The North American Post

The North American Post is a Japanese newspaper published in Seattle, Washington. As the oldest Japanese newspaper, it widely covers the nikkei community in the Northwest region. Currently it's published weekly as a bilingual newspaper in Japanese and English. A Japanese magazine Soy Source is its sister paper. 

Updated December 2014

culture en

Interview with Kaori Nakamura (Pacific Northwest Ballet School Faculty Member)

She puts on a fluffy dress, strides onto the romantic stage and dances splendidly. It’s the dream of many a girl to be a ballerina. Kaori Nakamura, a top dancer for Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB), lived that dream, dancing for years on center stage. Nakamura is also teaching in the Pacific Northwest Ballet School these days. We caught up with her to see what life is like for a star ballerina. Interview conducted by Naoko Watanabe, translated by Bruce Rutledge A Ballet Evangelist Nakamura has danced the lead in classic ballets such as Swan Lake, Giselle, Don Quixote and many more. She…

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sports en

Interview with Nahomi Kawasumi (Seattle Reign FC Footballer)

I want to play well so our fans are satisfied Nahomi Kawasumi is a member of the Seattle Reign, a team in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). She finished her third season with the team this year. The local media call her “Naho.” You’re likely to see her name pop up more and more these days. We sat down with her to discuss soccer and life in Seattle. Interview conducted by Naoko Watanabe, translation by Bruce Rutledge   The life of a pro soccer player This season, the Reign just missed a playoff spot. Kawasumi was still able to show her tricky ball-h…

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community en

Japanese Newspaper Reincarnates as Hokubei Hochi after the War ~ North American Post History

A noticeboard for a community anxious about its safety The compulsory expulsion of Nikkei during World War II had all but wiped out the Japanese American presence in Japantown. After the war, as people were released from the camps, they restarted their lives. Japanese-language media started to appear, and in June 1946, a publication that continues today, Hokubei Hochi, was published by Hochi Shinbun. The editor in chief was the same person who published Hokubei Jiji before the war, Sumio Arima. The publisher was the former editor of the Takoma Jijo, Sadahiko Ikoma. He is the grandfather of …

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community en

Hokubei Jiji The Pillar of Early Japanese Immigrants

A place to share information is part of an indispensable building block for the formation of immigrant communities. Today, various mediums serve as information transmitters that help support communities. In the early 20th century when Seattle’s Japanese American society was being formed, Japanese-language newspapers had substantial influence as the foremost source of information for Japanese immigrants. The Japanese community saw tremendous growth around 1900 with the transfer of the Consulate office from Tacoma to Seattle, and the opening of a new shipping route by Nippon Yusen K.K.…

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politics en

Nikkei Politicians, Organizations React to WWII Incarceration "Precedent"

Japanese American politicians and national organizations shared their concerns in the past week on a recent controversial remark about World War II Japanese incarceration as a “precedent” for a potential immigrant registry. This came out after an interview on FOX News on November 16 that Carl Higbie, a co-chair and spokesperson for the Great America PAC for Donald Trump, discussed the future possibility of creating a Muslim registry. Statements included: U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono “The internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II was a historic injustice and noth…

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