Brazil has the largest Japanese-descended population outside Japan

 Yes — Japanese people did migrate to farm in Brazil, but mostly before World War II, with some continuing after the war. During the war itself, migration essentially stopped.

Here’s the clear timeline 👇

Before World War II (main period)

Started in 1908

Japan had population pressure, rural poverty, and limited land

Brazil needed farm labour after slavery was abolished (1888)

Japanese migrants were recruited mainly to work on coffee plantations

Many planned to stay temporarily, earn money, and return to Japan — but most ended up settling permanently.

By the late 1930s:

Brazil already had hundreds of thousands of Japanese immigrants

Many had moved from plantations to own small farms, growing:

Coffee

Cotton

Rice

Vegetables

During World War II (1939–1945)

Migration stopped

Brazil joined the Allies in 1942 and cut ties with Japan

Japanese Brazilians faced:

Travel restrictions

Language bans (no Japanese schools or newspapers)

Confiscation of radios

Social isolation and suspicion

They were not allowed to return to Japan during this period either.

After World War II

Migration resumed in the 1950s

Japan was devastated economically, so emigration restarted

New migrants again worked in agriculture, then gradually moved into:

Urban businesses

Industry

Education

Today

Brazil has the largest Japanese-descended population outside Japan

About 2 million people

Many are no longer farmers, but agriculture was the foundation of the community

In one sentence

Japanese migration to farm in Brazil happened mainly before WWII, paused during the war, and resumed after, eventually creating the world’s largest Japanese diaspora.