Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/392/

Making the decision to resist the draft

These were rumors that you must volunteer to prove that you're a good 100 percent American, that you're a loyal American. Volunteer to the U.S. army. Well... no way, from my feeling. It was, it was just totally wrong. Let us, take us back to Seattle, get our parents and get our hotel back, get us back into what we were. We were American. How come Tony, they were Italian, how come they weren't evacuated? How come the German friends I had, they weren't evacuated? And they had far more active political organization in America than the Japanese had. The Japanese, I don't recall ever sounding, being subversive-minded. And I think, later on, it proved there was absolutely no subversive act.


discrimination draft resisters interpersonal relations racism resisters 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.

Yuri Kochiyama
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Kochiyama,Yuri

Patriotism versus loyalty

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PJ Hirabayashi
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Hirabayashi,PJ

Experiencing discrimination as a child

Co-founder and creative director of San Jose Taiko

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Yuri Kochiyama
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Kochiyama,Yuri

Hiding what happened in camp

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Yuri Kochiyama
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Issei are hard-working

(1922–2014) Political and civil rights activist.

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Yuri Kochiyama
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Kochiyama,Yuri

Camp as a positive thing

(1922–2014) Political and civil rights activist.

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Yuri Kochiyama
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Kochiyama,Yuri

Rounding up Issei and Nikkei

(1922–2014) Political and civil rights activist.

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Grayce Ritsu Kaneda Uyehara
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Uyehara,Grayce Ritsu Kaneda

Importance of education in achieving redress for incarceration

(1919-2014) Activist for civil rights and redress for World War II incarceration of Japanese Americans.

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Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston
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Houston,Jeanne Wakatsuki

Initial impact on life at camp

(b. 1934) Writer

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Wally Kaname Yonamine
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Yonamine,Wally Kaname

His parents' experience with Japanese resistance toward intermarriage with Okinawans

(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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Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston
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Houston,Jeanne Wakatsuki

The birth of a novel through a conversation with her nephew

(b. 1934) Writer

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Roy H. Matsumoto
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Matsumoto,Roy H.

Treatment of Kibei after return to United States

(b.1913) Kibei from California who served in the MIS with Merrill’s Marauders during WWII.

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George Abe
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Abe,George

Realizing Importance of Birthplace

(b. 1944) taiko and flute performer

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Roy H. Matsumoto
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Matsumoto,Roy H.

Train ride to Jerome Relocation Center

(b.1913) Kibei from California who served in the MIS with Merrill’s Marauders during WWII.

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Peggie Nishimura Bain
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Bain,Peggie Nishimura

Getting citizenship back

(b.1909) Nisei from Washington. Incarcerated at Tule Lake and Minidoka during WWII. Resettled in Chicago after WWII

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Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston
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Houston,Jeanne Wakatsuki

Not a "camp story" but a human story

(b. 1934) Writer

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