Global Asia Working Group Talk

From Japanese pioneers to Igorot Nikkeijin pioneers: Tracing migration across generations

Friday, September 12, 2025, 12:00–1:00 PM, Saunders Hall 624, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa

Speaker: Haruka Kei Waseda, Masters in Asian Studies
Discussant: Dr. Ben Kerkvliet, Emeritus Professor, Australian National University

This talk examines the histories and lived experiences of the Igorot Nikkeijin—descendants of Japanese migrants and Indigenous peoples in the northern highlands of the Philippines. Drawing on field research in both the Philippines and Japan, the study explores generational differences in migration patterns and how movements that began more than a century ago continue to shape opportunities, identities, and settlement today.

The presentation offers insights for immigration policy and contributes to preserving the narratives of the Igorot Nikkeijin, extending the work of earlier scholars.

Open to Public