Japanese Immigrants Incorporation in the United States

The subject of this study is Japanese immigration to the United States of America, where many of them sought new homes and began new lives far from their historical homeland. Throughout a couple of preceding centuries, Japanese inhabitants sought a better residual location that could assure economical and political stability, as well as comfortable well-being. For Japanese immigrants, pursuing the American dream was a top objective. The United States was not the only country that gave temporary shelter for Japanese citizens in order to respect their freedom to live a good life away from their motherland.  In fact, Japanese people started their journey to the United States of America for immigration purposes, when they were escaping from discomfort of poverty and unemployment. Then until the 20th centuries, many Japanese immigrants signed contracts to work on apple and sugarcane plantations, trying to start their life in new conditions in the new countries. In spite of their active assimilation, Japanese manage to stay unique in their culture, religion, integrity, etc.

The aim of this paper is to look at the Japanese immigrants data vs the foreign born data and the native bond data and find out how well are the Japanese immigrants incorporated in the American society. In overall, the rate of incorporation into the American society is to be measured by the following criteria, based on the information obtained from the 2015 American Community Survey: political, education, language, employment, income, and poverty rate as measurement for societal incorporation of Japanese immigrant communities.

Historical Perspective

The process of Japanese immigration was started in the second half of the 19th century, when in the period of 1869 and 1885 Japanese manual laborers followed new perspectives in the foreign land and arrived to Hawaii'. Particularly, they were called Kepanī' to mention the name of “local Japanese” that nowadays are the second largest ethnic group in the island of Hawaii, where 312,292 of Kepanī lived in 2010, based on data of U.S. Census Bureau (2010). Prevous statitcial estimation helped to discover that in 1920 Kepanī' constituted approximately 43% of Hawaii's population.

In various periods, the role of Japanese immigrants was different, specifically because of the political tensions that arose from time to time between East and West. For instance, according to Immigration Act of 1907, the USA set the “immigrant fund” to cover deportation expense for non-residents, as well as set “treatment until such time as such alien may, in the opinion of such medical officer, be safely deported” (Immigrant Act 1907, S19), in case if she/he experience some contagious disease. Consequently, The Immigration Act of 1924 banned the immigration of certain well-defined Japanese American community generational groups.

In spite of non-welcoming initiatives for immigration restrictions on the part of the government, Japanese Americans contributed to the agricultural sector of the United States economics. In the 19th century, they introduced productive irrigation methods to cultivate fruits, flowers, and vegetables on marginal lands of California and Hawaii. Nineteenth-century Japanese immigrants. They proceeded with land cultivation near several of ten World War II internment camps that remain productive even nowadays.

In any case, the Japanese American national origin group did not assimilate in other communities, and it was spirit of “common well-being” on success that gave them inspiration to stay apart in their communities, preserving their national identity. After immigration to the USA, many Japanese had trouble to adapt to the new circumstances of life in the new countries. Their unique worldviews, language, religion, cultural values made Japanese Americans to feel “different” within the American society. Their life was colored with finding the new roles in the societies, especially when considering the gender and social roles. They tried very hard to bring up their children as well-educated and well-bred members of Japanese American communities, although even apart from their Motherland, at new homes. Many of them were highly educated members of their communities to get lucrative works and chance to lead high-quality personal and professional life. Living among different communities in the United States of America, Japanese immigrants were continuously struggling for their national identity in order to get chances to survive as a nation in integrity and unity among all structural elements.

Practically, Japanese cultural heritage is easily transferable not only through the direct communication within communities, but also with the help of direct contacts with communities in their native country of national origin. From the Motherland, they get literature, artifacts, pieces of music and art, etc, so that they can promote Japanese culture in available ways. Sharing cultural and religious experiences between different communities is also helpful to reach integrity and preserve national identity in their struggle to avoid assimilation. They can easily adapt to new conditions of life, being highly educated members of societies. They can get valuable social roles, due to education and work experiences.

Data General Overview

In the USA, 335767 of Japanese immigrants currently live. The national group constitutes 0.776% of the total foreign-born population and 0.106% of the total population.

Roots, Ties, Period of Immigration

Before 2000, 55.5% of immigrants from Japan entered the U.S. This rate is slightly lower, when compared to the average for all immigrants in the U.S. that is 56.5%. This means that the target national origin group has strong roots and ties in the U.S., as many Japanese Americans were born in the new country, having perspectives to live and raise children there.

Political Incorporation

Regarding political incorporation, 35.55% of Japanese national origin group is naturalized U.S. citizens. This rate is significantly lower than the average for all immigrants in the U.S. that is 47.8%. These data reported officially prove the notion that Japanese immigrants stay considerably less politically incorporated into the U.S. society, in comparison with the other immigrant groups.

