Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/231/

Japan vs. the United States (Japanese)

(Japanese) In Japan, someone named Lieutenant General Koike asked me, “What do you think about Japan and the United States?” What do I think? In America, the mountains are filled with resources. In Japan, there isn’t anything. Nothing. It’s empty. You can figure it out by that, right? If empty Japan and the US, where the mountains are full, went to war, you know Japan will lose. He said, “Hmmm.” As I expected, Japan finally started the war.


World War II

Date: October 14 & 17, 2004

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Eriko Yamamoto

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

Interviewee Bio

Kazuo Funai, 104-year-old pioneer Issei from Wakayama Prefecture in Japan, owned and operated a market on Central Avenue in Los Angeles. In 1941, prior to the outbreak of World War II, Mr. Funai had made arrangements to move to Tokyo to set up a business enterprise. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, he was unable to travel to Japan and was financially ruined. In addition, he and his family were incarcerated in an American concentration camp. He survived these obstacles to later start several successful businesses.

Mr. Funai passed away on Thursday, March 3, 2005 at the age of 105. (August 16, 2005)

Ariyoshi,George
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Ariyoshi,George

Prom during the war

(b.1926) Democratic politician and three-term Governor of Hawai'i

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Ariyoshi,George
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Ariyoshi,George

Influence of veterans

(b.1926) Democratic politician and three-term Governor of Hawai'i

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Ariyoshi,Jean Hayashi
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Ariyoshi,Jean Hayashi

Day Pearl Harbor was bombed

Former First Lady of Hawai'i

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Hirabayashi,James
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Hirabayashi,James

Life in camp as teenager

(1926 - 2012) Scholar and professor of anthropology. Leader in the establishment of ethnic studies as an academic discipline

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Katayama,Robert
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Katayama,Robert

Being ordered to keep a diary that was later confiscated, ostensibly by the FBI

Hawaiian Nisei who served in World War II with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.

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Kawakami,Barbara
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Kawakami,Barbara

Bombing of Pearl Harbor

An expert researcher and scholar on Japanese immigrant clothing.

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Kawakami,Barbara
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Kawakami,Barbara

Helping soldiers

An expert researcher and scholar on Japanese immigrant clothing.

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Kawakami,Barbara
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Kawakami,Barbara

Brother leaves for war, survival

An expert researcher and scholar on Japanese immigrant clothing.

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Kochiyama,Yuri
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Kochiyama,Yuri

Didn't have rights that whites had

(1922–2014) Political and civil rights activist.

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Kochiyama,Yuri
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Kochiyama,Yuri

Californians didn't know about evacuation

(1922–2014) Political and civil rights activist.

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Kochiyama,Yuri
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Kochiyama,Yuri

The day Pearl Harbor was bombed

(1922–2014) Political and civil rights activist.

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Kochiyama,Yuri
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Kochiyama,Yuri

Father as prisoner of war in hospital

(1922–2014) Political and civil rights activist.

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Kochiyama,Yuri
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Kochiyama,Yuri

Patriotism versus loyalty

(1922–2014) Political and civil rights activist.

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Kochiyama,Yuri
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Kochiyama,Yuri

Conditions of assembly centers

(1922–2014) Political and civil rights activist.

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Kochiyama,Yuri
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Kochiyama,Yuri

Visit to assembly centers by E. Stanley Jones

(1922–2014) Political and civil rights activist.

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