<Begin Segment 35>

AI: As you started speaking more publicly about your experience with the registration and talking about the renunciation program, what kind of reactions did you get? Did you get any negative reactions?

HK: No, I don't remember getting any negative reaction. There might have been and I never heard it, but I think it tended to bring out more people, and they would speak out. I don't know, I just felt that I, I wanted to do it, and wasn't gonna, I wasn't on a crusade or anything. It was more to get it off of my chest. But this renunciation, I've held back. I held back for years and years, and now that it's out, yeah, it's really nothing. Nothing to hide. [Laughs] And so yes, I've learned a lot coming to these programs, pilgrimage. I think, yeah, it's good that it's held, and we have a real good crowd here, better, I think, than the last one. And the programs are more diversified. Draw you more...

AI: Tell me, I wanted to ask you, what was it that kind of made the difference to you in your decision to become more public about the renunciation experience?

HK: Well, I think I, I've written about it, and... I don't know. I guess it's just the, the changing climate, where people are more accepting, and they want to understand why and how and things like that. And not the judgment of it. Yes, and, of course, I can't hold it in me forever, you know. So it's, it's good that I have talked about it, brought it out, and also, the interest that others have taken on this, in this subject, and then, of course, the Heart Mountain resisters, yeah, their story's been told a lot. And then Emiko's and Chizu's film, that brought out a lot of it. And so I thought it was time, time to speak about it.

AI: Well, I wish we had more time for this portion of the interview, I wish we could continue it, but since our, our time is just about at an end, is there anything else that you wanted to comment on?

HK: Let's see. I had thought about something. Hmm. I don't know. [Laughs] Somebody said that, "I'm not so angry." Who was it? On the bus, somebody said that, "I'm not angry. Now that I'm here, and back to Tule Lake, we see all this," and he was seeing the sights and everything, and he said he was angry all the time, and he's not so angry. And yeah, I don't feel anger. I don't know if I had such anger, but anyway, I feel much better, yeah, with people's interest in the subject, and understanding of the circumstances, yeah, and all these things, yes. But this interview has been very enjoyable for me, yeah. I really enjoyed doing it, and I think it's a good project, and I'm glad I could be part of it.

AI: Well, thank you very much. We sure appreciate it.

<End Segment 35> - Copyright © 2004 Densho. All Rights Reserved.