Education and Societal Incorporation

Education merits are the best signs of social well-being that immigrants can access to make the valuable step on the way to the considerably crucial rate of societal incorporation. Training skills for qualified work is important to discover talents within an individual and let h/her move forward in promotional activities on their qualification. It is professional development that motivates immigrants change settings, start a new career, and modify their perceptions of reality. Personality growth and development, in this relation, is highly significant, as it may change lives of people dramatically. As Japanese immigrants came to the USA in search of “better life” and “American dream”, they need to follow the opportunity and catch chance to gain effective education. This may help them to drop out from position of manual laborers that in the past centuries had to work on apples and sugarcane plantations. They may start new life abroad, cooperating with trusted business partners. In the global perspectives, the ability to work hard and reveal extensive inspiration and faith to reach goals will help Japanese immigrants to establish ties in connections to roots of their country of origin.

Regarding education, by the present time, 49.6% of the national origin group has a Bachelor’s degree or higher. This rate is considerably higher, as compared with the average for all immigrants in the U.S. that is only 29.4%, and to the average for native-born residents that is 30.9%. These rates show sincere dedication of Japanese immigrants to merits granted by education. They are presumably aware that the primary significance of education is that it enlightens the way to success, depending on the selected major. In this relation, the societal incorporation of this immigrant group turns out to be greater than it is in groups of other national origins. The increasing rate of awareness in their uniqueness provides Japanese immigrants with chance to strive for the enhanced perspectives that may even prove their self-awareness and confidence. When compared to the period of 19-20th century, Japanese immigrants have considerably improved their role in society. When their ancestors first came to Hawaii on February 8, 1885, they were only 153 men that arrived in as contract laborers for the sugarcane and pineapple plantations (Kuykendall 1967). Generally, they had little idea what to come next, and they chose manual labor, as they lacked qualification for other type of work. Moreover, many Japanese immigrants commonly became subjects of “having fun” out of their ethnicity, because of strange clothing they were wearing and unique style of appearance.

Language and Societal Incorporation

The general use of language depends on personal choice of an individual. At the same time, in the frameworks of other cultural and social constraints, immigrant have no option, but improve communication skills speaking, writing, reading, and comprehending the language of the country of their new residence. For some people, it is hard to initiate communication with representatives of other cultural communities, for they do not find close connection to them, being in doubt of communication effectiveness in some situations. Critically, language-based barrier is not only linguistically critical, but rather socially important issue to be addressed, based on assessment of the psychological conditions in which immigrants have to live. It is change of living conditions, workplace, friends, known places to new country may be critical for an individual, so for many immigrants, it is hard to accept new situations and modify way of thinking in shift from the old frameworks to the new ones that are promising, when taking them for granted and add values that bring positive effect on personality development.

Regarding language use, 19.7% of Japanese national origin group speaks English very well, in addition to fluent speaking in their native language. Comparatively to the average rate for all immigrants in the U.S., it is less: 15.8%. This shows decent level of societal incorporation of the Japanese immigrant group. Bilingual feature is the prominent characteristic for them, as they may show their skills in communication in different languages. This may be essential for their career growth as interpreters, translators, tour guides, secretaries in departments for internal affairs and partnership for cooperation with foreign-based business entities.

Employment and Economic Incorporation

Employment is one of the major social and economic concerns for immigrants. As they come to the new country for residence, they expect to find a new job to cover living expenses and ensure fulfillment their benefits for entertainment, travel expenses, and other related pay-offs, including bills for keeping the house warm, clean, and neat. The recent statistical data show that only 1.2% of Japanese immigrants is currently unemployed. In comparison with the average for all immigrants in the U.S., it is more and constitutes 3.6% from total number of immigrants. In relation to the respective average rate of unemployment for native-born residents, the unemployment rate is even higher and is 4.0%. These rates are meaningful, with particular respect to economic incorporation of Japanese immigrant group. The fact that Japanese immigrants constitute the lower percent of unemployed immigrants and even over than three times as less of unemployed, compared to the group of native-born U.S. residents, means that many qualified experts have opportunity to be hired among representatives of this national origin group. Possibly, Japanese immigrants have good respect, based on stereotypical perception of Asians as hard workers that put complete dedication to work and praise hierarchy of organizational ranks. In any case, extensive employment benefits for Japanese immigrants open a road to successful recognition and social appraisal, based on results / outcomes of their professional development.

