Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/1595/

Grandfather's interrogations during World War II

It was clearly to me like most of the incarceration it was economics. He was a business leader and the Kibei thing was a huge part of it, the fact that he was educated there. I think there was also some confusion whether was he was Issei or Nisei because of that, in coming back to Hawaii from Japan because after Sand Island (and he spent several weeks there), they sent him on a tour of US Army Interrogation centers. I think he went to Wisconsin, Louisiana, somewhere in Arizona, before he came back to Hawaii.

Nobody never said anything about that, the only thing I remember my grandmother saying was that he came back thirty pounds lighter then when he left. And again these were interrogations. I’m sure they woke him up in the middle of the night, the whole bit, trying to figure out something, some tie to Japan. Anyway when he came back in Hawaii, later in the year of ’42, probably October/November, he told my grandmother that “for certain they’re gonna send me back to one of these concentration camps because they still considered me a threat.”


economics generations Hawaii imprisonment incarceration Japan Japanese Americans Kibei military interrogation Nisei 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)

Robert (Bob) Kiyoshi Okasaki
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Okasaki,Robert (Bob) Kiyoshi

Wife's family in Japan

(b.1942) Japanese American ceramist, who has lived in Japan for over 30 years.

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Yukio Takeshita
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Takeshita,Yukio

Impression of Japan upon arrival

(b.1935) American born Japanese. Retired businessman.

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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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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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George Abe
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Abe,George

Honing Artistic Talent at Camp

(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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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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Peggie Nishimura Bain
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Bain,Peggie Nishimura

Response to loyalty questionnaire

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

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Grace Aiko Nakamura
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Nakamura,Grace Aiko

Larry designing chairs in the camp

Sister of automotive designer Larry Shinoda

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Peggie Nishimura Bain
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Bain,Peggie Nishimura

Move from Tule Lake to Minidoka

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

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Richard Kosaki
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Kosaki,Richard

Growing up in Waikiki

(b. 1924) Political scientist, educator, and administrator from Hawai`i

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Richard Kosaki
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Kosaki,Richard

Under suspicion after Pearl Harbor

(b. 1924) Political scientist, educator, and administrator from Hawai`i

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Roger Shimomura
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Shimomura,Roger

Receiving a negative reaction from father upon asking about World War II experience

(b. 1939) Japanese American painter, printmaker & professor

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