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Case Study: Japanese Migration & the U.S.

History of Japanese migration

Learn how Japanese migration to the U.S. has shaped and been shaped by various government policies.

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About 
Japanese immigration to Hawaii and the western states made the Japanese one of the largest Asian ethnic groups in the United States.  Albeit many obstacles, Japanese Americans integrated and became very successful in government, business, the sciences, and cultural enterprises.  Learn about the history of Japanese migration to and within the United States in the slideshow below.

 

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Questions

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Use the following dimensions to characterize Japanese migration experiences to and within the United States: international versus domestic migration, forced versus voluntary migration, push factors, pull factors.

How was the early Japanese immigration experience to Hawaii and the U.S. mainland impacted by the Chinese experience in the United States? 

What are some examples of laws that made it challenging for Japanese immigrants to integrate into U.S. society?

To what extent have Japanese Americans successfully integrated into U.S. society over time? Use evidence to support your position.

How does the history of Japanese migration and the United States fit into the broader history of immigration to the United States?

How, if at all, has the Japanese-American experience in the United States shaped your thoughts on the question, “What does it mean to be an American?”

Case Study: Japanese Migration and the U.S.
 

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there were 1,469,637 Japanese Americans in the United States in 2016. Also, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. population at the end of 2016 was 324,650,630.

Though the Japanese-American population remains less than one half of one percent of the U.S. population, the Japanese-American experience offers a look at various types of migration. 

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