<Begin Segment 4>

TI: Okay, so I'm going to now look at it from the other side. I want to look, or have you kind of assess how the Japanese viewed Japanese Americans. Because here, you're an American representing the United States, as did the men from the MIS, Japanese Americans, primarily Niseis. How do you think the Japanese viewed Japanese Americans?

LH: I think I can say, generally speaking, the Japanese approached Nikkei, Nisei, at that time, not with trepidation but with caution. A lot of it was based on the fact, from what I know personally, that Japanese looked upon most Nikkei as nothing but farmers' children. Children of former farmers of Japan, the poor people that went to America to build a better life, or to earn money and return home, like a lot of immigrants did from around the world. So I always made it a rule that the moment that I presented my card, which is both in English and Japanese, that I was an American diplomat, I would immediately say that my father came from such-and-such province, that he was in the silk business, that he'd also run a newspaper, to give them the feel for my position. That I was not one of the farmers' children. I have nothing against farmers. Look at the millionaires that developed the Imperial Valley even though they were screwed out of it during the war, there are a lot of intelligent, rich Nikkei in the farming business. But it's just an occupation that Japanese generally look down on, especially those that came from other countries, representing other countries.

TI: Now, how did you figure this out? Was this something that someone told you, "Lucius, you should do this," or was it something that you figured out over time in terms of how people reacted to you?

LH: I would say over time you just sense it, you just know what to do. Why is it that there's an awkwardness, or there's certain questions that are asked of you. Just like in America, when people asked you a certain question because you don't look like the average American. And you eventually learn how to play it off, to make a joke of it, or throw it back at them. And I'll move forward in my career later because it was the same syndrome where I also utilized my wife's family. Whenever I then presented my foreign service card, I would bring up my father, I would bring up Admiral Cooke, my father-in-law, and his relationship to their country during the war or after the war. And immediately build a high level of bona fides on my part, so that they would look upon me as an American and say, as an equal. And in Japan it's the old business. They really want to know how far to bow, whether they should bow lower than you or not. And the only way they're going to know is through that initial introduction and the exchange of your name card.

TI: So I'm curious, did the other diplomats, the Caucasian foreign service officers, did they start doing the same thing, or did they not feel a necessity to do the same thing?

LH: I think the latter. They probably didn't feel the necessity because they were Caucasian. And the Japanese were, whatever reason, throughout history, if not paid respect for whatever reason, thought the "white man" might have been superior in so many ways. I think -- and I may be wrong, but I don't think I am -- so many Asians, especially Southeast Asians and even north Asians, meaning Japanese, Chinese, Korean, the women especially, they wanted to look as "white" as possible. Now, I don't say that goes all the way back to the powdered geisha, I just say that they avoid the sun, they have parasols, they think that whiteness is cleanliness and superior. And I think that's part and parcel with the fact that when they did meet, my contemporaries, those I worked with who were Caucasian U.S. diplomats, a lot of that interplay wasn't foremost in their minds as it was for me.

<End Segment 4> - Copyright © 2008 Densho. All Rights Reserved.