Will Kaku
@will_kakuWill Kaku is a board member of the Japanese American Museum of San Jose and is the vice-chair of the Nihonmachi Outreach Committee, a progressive organization that is involved in hosting the annual San Jose Day of Remembrance event. Will is a third generation Japanese American (Sansei) and his father was incarcerated in Heart Mountain, Tule Lake, and Bismarck. Will has been involved with many San Jose organizations in the areas of peace, social justice, equality, and animal rescue.
Updated January 2012
Stories from This Author
Remembering Jimi Yamaichi
Aug. 2, 2018 • Will Kaku
The day after I heard that Jimi Yamaichi passed away, I didn’t know what to do with myself. I felt a deep sorrow and emptiness. I viewed Jimi as a great mentor, a role model, an inspiration, and a friend. Although I did not sign up to be a docent at Japanese Americam Museum of San Jose (JAMsj) on that day, I felt that it would be better for me if I came into the Museum that afternoon. I had …
35th Annual San Jose Day of Remembrance: Stories from the Past, Lessons for Today
Jan. 28, 2015 • Will Kaku
The 2015 San Jose Day of Remembrance that will take place on February 15, 2015, commemorates the signing of Executive Order 9066, which occurred on February 19, 1942. This executive order led to the incarceration of more than 100,000 Japanese Americans during WWII. The theme for the 35th San Jose Day of Remembrance event is “Stories from the Past, Lessons for Today.” During the program, personal stories about the Japanese American incarceration will be told by descendants of those whose …
34th Annual San Jose Day of Remembrance: Joe Yasutake
Feb. 10, 2014 • Will Kaku
The 2014 San Jose Day of Remembrance will be held on February 16, 2014. This year’s event features speakers: Dale Minami, the lead attorney on the legal team that overturned the conviction against Fred Korematsu, who defied the World War II Japanese American mass incarceration order which led to the controversial United States Supreme Court case, Korematsu v. United States; Congressman Mike Honda; and JAMsj former president and current board member, Joe Yasutake. * * * Featured Speaker: Joe Yasutake …
Lost Words
Feb. 14, 2013 • Will Kaku
It has been said by many that writing letters is a lost art form. People under the age of 35 or so may have never experienced the sentimental emotions of discovering that dusty old shoebox full of beautifully crafted letters that convey love, joy, sorrow, and introspection. The grief-stricken letter with tear-stained handwriting or the scented love letter expressing longing and passion cannot compare to a laboriously long email thread or be reduced to a 140-character tweet with an embedded …
Echoes of Executive Order 9066
Feb. 1, 2012 • Will Kaku
On February 19, 2012, members of the San Jose community will commemorate the 70th anniversary of the signing of Executive Order 9066 at the 32nd Annual San Jose Day of Remembrance event. The executive order eventually led to the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II. The San Jose Day of Remembrance program, entitled “Civil Liberties Under Siege,” brings different communities together to remember the signing of the executive order—which many people now acknowledge to be a great …
The Emotional Journey into Camp Days
Jan. 25, 2012 • Will Kaku
The following article was written by Japanese American Museum of San Jose (JAMsj) docent, Will Kaku. He reflects on the Chizuko Judy Sugita de Queiroz’ Camp Days 1942-1945 exhibit. The exhibit closed on December 30, 2011.When the Japanese American Museum of San Jose (JAMsj) reopened in October 2010, I used to start my tours like many docents do: in chronological order starting with the story of Chinese and Japanese immigration, the insatiable appetite for cheap labor by agribusiness and industrialists, …
