Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/394/

Starting over after the war: denial of all things Japanese

One of the notable things was after the war, many Japanese, I think Issei and Nisei both, there was a period of denial. They refrained from starting up activities that were culturally Japanese. They even refrained from talking about eating Japanese food. I was very angry about that. Again, it was almost as if it was a shame to be Japanese, of Japanese heritage. But at the same time, the climate was such that there was no alternative. To be Americanism was the fad. And there was only one way you were supposed to be Americans and that is to salute the flag and recite the preamble and that constitutes being good Americans.


culture identity patriotism postwar World War II

Date: August 18, 1997

Location: Washington, US

Interviewer: Lori Hoshino, Stephen Fugita

Contributed by: Denshō: The Japanese American Legacy Project.

Interviewee Bio

Nisei male. Born 1923 in Seattle, Washington. Spent prewar childhood in South Park and Belltown areas of Seattle. Incarcerated at Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, and Minidoka incarceration camp, Idaho. Refused to participate in draft, imprisoned at McNeil Island Penitentiary, Washington, for resisting the draft. Resettled in Seattle.

*The full interview is available Denshō: The Japanese American Legacy Project.

Tomihiro,Chiye
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Tomihiro,Chiye

What to Do Next

Chaired the Chicago JACL's Redress Committee.

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Hirose,Roberto
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Hirose,Roberto

From the "middle" Nikkei (Spanish)

(b. 1950) Nisei Chilean, Businessman

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Hirose,Roberto
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Hirose,Roberto

Advantages of being Nikkei (Spanish)

(b. 1950) Nisei Chilean, Businessman

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Yoshida,George
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Yoshida,George

We’re Still Japanese

(b. 1922) Musician

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Marutani,William
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Marutani,William

Childhood shame for being Nikkei in Enumclaw, Washington

Judge, only Japanese American to serve on CWRIC.

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Todd,Kathryn Doi
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Todd,Kathryn Doi

On the Impact of the Camp Experience

(b. 1942) The first Asian American woman judge

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Mori,Johnny
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Mori,Johnny

Thoughts on the term, "Nikkei"

(b. 1949) Musician and arts educator and adminstrator.

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Marutani,William
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Marutani,William

Post-redress future of Japanese Americans

Judge, only Japanese American to serve on CWRIC.

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Uyeda,Clifford
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Uyeda,Clifford

Mentality of Issei and Nisei

(1917 - 2004) Political activist

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Uyeda,Clifford
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Uyeda,Clifford

Treatment by Chinese students

(1917 - 2004) Political activist

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Takagi,Kazuomi
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Takagi,Kazuomi

Need generational change in Japanese community (Spanish)

(1925-2014) La Plata Hochi, Journalist

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Takagi,Kazuomi
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Takagi,Kazuomi

Nikkei identity (Spanish)

(1925-2014) La Plata Hochi, Journalist

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Oi,Celia
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Oi,Celia

Defining the term "Nikkei" (Portuguese)

Former Director, Museu Histórico da Imigração Japonesa no Brasil

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Oi,Celia
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Oi,Celia

Brazilian of Japanese descents (Portuguese)

Former Director, Museu Histórico da Imigração Japonesa no Brasil

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Oi,Celia
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Oi,Celia

Nikkei community concentrated in São Paulo (Portuguese)

Former Director, Museu Histórico da Imigração Japonesa no Brasil

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