Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/1107/

From attorney to developer

Sure, it fits in pretty well. You know, I went to school here in Hawaii then got in and went back east to Georgetown University School of Business and the connection there primarily was family. My mom’s brothers and a bunch of her family – cousins…in fact when I went to Georgetown there were 7 other cousins that I had that were already attending Georgetown. So a strong family connection to that university sent me there. And it was also one of the best business schools that I could find on the east coast. And I was dead set on entering into a business school for my undergraduate education. And Georgetown also has a very good liberal arts program that I got to take advantage of as well. So that’s how I ended up back east in Washington, D.C.

I finished college a year early and decided, “Well, I could get a second major or I could maybe work on the Hill” and so I phoned my dad to see if he could get me an interview with Senator Inouye and I didn’t get one, but I got one with someone that was close to Senator Inouye and ended up getting a position there. And while I was there, I saw the importance of being able to understand the way bills become law, how laws are managed, and how they’re argued by attorneys and I thought that would be valuable for me to understand in my real estate business. So I applied to law schools, got into a bunch and ended up choosing Georgetown, staying in the same neighborhood.


education Georgetown University law schools universities Washington, D.C.

Date: June 1, 2006

Location: Hawai'i, US

Interviewer: Akemi Kikumura Yano

Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

Interviewee Bio

Bert A. Kobayashi, Jr., known as “B.J.,” first experienced the construction business as a laborer for Albert C. Kobayashi, Inc., the Hawai‘i company founded by his grandfather and run by his father, Bert, Sr. After graduating from Georgetown University in 1993, he worked in Senator Daniel Inouye’s Washington, D.C., office—where Hawai‘i’s senior Democrat advised him to consider the value of obtaining a law degree. After three years studying real estate and business law at Georgetown, B.J. took over as president of his father’s company, developing the Kapolei Civic Center. With his brother, sister and a business partner, he then formed the Kobayashi Group, developing major condominium and luxury golf resort projects. In addition to his business interests, B.J. is also passionate about promoting sustainability and protecting Hawai ‘i’s natural resources, and is active in community work such as the Gift Foundation of Hawai‘i (which he co-founded) and the Nature Conservancy. (June 2007)

Source: Based on article in Pacific Business News.

Wally Kaname Yonamine
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Yonamine,Wally Kaname

Training for football by carrying 100-lb bags of grass over mountains

(b.1925) Nisei of Okinawan descent. Had a 38-year career in Japan as a baseball player, coach, scout, and manager.

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Richard Kosaki
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Kosaki,Richard

Teaching at the military language school during World War II

(b. 1924) Political scientist, educator, and administrator from Hawai`i

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Richard Kosaki
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Kosaki,Richard

Lesson learned from community college faculty

(b. 1924) Political scientist, educator, and administrator from Hawai`i

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Mitsuo Ito
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Ito,Mitsuo

Japanese school

(b.1924) Japanese Canadian Nisei. Interpreter for British Army in Japan after WWII. Active in Japanese Canadian community

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Shizuko Kadoguchi
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Kadoguchi,Shizuko

Strict school policy of separating boys and girls in Japan

(b.1920) Japanese Canadian Nisei. Established the Ikenobo Ikebana Society of Toronto

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Sam Naito
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Naito,Sam

Growing up outside of Portland’s Japanese community

(b. 1921) Nisei businessman. Established "Made in Oregon" retail stores

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Alice Sumida
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Sumida,Alice

Education in a Buddhist temple and a country school

(1914-2018) Founder of the largest gladiolus bulb farm in the United States.

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Venancio Shinki
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Shinki,Venancio

Closing the Japanese school and deportation (Spanish)

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Alfredo Kato
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Kato,Alfredo

Post-war experiences in Lima (Spanish)

(b. 1937) Professional journalist

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Roy Hirabayashi
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Hirabayashi,Roy

Learning Japanese at school and at home with family

(b.1951) Co-founder and managing director of San Jose Taiko.

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Dale Minami
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Minami,Dale

Impact of the original Korematsu case on current events

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Kazuomi Takagi
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Takagi,Kazuomi

Learning Spanish (Spanish)

(1925-2014) La Plata Hochi, Journalist

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Johnnie Morton
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Morton,Johnnie

Attending Japanese school

(b.1971) Professional football player.

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George Yoshida
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Yoshida,George

Ways of Fitting In

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Clifford Uyeda
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Uyeda,Clifford

Japanese Language School

(1917 - 2004) Political activist

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