Interviews
Strictly American, but sympathize with Japan
It’s like a father and mother fighting, you know like - I know my folks, they weren’t anti-America, they loved the United States, they loved Japan too, they loved both country and to be fighting, it was the worst thing that could possibly happen even to me. I said, gosh in a way, when Japan was being successful, going down, I said hey, good. They’re successful, they’re show…you know, a powerful nation, you know.
But, it’s one of those ambivalent feeling here, gee…[laughs] You love both countries, but you have to choose between one side. Well, naturally I’m an American, so you know, I’m strictly American but I sympathized with Japan’s position, there even. I think there was, what was that, reverend at the last minute, he was trying to prevent this war…I forgot, there were a lot of Americans, were trying to prevent the war, they understood Japan’s position, you know.
And if I had a white face, I probably would have been called to Washington to become a semi-expert on Japan and, but being with this face, automatically you become pro-Japanese you know.
Date: March 25, 2005
Location: California, US
Interviewer: Sojin Kim
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum
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