Adaptive Strategy of Japanese Immigrants and Occupational Sequent Occupance in the Development of Fresh Produce Marketing in Los Angeles

Abstract

Three research frontiers need to be explored by geographers in understanding Japanese immigrants and their overseas communities: analyses of immigrant communities in the context of local and national host societies, comparative studies of immigrant groups settled in the same local host society, and economic segregation and occupational sequent occupance. This paper explored the third theme by presenting a case study in southern California prior to World War IL Japanese immigrants successfully attained vertical domi nance in production, wholesale, and retail of fruits and vegetables in Los Angeles and the surroundings of southern California from the 1900s through the early 1940s. The process in which Japanese came to occupy such economic niches was documented with special reference to the adaptive strategy they applied in establishing their economic bases. Ethnic organiza tions and occupational preference played an important role, while growing economy and population created a soaring demand for fresh produce, marketing system had not yet been established, and the role of the Chinese was fading after the turn of the century. Considering the fact that the economic niche that Japanese occupied in the supply of fresh produce was taken over by other immigrant groups following World War II, the idea of "occupational sequent occupance" was proposed. Documenting such sequence in the occupational structure will contribute to the comprehensive understanding of immigrant groups as well as cultural historical geography of American cities.

Recent Trends in Ethnic Geography in Japan

“…Recently, Yagasaki (1996Yagasaki ( , 2002Yagasaki ( , 2003a) discussed spatial organizations of Japanese immigrant communities as adaptive strategies by comparing spontaneous settlements and planned colonies in California's Central Valley. Further, Yagasaki (2003b) introduced the concept of "occupational sequent occupance" in order to understand Japanese immigrant communities. In addition to these intensive studies, Yagasaki (1995Yagasaki ( , 2003a) explored the possibility of comparative studies of two different host societies.…”

Japanese Farming, Urban Sprawl, and Changing Land Use in Gardena and Torrance of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area

“…As the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area accommodates the largest Japanese population in mainland United States, cultural geographers have paid attention to this particular ethnic group by looking at social, cultural, and economic criteria (Yagasaki 1984). In this respect, cultural geographers can potentially contribute to the understanding of immigrant groups in the context of the local host society by analyzing the adaptive strategy adopted and the economic niches occupied (Yagasaki 2003a(Yagasaki , 2003b. At the same time, the Japanese community living in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area has experienced substantial changes over the past one hundred years in terms of distribution, composition, and the social, economic and cultural characteristics.…”