Interviews

1. His father, the pioneer of acupuncture in Argentina (Spanish)

2. Decision to settle in Argentina after WWII (Spanish)

3. Suffering in World War II (Spanish)

4. Joined Japanese Imperial Army during the WWII (Spanish)

5. Returning Argentina after the war (Spanish)

6. Proud to be a Japanese desecendant (Spanish)

7. A lucky man (Spanish)

Yamada,Luis

(b. 1929) Nisei Argentinean

Returning Argentina after the war (Spanish)

(Spanish) We were unable to leave Japan at all. But it [so] happened that after World War II, a Peronist committee formed in Japan. It was Ogawa [or] Okawa who was with Perón. Through his [assistance], all the Nisei came to Argentina for free, everything was free, in a distinct manner, but they all came. We were the first [Japanese] who left Yokohama. The Issei began to come as Yobiyose. Yobiyose [were those] relative who were responsible for you. Therefore, yes, they [the Japanese] increased afterward. But when the [transport] services of the Dutch ships began, in Oranda Sen, many [Japanese] came in large numbers.

immigration United States yobiyose

Date: September 18, 2006

Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina

Interviewer: Takeshi Nishimura, Ricardo Hokama

Contributed by: Centro Nikkei Argentino

Interviewee Bio

Luis Yamada is a Nisei born in Buenos Aires in 1929. His parents were immigrants who came from the Fukui province. As a little boy he traveled to Japan where he lived during World War II; afterwards he returned to Argentina. He was able to see Japan before, during, and after the war. Today he is the director of the Instituto Argentino de Paisajismo (Argentine Institute of Landscape Painting), one of the most prestigious institutes of its kind in Argentina. (September 18, 2006)