Angol
The liberalisation of New Zealand''s immigration policy in the 1980s allowed the growth of a distinctive Japanese community in the city of Christchurch. It was not like the ''Old'' Japanese communities in countries like Brazil and Peru, where Japanese had lived for generations. Nor was it like the recently formed ''New'' communities in cities like Düsseldorf and London, dominated by business sojourners sent abroad by Japanese companies. Christchurch''s Japanese were largely self-movers and permanent residents seeking an alternative to the stresses of life in Japan. Based on extensive and original research, this book reveals that they retain solid ties to Japan, but that they are well integrated into New Zealand life. While they retain a strong ethnic identity as Japanese nationals, they have developed a strong civic identity as New Zealand residents committed to the life of the community in which they live. With the aid of this dual identity, they have disarmed the dilemmas of divided loyalties and conflicting identities in a practical and positive way. The book will interest readers concerned with ethnic relations, immigrant communities, Japanese migration and New Zealand history.
