July 7, 2026
I met Mr. Shingo Nishikawa, Saint Joseph College graduate of 1959.
He was born in Nagoya, 1942 under a Japanese American who returned to Japan to receive Waseda University education but could not return to the USA because of the break of the war. The house was bombed so the family had to evacuate to the mother's countryside in Mie. His grandfather went to the USA to be a farm laborer in 1900 and became a wealthy farmer with many employees and became very wealthy but the anti-Asian/Japanese feeling and the law preventing Japanese to own land or emigrant made the situation hard. It became worse by the break of the World War II with the Japanese attack of Pearl Harbor. He lost everything. In the meantime, Shingo's father was sent to Japan to get a good Japanese education. With the break of War, Shingo was both American by birth and registered in Japanese Consulate in San Francisco with other employees of his father as a Japanese (KOSEKI). Shingo's father was called into a Japanese military but because of his health he was not drafted but joined the factory workers. The war ended as the USA victory and Shingo's father was on the victor's side. He had lucrative jobs but stated his own business but was not a businessman and lost money at the end. Shingo went to a Japanese school as many did to 4th grade and joined St. Joseph College where he met many who had various backgrounds and Brother Soden and other Brothers of Marianist Society. He said nobody asked their friends background but knew they were from all kinds of people and nationalities. He said that his father was not a businessman so lost money and in his 8th grade he felt he could not afford the school tuition but somehow managed with others help. He became a Catholic in the 6th grade with Father Gerber's baptism. He went to Massachusetts Institute of Technology as the Electric Engineer because he felt he can get the job anytime when the situation is bad. He supported his sister in Saint Maur to graduate. He worked in the American rocket project when the USA was hurrying to catch up to the Soviet Union Sputnik and later in ATT and others. He was told by his uncle and others not to outstand in WASP society and keep the low posture always as a Japanese American. They learned hard way through "Internment Camp" and losing everything in the "white" American society. He then decided to be a "teacher" which was always his dream. He went to graduate schools and got his first job in Hong Kong University and later in "emerging" Chinese universities and in 2004 Akita International University which is well known few all-English university we have in Japan. It was one of the early ones sponsored by the prefecture. I heard from mentor who used to set up the university that the students must go abroad to earn credits abroad but most of the students fail, but he said in the early stage it was, but now it not. They do well and get good jobs. He said most of the teachers/professors from abroad comes but not learning or have the background in Japanese. He asked them why and they said Japanese is only used in Japan, but you can use Chinese in Taiwan, Singapore and many countries outside China. So, they study Chinese but not Japanese. Let's face this reality!
(to be continued)
