Interviews
You can’t be loyal to two countries (Japanese)
(Japanese) It was right when Nakako was born, so…it must have been around 1954, still at the beginning of when people were getting American citizenship, when everyone over here was studying for the citizenship exams and things and making a lot of noise about it. I got mine right away, really quickly. I got citizenship early on.
I told my husband that I didn’t want to lose my Japanese citizenship, and his response was that for the most part people cannot be loyal to two countries. So, he said me, “Do you want to be a real Japanese or do you want to marry me and be an American? Decide on one.” So, I thought about it, and he was right. It would be pretty impossible to hold two citizenships, to be loyal to two countries. So, after thinking about it, I concluded that if that were that case I would get an American citizenship and discard my Japanese one.
Date: January 26, 2012
Location: California, US
Interviewer: John Esaki, Yoko Nishimura
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum
Explore More Videos
Interpretation of Nikkei
(1919-2020) Member of the 1800th Engineering Battalion. Promoted Japan-U.S. trade while working for Honda's export division.
Identity (Japanese)
(1928 - 2008) Drafted into both the Japanese Imperial Army and the U.S. Army.
Integrating As First-Generation Japanese-Peruvian (Japanese)
(b. 1962) Japanese restaurant owner and chef in Peru
Peru Representative vs. Japan Representative (Japanese)
(b. 1962) Japanese restaurant owner and chef in Peru
Thoughts on Japan (Japanese)
(b. 1962) Japanese restaurant owner and chef in Peru
Being Nikkei: A Double Responsibility (Spanish)
(1958-2014) Former Bolivian Ambassador to Japan
The Impact of Technology in Japan (Spanish)
(1958-2014) Former Bolivian Ambassador to Japan
The Secret to Youth (Japanese)
(b.1908) Daugther of the first publisher of the Rafu Shimpo
Interest in Japan stemmed from his mother and grandmother’s stories
(b. 1981) Enka Singer
Dreamed of becoming an Enka singer
(b. 1981) Enka Singer
His clothes are part of his identity
(b. 1981) Enka Singer