Congratulations to Nikkei Australia members who are contributors to a new scholarly publication about Japanese migrations to Australia. The book includes a chapter about our group Nikkei Australia, written by one of our founding members Mayu Kanamori.

Japanese Migrations to Australia: Transformation and Heterogeneity is edited by Iori Hamada, Takeshi Hamano, and Yoshikazu Shiobara. Takeshi Hamano is a Nikkei Australia member.

A number of other members have authored chapters in this book, which is the first comprehensive English language academic work about Japanese migration to Australia. These members include:

-Chapter 4: Japanese Women’s Partnership Migration to Australia: A Backdrop of the Resurgence of Japanese Migration to Australia after World War II by Takeshi Hamano

-Chapter 5: Journeys of Belonging: Mixed- Race Japanese Australian Youth in a Mobile World by Aoife Wilkinson

-Chapter 10: Nikkei Australia: A Creative Cultural Community by Mayu Kanamori

-Chapter 11: 11 Fusion Food: Japanese Ancestry and the Meaning Making of Food in Coastal Broome, Western Australia by Yuriko Yamanouchi

The book is Open Access and available for download free.

Abstract

‘This book stands as the first comprehensive English-language scholarly book dedicated to the dynamic and multifaceted aspects of Japanese migrations to Australia.

‘By offering an extensive and up-to-date analysis of migration trends, this book addresses a significant void in academic research. Structured into two parts, this book offers an in-depth exploration of various aspects of this migration. Firstly, by examining contemporary migration patterns including working holiday makers (WHMs), partnership-based migrants and Japanese–Australian youths, this book unsettles cultural essentialist and national exceptionalist narratives. Additionally, through investigations of Australian tourism, the role of Japanese restaurants in cultural exchange and the artistic expressions within the Nikkei Australian community, this book reveals the diverse contributions and interactions of Japanese communities in Australia and the bilateral influences of Japan. It also critically engages with the monolithic concept of ‘community’ through specific sectors and previously understudied groups including Japanese-Indigenous Australians and LGBTQ+ migrants, analysing how personal narratives align with or diverge from policy frameworks and offering new perspectives on identity and belonging in transnational contexts.

‘Combining empirical research with theoretical analysis, this book is not only an academic resource but also a useful reference for policymakers. By offering new perspectives and policy recommendations, it is an invaluable tool for understanding and adapting to the evolving patterns of Japanese migrations to Australia, making a substantial contribution to the fields of Japanese, migration and Australian studies.’

The Open Access version of this book, available at https://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.