抄録
Studies on Japanese migration to Australia seem to deal exclusively with either the
pre- or post-World War II periods, and have mainly covered first generation migrants. The
intergenerational effects and consequences of migration have not been discussed. This paper
explores the ethnic identity of Japanese migrants’ descendants in Broome, into which Japanese
laborers migrated from the 1880s through the 1960s. Despite the migration restrictions of
the White Australia Policy, the internment of Japanese during the World War II, and their
subsequent deportation, Japanese migrants still found opportunities to have relationships
with local Indigenous people, resulting in offspring and other descendants. Most of these
Japanese descendants in Broome are seemingly “integrated” in many ways, e.g. they do not
speak Japanese, do not cluster in enclaves, and do not congregate regularly. They do not even participate in special Japanese “community” events, which are mainly run by 2 families. However, many of them — even those who have never met their Japanese predecessors — claim Japanese heritage. Close examination of how they received Japanese ethnic identity reveals their identification as Japanese descendants to be supported in various ways. While those whose Japanese forebears stayed in Broome would have these ancestors as a source of Japanese identity, those with little or no exposure to their Japanese ancestors often have their Japanese identification supported by non-Japanese family members, as well as the larger Broome community, which draws on its rich history of interaction between Japanese and local Indigenous Australians. Though they display minimal Japanese cultural indicators, their identities are substantial enough to drive some of them to pursue their genealogies in Japan.
