Interviews

1. Living in a colony (Japanese)

2. Life as a student in São Paulo (Japanese)

3. Makegumi - Movement to regognize the defeat of Japan (Japanese)

4. What prompted heavy religious involvement (Japanese)

5. Experiences in the inland colony (Japanese)

Masao Kinoshita

A central figure for the “Makegumi” (defeatists)

What prompted heavy religious involvement (Japanese)

(Japanese) The war ended, I was organizing my movement, and I was scattering all over the place like a fireball. That’s when Rev. Masayoshi Nishizumi, who began the Free Methodist church which I serve now, came from Japan, and I took him around town to visit the countryside, translating, and giving him a tour around the area. Every time he saw me, he would tell me, “Kinoshita-kun, you’ve got to pray!” And every time, I would say that I don’t have any time for that kind of stuff. Prayer? Yeah, right. I was so involved with my movement, putting my life on the line for it.

So the war ended in 1945, right? He passed away in a car accident in June of ‘46. As soon as I heard about it, I realized that I had to pray. Even though I was risking my life to get people to recognize that Japan lost the war—no matter how fully I understood, no matter how well I could explain it to others, some people just won’t open up to the idea. The problem is in their hearts. This is a problem with people’s hearts, and the heart is something that only God can touch. Even if my explanation is solid, and even if they get what I’m saying, their hearts won’t listen. I realized that no matter how well I am able to persuade others, I can never truly get others to understand.

Brazil colonization Makegumi (accept defeat group) religion

Date:

Location: Brazil

Contributed by:

Interviewee Bio

Masao Kinoshita moved from Santos port and settled in the farmlands during World War I. He worked at a São Paulo coffee plantation with fellow Nikkei immigrants, and also helped carry on the development of the colonies. Facing a tough reality in an unfamiliar land, as well as a strong ambition to focus on education, he twice attempted to escape from the plantation, but failed. He was forced to return to the farmland. He was blessed with the opportunity to attend school in São Paulo a few years later, and moved to the city. While working, he attended school and studied law. Post-World War II, he was a central figure in leading a movement to help the Japanese community in Brazil recognize and accept defeat in the war, in opposition of the Emperor’s League (Shindo Renmei) which spread false propaganda declaring Japanese victory. (June 22, 2007)