What is the perception of Peru in Japan?

Yoshil2 · 17 Dec 2016

Hello everyone!
Around 13% of Peruvian population are Peruvian-Japanese. In 1990s, Alberto Fujimori was President of Peru. And some Japanese like Peruvian food such as "Ceviche" and "Aji de gallina." Nevertheless, they would like to visit "Machu Picchu", if they had the opportunity. However, all of these comments I have heard it from international Japanese students in New York. I would like to know the perception about Peru in Japan (generally), or they just know only the information that I mentioned before.

Thank you for reading my post and your precious time.

P.S: Good or bad comments will always be appreciated

musicisgood · 17 Dec 2016

I was invited to a Peruvian's home here near where I live , and ate their potato pies. Good stuff and he is married to a Japanese gal and have 2 kids. Nice people. And yes, he speaks Japanese.

KyushuWoozy · 17 Dec 2016

One thing I've noticed here is that TV generally (which I guess is where most people get their info after they left school) and news programs in particular are very insular - that is, they focus almost exclusively on Japan. For this reason I'm not sure if many Japanese would have much of a perception of Peru at all. That's my opinion from what I see, but perhaps I'm wrong.

If you are here in Japan it's a good opportunity for you to spread the word about your country (I'm assuming your Peruvian by the fact you are asking this question).

WonkoTheSane · 17 Dec 2016

It's never come up in a conversation I've had with any Japanese people.

Lothor · 17 Dec 2016

KyushuWoozy said:
One thing I've noticed here is that TV generally (which I guess is where most people get their info after they left school) and news programs in particular are very insular - that is, they focus almost exclusively on Japan. For this reason I'm not sure if many Japanese would have much of a perception of Peru at all. That's my opinion from what I see, but perhaps I'm wrong.

.

No, I think you're right, the reporting is extremely insular. Actually, when Fujimori senior was in the world news a few years ago, it was extensively reported in Japan, and it was also reported when his daughter narrowly lost the last election. I believe that both stories wouldn't have been news here if there hadn't been a Japanese connection.

Yoshil2 · 18 Dec 2016

musicisgood said:
I was invited to a Peruvian's home here near where I live , and ate their potato pies. Good stuff and he is married to a Japanese gal and have 2 kids. Nice people. And yes, he speaks Japanese.

That's good you liked Peruvian food, food makes people happy. It does not surprise me at all that he speaks Japanese due to most Peruvian-Japanese learn Japanese in high school in Peru. Of course, they follow up other things from Japan as well. Thank you for your comments and time ^^.

Yoshil2 · 18 Dec 2016

KyushuWoozy said:
If you are here in Japan it's a good opportunity for you to spread the word about your country (I'm assuming your Peruvian by the fact you are asking this question).

Yeah, that would be a nice experience. And yes again, I was born in Peru, but I live in New Jersey, US.

Lothor said:
Actually, when Fujimori senior was in the world news a few years ago, it was extensively reported in Japan, and it was also reported when his daughter narrowly lost the last election. I believe that both stories wouldn't have been news here if there hadn't been a Japanese connection.

Yeah, during those presidential elections, it was a big topic to discuss in Peru. I still remember when Mr. Fujimori won the election and then visited Japan.

Nevertheless, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was in APEC Peru 2016 few weeks ago.

Thank you for your comments and time ^^

Yoshil2 · 18 Dec 2016

WonkoTheSane said:
It's never come up in a conversation I've had with any Japanese people.

Oh, I see. I hope you have an opportunity to take about it in future.

Thank you for your comment and time ^^

nice gaijin · 20 Dec 2016

Japan is such an insular country that what most Japanese people seem to know about foreign countries is what I call "word association" familiarity. You say Brazil, they say "carnival, samba, caipirinha!" You say Peru, they say "Macchu Picchu, Fujimori, earthquakes" and whatever other snippets of culture that have made it through the filter or been featured on Japanese variety shows. The same pattern follows for most countries, really... with Peru having a slightly higher standing than other countries due to the deep (but vaguely understood) connection due to immigration at the turn of the century.

The exception to this is going to be the Japanese people who actually came to Peru and found there was more to the culture and country than the few "must-see" tourist spots, but on the whole I think Japanese people have very little in-depth knowledge about Peru.

What is the perception of Peru in Japan?

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