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Did you receive reparations?
Yeah, we received, that's another story. Some of the people among Japanese Americans didn't want to ask for money, they said, "It's a shame to ask for money." But we finally convinced most of them, that in America, when you do something wrong, like a crime, you pay a fine. If you speed, and you get caught, you have to pay a fine. That's the same thing. They did this, and it's a wrong. Let them pay, because unless they pay, and it hurts them a little, they're going to do it again. We have to do it so that it at least hurts a little. This twenty thousand isn't much, but let's take it. We took twenty thousand, because the commission that was set up, made a report, and they're the ones, it was their recommendation that the government apologize in a letter to us, and they pay twenty thousand in cash to each surviving internee. We were trying to get it for everyone, even those that passed away, their kids should get it, because they suffered too. But the government wouldn't do it. Anyway, that's the reason why we fought for this, even though it's a small amount, we fought for the twenty thousand, and got it.
What was your role in fighting for this?
I just participated in the various movements. Like the Fred Korematsu case, we made a movie, and I went to the courthouse and became a witness. I also went to the county courthouse and we got reparations there. I didn't go to the state, but we had people in the state bring it up, and we got the same thing there too. We still go out and talk, both Chiz and I. We can't do much more because of our age. I don't want to drive too far. After all, I'm ninety-four! I drive as far as San Jose, I'll go there, but I don't want to take a chance on driving more, because if I fall asleep, that's all. There's no second chance! I've been driving up to Sonoma, Saratoga, and San Jose. I drive that far, I can drive. Chiz doesn't like to drive, that's why I do the driving.
What do you do when you go driving places? Do you give talks?
I give talks, yeah.
Did you get a check for twenty thousand dollars, and do you have a receipt?
No, we don't get any receipts. But we got a letter of thanks from the person who sponsored the thing. It's usually one of the teachers. She has a class, or several classes.
Did you get a check for twenty thousand dollars and a receipt from the United States government? Yeah, I have it at home. The first letter that Bush sent us was on a brown paper sheet, like wrapping paper. That made us madder than heck! I wrote back to them, I said, "What kind of person are you, to send stuff like this?" I said "After all if you're apologizing, apologize." They sent out a regular letter next time. We got a different letter from them. Then Reagan, when he gave us the money, on August the tenth we had our national convention of the JACL, we were in session, we got a telegram from Washington, that he will sign it. That was a surprise because we thought we would have to have a fight with Reagan to get him to sign that thing. That's another story. The story that we think is the correct one is that one guy who got the Congressional medal of honor in Los Angeles, Reagan was captain in the army at the time and he was the one that brought the flag, folded the flag down to this fellow's sister. The sister accepted the flag. At that time, Reagan made a speech. She came back with that speech, showed it to him, said, "You said there's no difference between an American who is White or whatever. Japanese Americans are just the same. So will you sign this?" And he said okay, and that's why he signed it. That's what they say, we don't know if that was the thing that influenced him or not, but that's the story. It's possible, because he was a sentimental guy.
Do you ever regret doing anything?
Regret? Well I guess there are a lot of things that I regret doing. Anything big.
Do you regret anything big?
Oh no, not anything like that. Nothing that is big that I regretted. Only regrets are some of the little things that you do and say, " Oh I shouldn't have done that. I regret doing that". Nothing big that I can think of.
Do you think your life would be different if you hadn’t been interned?
It sure would be different. I think it would be different yeah. As my aunt in Japan who used to say when I was over there she called me (Butcha), (Butcha) means, what do you call a son that is brought up you protected. Ah, what do they call them now? Yeah a sheltered child, that she called me. She said that's why my grades were good, she says. But oh was it reversed? My grades were good so I am a sheltered child she was saying. Anyway I would have ended up that way if I had stayed in Japan. I guess I wouldn't have had to struggle so much.
What are your tips for living such a long life?
Well I don't know. Do everything in moderation is about it. Of course don't try anything that you know is not good for you. Like smoking for example, today everyone should know that smoke is not good for you. So why smoke? If someone still smokes after knowing that then their dumb if you ask me. And drinking is the same thing.
Do you have a final message for future generations?
No, I don't have any. I can't tell anyone else what to do. From my experience I know, you have to be just in other words you have to believe in human rights, civil rights, the rights of others as well as your own. I think you have to live that way, I think if you want to live in this world. Your not living alone so you have to think of others in this world. I guess that is about all that I can say. It's up to you, you have to make up your mind on how you are going to live and if you decide to live that I think you live a happier life. I know Chizu and I have, we had a hard life because financially we had a hard time after camp. But after both of us started work we were able to manage. Because of that we are able to get along now, our retirement is bad. I hope that I don't get sick and laid up because I don't want to spend up all that money on sickness. I sure don't want to put Chizu into any kind of a difficulty.
Can you make a comment about the importance of the Oral history process that we're doing right now?
For one thing, part of the oral history, when we collect them, is a legacy. That this is what happened to different people. You could hear different stories, but when you hear from the tape, they themselves saying it, then it leaves a better impression. That's one of the reasons why we go out. The other one, of course, is we try to get across this idea of the civil rights, and see if these people will talk to others too. Those are the two reasons that we go out to speak to people, even though it's a little bit hard sometimes.
Thank you
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