This team research aims at studying the history and culture of Japanese immigrants and their descendents in South and North Americas. Its principal purpose is filling the gap between the experts of North American and South American immigration by way of discussing the case studies available for each area. We will also consider, when possible, the research on Japanese immigration to other areas, Also, other immigrant communities to the New Continent and the so-called “return migration” of Japanese immigrants back to Japan from South America will help focus the examination of our subject in a wider perspective.
　Japanese immigration to the New Continent (including Hawai'i) began with the dawn of Meiji and played an essential role in Japan's political, social and cultural modernization until the 1960s. Japanese emigration depended upon the economic and political situation of Japan and the host countries, as well as diplomatic agendas and racial conditions.
　Among numerous themes concerning the study of Japanese immigration, our group will concentrate on the historical and cultural aspects of immigrant communities. The former includes the mid-19th century to the present, whereas the latter refers to habits, life style, ideology, concepts, literature, writing in general, social organization, events, media, language, behavior, performing arts, ceremony, arts, discourses, and other pertinent topics. Culture in this sense is inclusive and heuristic. We will also be concerned with the adaptation and transformation of Japanese culture abroad through its basic agent, the “Nikkei community.” We will argue that this community as the cultural agency functions as producer, mediator, and receiver (receptor).
　The study of Japanese immigration has been initiated and activated by sociologists cooperating with the minority's political movements. Though admitting their crucial significance, we will rather focus on the life, expression, and emotion of Nikkei groups for enlarging the present scope of research.
　At first we have to question the concept of “Japanese culture,” which is neither monolithic or fixed. This question has been recently raised in the discussion on cultural nationalism and media studies, and we believe it relevant for our goal. Concepts such as acculturation, adaptation, syncretism, and mixing should also be revisited. We will search for a balanced method between empirical data collecting and theoretical thinking that will provide a solid foundation for future study of Japanese and other immigrant communities.

Research Representative	細川周平	国際日本文化研究センター・教授
Organizer	瀧井一博	国際日本文化研究センター・教授
Team Researcher	赤木妙子	目白大学社会学部・教授
〃	アンジェロ・イシ	武蔵大学社会学部・教授
〃	一政（野村）史織	中央大学法学部・准教授
〃	粂井輝子	白百合女子大学文学部・教授
〃	栗山新也	元日本学術振興会特別研究員
〃	小嶋　茂	早稲田大学移民・エスニック文化研究所・客員研究員
〃	佐々木剛二	東京大学大学院総合文化研究科・学術研究員
〃	スエヨシ・アナ	宇都宮大学国際学部・講師
〃	高木(北山)眞理子	愛知学院大学文学部国際文化学科・教授
〃	滝田祥子	横浜市立大学国際総合科学部・准教授
〃	根川幸男	同志社大学　日本語･日本文化教育センター・非常勤講師
〃	日比嘉高	名古屋大学大学院文学研究科・准教授
〃	フェリッペ・アウグスト・ソアレス・ モッタ	大阪大学大学院文学研究科・博士後期課程
〃	松岡秀明	大阪大学コミュニケーションデザインセンター・招聘教授
〃	水野真理子	富山大学医学薬学研究部・准教授
〃	物部ひろみ	同志社大学グローバル地域文化学部・准教授
〃	森本豊富	早稲田大学人間科学学術院・教授
〃	守屋貴嗣	法政大学大学院国際文化研究科・兼任講師
〃	守屋友江	阪南大学国際コミュニケーション学部・教授
〃	柳田利夫	慶応義塾大学文学部・教授
〃	吉田裕美	岡山大学国際センター・助教
〃	早稲田みな子	東京藝術大学・非常勤講師
〃	高橋勝幸	総合研究大学院大学文化科学研究科・研究生
Team Researcher Overseas	森　幸一	サンパウロ大学（ブラジル）・教授
〃	エドワード・マック	ワシントン大学 (アメリカ)・准教授