Income and Economic Incorporation

Annual income rate per household is a meaningful sign statistical of metrics that shows positive dynamics of economic incorporation of the selected immigrant group. Basically, income rate per household is the essential characteristics of effective adaptation of immigrant group to the new conditions of living in the foreign country. Regarding income, the median household income for all families in Japanese national origin group is $64183. When compared this rate to the average for all immigrant households in the U.S., the relevant metrics would show $51482 in average, that is significantly lower. Therefore, Japanese immigrant group earns more in average, comparatively with other residents from foreign countries of origin. And, as for the average household income for native-born residents, they earn $56458 annually, while 12.3% use social aid as food stamps. As compared with social status of immigrant representatives in other national groups, 16.1% live on food stamps, while in Japanese national origin group of immigrants, this rate is only 3% from all relevant households. These data is spastically significant to assess effectiveness of economic incorporation in the target immigrant group. Practically, Japanese immigrants revealed sustained social plasticity, when adapting to the new conditions in new country of origin. This led to positive dynamics of their social, political, and economic incorporation, as based on their interests that they share commonly within the national origin group. Japanese immigrants were in search for improved well-being, as they started their way to open America for themselves and their next generations to be born in the “new world”.

Poverty and Economic Incorporation

The poverty rate for all families in Japanese national origin group is 6.6%, while the average poverty rate for all immigrant families in the U.S. is 16.2%. When compared to the average for native-born residents, the poverty rate constitutes 9.4% from all families covered by statistical research. In relation to these data, it turns out that the economic incorporation of Japanese immigrants is to be tracked in the frameworks of their social roles that they share in distribution across various areas of inclusiveness. As they do not experience poverty, Japanese immigrants turned out to gain higher rank in social hierarchy, being praised as valuable employees that satisfy standards of organizational performance and communication and are helpful for companies that hire them as team members and top managers. In this relation, supposedly, their education merits rise year by year, as Japanese can represent their culture as hard-working, consistent, obedient, low-tempered, and psychologically stable. They are able to avoid negative emotions and are less exposed to disclosure stressful behavior at workplaces. These features are essential for their effective social adaptation and engagement with coordinated work out strategic solutions to problems they experience to have at work. Japanese immigrants do not experience poverty in major, for they praise work and are ready to fulfill it as priority over other distracting deeds. They are less exposed to procrastination condition and time wastes, so they are about to elaborate win-to-win strategy to keep on with updates they should follow at work.

Discussion

The data obtained from the 2015 American Community Survey proves positive correlation between societal incorporation and annual income per household, employment, educational background, political considerations, and language-based issues. Considerably, the Japanese national origin group reinforces popular stereotypes that exist about the incorporation of immigrants in the United States, based on opportunities granted to make American dream come true. In this relation, the presented data for Japanese in the US is negatively correlated with groups of foreign-born immigrants, and native born. These three groups of U.S. residents differ by income, poverty / unemployment rate, educational background, language skills, nationality roots, and political incorporation. Following this viewpoint, there is ratio to prove the stated argument, based on the survey data. It shows adequate societal, political, and economical incorporation of Japanese Americans, in terms of their facilitated adaptation to new realities. In fact, they earn more than average, compared to native-born residents and representatives of the other immigrant groups. Considerably, they almost do not experience poverty or unemployment, because majority of them hold Bachelor’s degree or higher estimate for academic achievement. Furthermore, many Japanese Americans can speak fluent English that facilitates their communication with native population.

Conclusion

Therefore, despite of the factual evidences of political, societal, and economical incorporation of Japanese immigrant group to living conditions of the foreign country, the role of the target national group of origin should not be underestimated for ability to preserve their unique cultural heritage and identity. At the same time, representatives of Japanese community showed success in elaborating decent communication strategies to overcome language barriers with native-born population in the United States. This was helpful to discover connections with representatives of a different cultural framework. Based on the data presented in this research, it was found out that significant political, societal, and economical incorporation of Japanese immigrants in America is a measurable value, based on high education standards, income, and active engagement in qualified work. This makes the target national group to differentiate between high quality life standards and unemployment that may lead to poverty. Data on this project proved that Japanese Americans do not have any troubles in socialization, incorporation into community in political, social, and economical perspectives. Furthermore, when compared to other groups of immigrants and native-born Americans, Japanese immigrants have higher opportunities and hopes for self-actualization.

Works Cited

Immigration Act [1907]. Web, http://historycentral.com/documents/immigrationact.html

Immigration Act [1924]. Web, http://www.legisworks.org/congress/68/publaw-139.pdf

Kuykendall, Ralph S. The Hawaiian Kingdom: Volume 3 - The Kalakaua Dynasty, 1874-1893, University of Hawaii Press, 1967: 164-165.

“U.S. Census Bureau: QT-P8: Race Reporting for the Asian Population by Selected Categories,” 2010.