A Community Unimagined: The Influence of Individualistic Culture among Chinese Entrepreneurs in Ikebukuro, Tokyo

Abstract

An ethnic enclave is characterized by ethnic solidarity, spatially-clustering ethnic economy, and ethnic place-making which mutually reinforce each other. However, in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, where a Chinatown seems to be emerging, many Chinese entrepreneurs show indifference toward place-making and community-building. This study demonstrates how an individualistic culture influences entrepreneurs’ perception of business practices and social networks, resulting in a departure from the communal understanding of the spatial concentration of Chinese businesses, ethnic organizations, and collective actions.