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My father who returned by prisoner of war exchange ship (Japanese)

(Japanese) My father didn’t really talk that much at home. He was always writing something, or a guest would come and be doing something with him. We didn’t really have a lot of what you would call quality family time. He was just so busy. He was always going here and there, and if he were at home, people would come to see him. So, I don’t really have any memories of sitting down and talking with my father.

After he was taken to America, he returned to Japan on a prisoner of war exchange ship. Everyone in the family went to the port in Yokohama to welcome him, and even then, the moment we met him he was led off somewhere by some other important people who had also come to greet him. That was it. Everyone had planned to gather and take a picture with my father when he got back on the exchange ship, and we all got together and sat on the deck and took the picture, but my father – the most important person – was not there. He was off somewhere, talking with other people, doing something. I have that picture at home; my father’s not in it.


exchange ships Japan Kanagawa Prefecture MS Gripsholem (ship) ships World War II Yokohama Yoshitaro Amano

Date: January 26, 2012

Location: California, US

Interviewer: John Esaki, Yoko Nishimura

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

Interviewee Bio

Jean Hamako Schneider (former name: Amano) was born in 1925 in Yokohama.  In 1933, she went with her father, who was to run a business in Latin America, to Panama where she stayed for two years.  Her father remained in Panama after her, but came back to Japan in 1942 on a prisoner of war exchange ship.  While working at a radio station after the war, Hamako met Harry Schneider, who was stationed in Japan with the U.S. Military Intelligence Service (MIS).  In 1948, the two married in Japan, and, in 1950, Hamako left for America as a war bride.  After that, she gave birth to a daughter and quickly acquired American citizenship.  Currently, she lives in Encinitas, California.  (September 2014)

Kanemoto,Marion Tsutakawa

Memories of trip to Japan on the exchange ships

(b. 1927) Japanese American Nisei. Family voluntarily returned to Japan during WWII.

Amano,Miyoko

Yoshitaro Amano, Forced to Return to Japan by Prisoner of War Exchange Ship (Japanese)

(b. 1929) President of Amano Museum

Amano,Miyoko

Yoshitaro Amano, who Attempted to Smuggle himself into South America after the War (Japanese)

(b. 1929) President of Amano Museum

Amano,Miyoko

Yoshitaro Amano who Liked History (Japanese)

(b. 1929) President of Amano Museum

Amano,Miyoko

Yoshitaro Amano’s Business in Japan (Japanese)

(b. 1929) President of Amano Museum

Amano,Miyoko

First Meeting with Yoshitaro Amano (Japanese)

(b. 1929) President of Amano Museum

Amano,Miyoko

Yoshitaro Amano’s Tuna Fishing Boat (Japanese)

(b. 1929) President of Amano Museum

Amano,Miyoko

Yoshitaro Amano, who was Fascinated by the Chancay Culture (Japanese)

(b. 1929) President of Amano Museum

Sakane,Hiroshi

How Yoshitaro Amano got to South America (Japanese)

(b. 1948) Executive Director of Amano Museum

Sakane,Hiroshi

Yoshitaro Amano continues his efforts in business in order to pursue his studies (Japanese)

(b. 1948) Executive Director of Amano Museum

Sakane,Hiroshi

On returning to post-war Peru (Japanese)

(b. 1948) Executive Director of Amano Museum

Sakane,Hiroshi

Returning to Japan on a prisoner-of-war exchange boat (Japanese)

(b. 1948) Executive Director of Amano Museum

Sakane,Hiroshi

Yoshitaro Amano chose the Chancay culture (Japanese)

(b. 1948) Executive Director of Amano Museum

Sakane,Hiroshi

The find of the century: Chicras (Japanese)

(b. 1948) Executive Director of Amano Museum