<Begin Segment 21>

TI: In the days following, or in the weeks following, how was the Japanese and Japanese American community in Honolulu affected? And do you recall any restrictions or anything that happened by being Japanese?

KK: Well, I don't know too much what happened in Honolulu. We were out in, Pearl City's about ten miles away.

TI: Or in Pearl City then. What happened in Pearl City?

KK: Not too much. There was not much activity, it just all seemed kind of dead.

TI: How about your family on the mainland? When did, when were you able to get in communication with them?

KK: I think Shiz kept calling, and I think she did call me, but we were not at home, and I don't know how she could have gotten... there was no such thing as a cell phone at that time. I don't know how she got word that I was okay, but I think that probably the people in L.A. just thought we were dead, because we were just right there in Pearl City. None of our acquaintances had any casualties or anything. No, I think I was kind of numb about then.

TI: I'm sure. I'm sure it was very, very difficult. When did you hear about your father being picked up by the FBI?

KK: I really can't answer that. I don't know when I found out.

TI: I'm guessing it must have been a very confusing time around there, because communication must have been very difficult. For you to even talk to your sister in Hilo, let alone trying to talk to people in Los Angeles.

KK: Well, I don't know how, but somehow or other, I told Shiz that we were okay. And she, I don't know whether she phoned or what, but she assured my folks that we were all okay. But I don't know how she did that. She never, she never enlarged on that. As far as Pop being taken, I just assumed that he would be taken among the first.

TI: Well, in places like Pearl City and Honolulu, were you aware of the FBI picking up Isseis in Hawaii?

KK: No, not at that time. But as soon as we found out that it was Japan, we assumed that they would be rounded up right quickly. So that it turned out that that's what happened. Right away, the bigwigs were all rounded up. Of course, there was some Japanese people in the Japantown and all that were quite loyal to the Japanese emperor, and wouldn't believe anything that was told. So those kind of people were rounded up, and they were shipped back to Japan. But I really don't know too much about what happened.

TI: Okay. Well, now during this time, what was your husband doing during this time?

KK: Well, he's a dentist, and he... of course, that was Sunday, so he was home. [Pauses] Well, I don't know. I don't know what -- he was very protective of me because we just found out that I was pregnant then, three months. So they were afraid that I would miscarriage. But, so I tried to stay as calm as I could without getting all excited about the whole deal.

<End Segment 21> - Copyright © 2008 Densho. All Rights Reserved.