japanese legacy to last, joining our society and home.

I’m very grateful for the opportunity to meet Nikkei’s of USA, Hawaii, Brazil, Perú, Paraguay, México, El Salvador, Bolivia, etc. I’m moved by the voices of Nikkei’s teenagers and their courage to talk about nationality, ijime and identity. Thanks for letting me know about this other perspectives. They help me to increase the vision of the big amount of opportunities that Nikkei identity have for us. Also help me in knowing myself more, who am I and to understand more about the community I belong.

My commitment is to continue my job in being a small voice of reflection about this identity “in transit”, that comes and goes, and It belongs to the “kizuna” bond, that we build together. I will pursuit my intent to let my country know the eternal question about Nikkei identity, how to build it in a free way in spite of the judging look of “the others”.

My future plan includes a project to create a group of Nikkei theatre for our elders, to help them to feel useful and creative, letting them tell their stories to the community, in the hopes of helping their voice to never be shut up.