Economic losses

The economic and emotional toll associated with the uprooting of Japanese Americans from their homes and businesses was enormous. The cost was especially high for the issei (first-generation immigrants), who had worked most of their lives to establish financial security for themselves and their children. Many Japanese Americans bitterly recall being forced to sell property, personal belongings, and business equipment for a fraction of their value to opportunistic scavengers. Evacuees could take only what they could carry. They left behind heirlooms, cherished toys, and family pets. Farmers continued to work for a harvest they would never see, told it would be "disloyal" to stop. The bustling Nihonmachis (Japantowns) of the West Coast closed down and never fully recovered, even after the war ended.

World War II (231)
Economic losses (552)

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552 items

doc Letter sent to Kinuta Uno at Tule Lake concentration camp (ddr-densho-324-71)

Correspondence from Carl Prato regarding sale of the Uno's farm and equipment.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-324-71/

doc Economic Losses of Ethnic Japanese as a Result of Exclusion and Detention, 1942-1946 (ddr-densho-345-149)

A report prepared for The Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-345-149/

doc Crossroads, Vol. 1, No. 36 (February 4, 1949) (ddr-densho-358-10)

Selected article titles: "Plan Local Business Association" (p.1), "Eleventh in Series of Q's and A's on Claims Law" (p.2), "Peace: Has MacArthur Failed?" (p.6).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-358-10/

doc Crossroads, Vol. 1, No. 40 (March 4, 1949) (ddr-densho-358-14)

Selected article titles: "House Pass Naturalization Bill" (p.1), "Bill Proposed Allowing Interned Aliens to Claim Property Loss" (p.1), "Raw Silk, Oysters Shipped from Japan" (p.2), "Nisei Strandees' Case Set for Trial March 6, May 10" (p.3).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-358-14/

img Japantown after mass removal (ddr-densho-36-51)

Japanese Americans were given little time to take care of their personal and business affairs once the exclusion orders were posted. Many businesses were either permanently closed or boarded-up for the duration of World War II. Shown here is 602 to 612 Jackson Street in Seattle's Nihonmachi, or Japantown.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-36-51/

img Nihonmachi (Japantown) after mass removal (ddr-densho-36-57)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-36-57/

img Boarded-up store formerly run by Japanese Americans (ddr-densho-37-303)

Original WRA caption: Stores and homes formerly inhabited by Japanese. Some of them are now used by Chinese people. Note boarded up windows and doors.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-303/

img Boarded-up store formerly run by Japanese Americans (ddr-densho-37-304)

Original WRA caption: Stores and homes formerly inhabited by Japanese. Some of them are now used by Chinese people. Note boarded up windows and doors.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-304/

img Vandalism of Japanese American property (ddr-densho-37-283)

Original WRA caption: Scene showing the results of vandalism at the Nichiren Buddhist Temple, 2800 East 3rd Street, Los Angeles, California.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-283/

img Vandalism of Japanese American property (ddr-densho-37-284)

Original WRA caption: View of the results of vandalism at the White Star Soda Works, 416 Jackson Street, Los Angeles, California.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-284/

img Vandalism of Japanese American property (ddr-densho-37-285)

Original WRA caption: View of the results of vandalism at the White Star Soda Works, 416 Jackson Street, Los Angeles, California.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-285/

img Letter from Min Tamesa to Adam Beller (ddr-densho-333-27)

Letter regarding seeking financial restitution for highway being put across Tamesa property

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-333-27/

doc Claim for damage to or loss of real or personal property by a person of Japanese Ancestry (ddr-densho-383-514)

Form filed by George Tokuda, Page 3 and 4 Statement of Claim due to evacuation with inventory of property lost.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-383-514/

doc WRA Evacuee Property Report (ddr-densho-383-516)

Receipt for George Tokuda's property stored at the Pacific Hotel basement

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-383-516/

doc Letter from O.M. Moen to George Tokuda (ddr-densho-383-553)

Re: sale of Tokuda's store on Yesler Way, and disposition of personal property

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-383-553/

doc Letter to George Tokuda from O.M. Moen (ddr-densho-383-515)

Re: the storage and disposition of Tokuda's property from his pharmacies, and settling of accounts

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-383-515/

doc Letter to Clarence Thomas from Elmer Feathers (ddr-densho-383-517)

Letter of personal recommendation for George Tokuda from his friend Elmer Feathers, letter and envelope

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-383-517/

doc Receipt for $20.00 paid to Catherine Johnson (ddr-densho-383-523)

For Payment on Store. Tokuda purchased the Johnson Pharmacy in 1935, was forced to sell while in camp and then repurchased the store in 1947.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-383-523/

doc Administrative Notice No. 23 Registration of Evacuees' Rentable Property (ddr-densho-356-800)

Administrative Notice No. 23 from Santa Anita Assembly Center informs internees that if they have any property that is "rentable" to register it immediately and lists what is rentable property and how to register it.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-356-800/

doc Meeting Minutes from Committee of Immigrant Serving Agencies meeting on January 6, 1942 (ddr-densho-356-761)

Meeting Minutes from Committee of Immigrant Serving Agencies meeting on January 6, 1942. Topics covered in the meeting include: reading of correspondence regarding Issei being detained by authorities, relief funds frozen as some of the account holders were Issei, Japanese American Citizens' League seeking advise, and violence by Filipino Americans against Japanese Americans.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-356-761/

doc Letter to Yuri Domoto from Yoshito Shibata (ddr-densho-356-245)

Letter to Yuriko Domoto Tsukada from Yoshito Shibata in which he describes a visit to the Domoto Family's nursery in Hayward which was under the care of Pete Milan.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-356-245/

doc A Myopic Account of a Relocated Life during the Second World War (ddr-densho-468-97)

Personal recollections of life in an assembly center and relocation camp for Japanese descendants and various digressions

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-468-97/

img Page printed with Yokohama Cleaners, with three photos of John Yoshino (ddr-ajah-6-277)

Caption includes biographical information about John Yoshino

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-6-277/

doc Personal property of Takanori Tsuchiyama (ddr-csujad-55-889)

List of personal property belonging to Takanori Tsuchiyama. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_0891

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-889/

doc Claim of Toshi Shimomaye (ddr-csujad-55-2128)

Claim of Toshi Shimomaye, no. 146-35-270. Decided April 14, 1950. From Precedent Adjudications of the Attorney General of the United States Volume I, Precedent Decisions Under the Japanese American Evacuation Claims Act. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_2231

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-2128/