Densho Digital Archive
Densho Visual History Collection
Title: Art Shibayama Interview
Narrator: Art Shibayama
Interviewer: Alice Ito
Location: Seattle, Washington
Date: October 26, 2003
Densho ID: denshovh-sart-01-0008

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AI: Well, now soon after that bombing of Pearl Harbor in December of 1941, I understand that some of the Japanese immigrants in Peru were arrested and taken from their homes?

AS: Right, by order of United States. In fact, my grandparents were taken in early, probably early 1942. And they were taken and put in a camp in the United States in Seagoville. And then they were used in one of the exchanges and sent to Japan, exchanges with civilians, U.S. civilians that were caught in Japan. And so after they left Peru I never got to see 'em again.

AI: And when they were taken, you, did you know anything about what was happening to them or --

AS: No.

AI: -- where they were going, or why?

AS: No, I didn't know. My parents might've known but I didn't. And they didn't talk about it, so...

AI: Well, now what about your father? Because he was, as a businessman he must've been prominent. And here your grandparents had been taken. So what, what was he doing at this time?

AS: He just kept working and... but every time a U.S. transport came into the port of Callao, words got around and head of the family went, father or head of the family went into hiding, including my father. So during the, the police, the police came to our house several times and not finding my father. The last time they came after him, again, my father wasn't there so, so they took my mother and put her in jail and my sister, who was eleven at the time, went with her because she didn't want, she didn't want our mother to go by herself. And as soon as my father found out about it he gave himself up and came out of hiding. And that's when my mother and sister were released. And I guess they gave us around a week, or I should say we had about a week to get ready and then we, we boarded a U.S. Army transport called Cuba.

AI: Now, when this happened, you were still kids?

AS: Uh-huh, thirteen.

AI: You were thirteen. And when your mother was taken away, and your sister went with her, what happened? You were left with the rest of your brothers and sisters at home?

AS: See, that's the part I don't remember. But we had a, we had a maid, so, so I guess she was looking after, after us.

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