Japanese Americans, among other Asian
American groups, were not initially well accepted in the United States. In fact, there is a
history of clear exclusion and discrimination. This is most notable with the infamous 1882
Chinese Exclusion Act, which specifically targeted Chinese immigrants and prevented them from
settling in the United States. As the numbers of Japanese immigrants began to rise, in 1907
there was a Gentlemens Agreement between the governments of the United States and Japan,
designed to restrict the immigration of the Japanese. And, of course, there is the tragic
history of concentration camps and forced removal of Japanese Americans from the West Coast
during World War II. The success of so many Asian Americans today is incredible, considering the
walls of injustice that have been placed before Asian immigrants and their American-born
children throughout history.
That brings us to the question of cultural
pluralism. Cultural pluralism is defined as a minority group retaining their own distinct
culture while also participating in the larger community. On the whole, I think yes, the
experiences of Japanese Americans can be considered an example of cultural pluralism. While
fully integrated into the broader American culture in many waysthe example of baseball comes to
mind, not to mention the many military servicepeople of Asian descentJapanese Americans also
maintain some traditions unique to their culture: for example, the tradition of removing shoes
before entering the home. Some traditional clothing that is used for special occasions (e.g.,
wearing a kimono for the New Year celebration) or cultural foods (e.g., mochi) are also still
commonly seen today. Japanese Americans have always maintained their unique culture while also
entering into the American way of life.
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