~ “Nikkei” in Palau~ Interview Series: Vol.#21 Mr. Jonathan S. Joseph

Mr. Jonathan Severio Joseph, now 74 years old, is a Palauan of Japanese descent. He was born in 1949 to his second generation Palauan-Japanese father, Mr. Takeshi Goto and his mother Ms. Hideko Joseph. He was adopted by his grandfather Mr. Joseph of Angaur.
 
Mr. Joseph attended primary school in Angaur State and completed the rest of his schooling in Koror State. He went to Intermediate School now known as Palau High School and was part of the second graduating class of Palau High School. In high school, Mr. Joseph learned Japanese by Mr. Daijiro Nakamura. He continued his education at Micronesia Occupational College now known as Palau Community College and graduated with his Liberal Arts Degree. Mr. Joseph says that he was “able to fluently speak Japanese” when he was younger. Now, he can “hear the Japanese language but not speak it fluently.”
 
After graduating from college, Mr. Joseph moved to Hawaii where he worked as a condominium residential manager until 2004. He returned to Palau to work at the Belau National Hospital until 2008, as the Faculty Equipment Manager. Mr. Jonathan Joseph is married to Ms. Maria Otto and lives in Koror State. He is the current historian for Angaur State.