Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/1599/

Grandfather helping administration in camp

My grandfather, being a business man and having some administrative skills, he was tapped by the war relocation center because they were already starting to plan what was gonna happen to all of the incarcerees, where they were gonna get back and how they were gonna get employed and etc etc, so he was the only Japanese American that they brought into their office either in Little Rock or just in the camp. He went in there and was trying to find out ways of placing people, which was obviously a thankless task because nobody was hiring Japanese Americans much less providing housing for them or renting rooms to them. An amazing consequence of this whole experience. He did get some help from the people who were taking care of his business back in Honolulu. He also got a refrigerator, or ice box, from A.P. Giannini during the war.

I*: Sent to the camp?

Sent to the camp.

*"I" indicates an interviewer John Esaki.


Arkansas business concentration camps economics Jerome concentration camp management United States World War II camps

Date: April 25, 2018

Location: California, US

Interviewer: John Esaki

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

Interviewee Bio

Robert Fujioka was born in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1952. He attended the University of Michigan earning a BA degree and earned an MBA from the University of Hawai'i. He has been in the banking industry since 1974 and currently serves as Vice Chair, Japanese American National Museum Board of Trustees, a Trustee of the Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation, and the First Hawaiian Bank Foundation. (November 2018)

Bert A. Kobayashi
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Kobayashi,Bert A.

A body, mind and spirit work ethic

(b.1944) Founder of Kobayashi Group, LLC

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Dale Minami
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Minami,Dale

Reasons for conformity and competitiveness in Gardena, California

(b. 1946) Lawyer

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Dale Minami
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Minami,Dale

Not fully understanding parents' World War II incarceration while growing up

(b. 1946) Lawyer

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Dale Minami
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Minami,Dale

Role of the redress movement in helping Nisei to open up about their wartime experiences

(b. 1946) Lawyer

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Mako Nakagawa
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Nakagawa,Mako

Not recognizing father after reunion at Crystal City, Texas

(1937 - 2021) Teacher

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George Yamada
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Yamada,George

Encountering a train full of Japanese Americans being transported to a concentration camp

(b. 1923) Chick sexer

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Shunji Nishimura
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Nishimura,Shunji

Learning skills by watching others work (Japanese)

(1911-2010) Founder of JACTO group

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Shunji Nishimura
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Nishimura,Shunji

Repaying Brazil by educating the technicians (Japanese)

(1911-2010) Founder of JACTO group

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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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George Abe
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Abe,George

Honing Artistic Talent at Camp

(b. 1944) taiko and flute performer

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Chiye Tomihiro
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Tomihiro,Chiye

Too Ashamed to Tell

Chaired the Chicago JACL's Redress Committee.

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Chiye Tomihiro
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Tomihiro,Chiye

Don’t Make Waves

Chaired the Chicago JACL's Redress Committee.

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George Yoshida
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Yoshida,George

We’re Still Japanese

(b. 1922) Musician

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William Marutani
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Marutani,William

Recalling Pinedale and Tule Lake concentration camps

Judge, only Japanese American to serve on CWRIC.

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Frank Emi
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Emi,Frank

Arrested in camp for trying to leave

(1916-2010) draft resister, helped form the Heart Mountain Fair Play Committee

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