This is a special year for Japan and Brazil, it is the 100th year anniversary of immigration from Japan to Brazil. Presently, 1,500,000 million Brazilians of Japanese ancestry live in Brazil and they are a highly valued immigrant group in the country. A fairly recent phenomenon is a return migration of Japanese Brazilians to Japan, and there are now about 350,000 Brazilians living and working in Japan, making it one of the largest groups of foreign residents in Japan. Teppei saw many examples of this celebration of migration while in Brazil including the image character Keika which can be seen below.

The regional rounds really went well, I hope I can get more detailed information on them for you, there were about 15 of them in all throughout the country. Teppei was impressed by having all representatives together and the excitement that was in the air during the first general meeting at the final in Sao Paulo.

At the final stage performance on Sunday June 22nd he was amazed by the reaction of the crowd at the main event. People went wild as Ezaki Toshiko (Singer of the ending for Pokemon) and Ricardo Cruz (JAM Project) performed for the audience.

Teppei finished off his trip with a visit to the families of Gabriel and Jessica of Team Brazil for WCS 2008. He mentions the families were very welcoming and proud of the pair, fully behind them in their representation of Brazil. Sounds like Teppei had a great time in Brazil, I am sure there is a pile of work waiting for him on his return to Tokyo!