How did you become interested in the Portuguese language, which you speak fluently today?
Japanese diplomats specialize in one language, which in my case is Portuguese. After passing the diplomatic career entrance exam, each diplomat indicates his language preference. The list of preferences I filled out didn’t have the letter “P”, so I asked for English, French, and German. After that, the ministry assigned me the Portuguese language. When observing Japanese diplomats, it is very interesting to note that each diplomat has characteristics of people who speak the languages of their specialization. For example, Russian-speaking diplomats usually have a lot of resilience to work in a very tough environment. Diplomats who work with Spanish and Portuguese languages are usually cheerful and in a good mood in their working environment and crack jokes during their working hours, just like Latin people. Francophone diplomats have a deep understanding of wine.
Where did you study Portuguese?
I studied in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. At that time inflation was very high. In the first month I was there it was 36%, and I thought this value was annual, later I realized it was the monthly value. Japanese diplomats have the privilege of studying abroad for two years. I studied in Brazil during the periods of José Sarney and Fernando Collor, having witnessed a period of turmoil in Brazilian politics.
What was it like, after the effort of learning, to feel that you can read a newspaper or a book in Portuguese?
In the second year of study I could already read articles from newspapers and magazines. I have two books that I read in Portuguese and English and Japanese. One of them is A history studyby Arnold Toynbee, and the other is Understanding Globalization – The Lexus and the Olive Tree, by Thomas L. Friedman. I could see that the content is the same in all three versions.
Are any of the great Portuguese-speaking writers special to you?
I speak as if I read poetry. In that sense, I am interested in poetry. I am a poet since birth. However, I still haven’t read the great works of Lusophone poetry such as The Lusiades, something I still have to do. I found some books in the library of the embassy, like the book The “Bomodori” in Tokushimaby a former early 20th century Portuguese diplomat – Wenceslau de Moraes.
As the first European country to have contact with Japan, does Portugal have a special place in Japanese history? What remains of that contact in the 16th and 17th centuries?
This meeting was a very important event for both countries. Portugal was already in contact with China and I don’t think it expected to find a country like Japan next to China, with a high level of civilization in Asia. Japan, a technology-oriented nation, took a great interest in Western civilization, especially the firearms and ships that enabled the Portuguese to cross the oceans. The chief of Tanegashima Island bought three firearms – he did not steal them or give them to him, which is a good example of the Japanese way of life – and immediately commissioned a craftsman to make replicas of the firearms within a year. a great challenge for this craftsman, who would face the death penalty if he couldn’t replicate the weapons, having managed to successfully complete the arduous task. This shows that Japan had a high level of technology even though it knew nothing about firearms. 50 years after that first meeting, Japan has become the largest producer of firearms. At that time, Japanese pottery could not have the blue color, but the Japanese knew how to use the red color in pottery. On the contrary, the Portuguese were known to use blue in their tiles, but they could not use the color red. I don’t know if knowledge has been exchanged at this level, but the fact is that both countries managed to use both colors.
In 2023, 480 years of this meeting of civilizations will be celebrated. How are Luso-Japanese relations today?
We have a great relationship. We have common values, such as the defense of freedom and democracy. We are committed to the rule of law and do not allow it to be challenged through violence or threats. Both countries have a firm will to cooperate with developing countries. Japan and Portugal are discussing cooperation in Portuguese-speaking countries and we were recently able to set up a project to promote education in Mozambique. In this area, I have several ideas, which will be revealed when further developed. About 450 years ago, when our exchange was very active, Japanese society was full of energy and I believe we reclaimed that energy in Japanese society through relationships with Portugal, like when a 50-year-old man listens to music from the time when he 20 and you feel the energy of your youth rising naturally. The history of a country is like a personal diary. Therefore, the relationship with Portugal played an important role.
Are there many Japanese diplomats who speak Portuguese?
In this embassy alone, we have five diplomats who speak Portuguese fluently. I am the only one with a Brazilian accent and everyone else speaks with a Portuguese accent.
In your case, how do you think the experience of living in Portuguese-speaking countries has influenced your personality?
Some people call me “Latin-Japanese”.
What is the impact on Japan of the Brazilian immigrant community, many of whom are of Japanese descent but speak Portuguese?
The Brazilian community in Japan has brought many things that are important to Japanese society.
Is there a word in Portuguese that you like better?
A Portuguese word I like is “saudade”, almost impossible to translate into other languages, which makes it unique and special! However, I would also like to mention the word “tea” because it is very similar in Japanese translation (in semantic and phonetic terms it is pronounced cha); for us Japanese, tea (and the tea ceremony in particular) is also a strong cultural element, something very special, almost as difficult to translate into words as the word “saudade”!
Which Japanese book do you recommend to the Portuguese?
I recently learned that Soseki Natsume’s novel has been translated into Portuguese. Natsume is one of the most important novelists of Japan’s modernization era. Natsume’s work that was recently translated was Kokorothat means The heart. Japan decided to modernize its society in the Meiji era (1868-1912) and then, during the Taisho era (1912-1926), democracy flourished and the country experienced maturity. the theme of Kokoro it is the clash of society’s values. Meiji era values that have become obsolete and lost in the spirit of the new era. The content is a tragedy, worth reading.
Source: DN
