<Begin Segment 16>

TI: So I want to backtrack a little bit. During the war, while you were working at General Headquarters, were there any hardships that you and others had to face? Like your situation with food or housing or anything like that?

MO: Okay, that's another thing. We were very lucky because the Japanese government, Japanese soldiers, they went and confiscated whatever food they needed. They didn't care what was, these are really the top, they said, "We don't have any food, so go get some more." They go and dig up the daikon or whatever, anything, food, and bring it. So many times we were getting the, what you call the...

TI: Kind of the bounty or whatever.

MO: Yes, the bounty, that's right.

TI: So you, by working at General Headquarters with the other military leaders, in essence, you were fed okay.

MO: That's right, exactly. I felt terrible sometimes, because the people who lost their food just because the army came and took it away, we were getting it.

TI: And how about housing? Where did you live?

MO: Well, I had own home, so I was lucky. I lived in, right in the Tokyo area. But as far as the housing, I don't think anybody that I remember had any problems because they weren't... my family, nine children and my aunt, they evacuated to Nagano-ken, it's outside of Tokyo. They go to a town there with just, no bombing.

TI: When you, so you were in a pretty good situation.

MO: Yes, uh-huh.

TI: When you were outside General Headquarters, did you see hardships for other people?

MO: Yes, uh-huh.

TI: And what were some examples that you could remember?

MO: Well, they just didn't have enough food. But they would share. In fact, they had the word, tonarigumi. The families, the relatives would help -- not relatives, but neighborhoods would share, and then sell it for cheaper rate, so everybody will not suffer.

TI: During the war, when someone knew that you were born and raised in Hawaii, did anyone, or was there any resentment towards you because of that background?

MO: No. In my case, everybody was very good to me. I really appreciated that.

TI: How about the other Niseis who didn't speak Japanese as well as you did? Did they run into any problems?

MO: I think some of 'em did. In fact, they went and stole things away from, you know.

TI: Oh, so people stole things from them?

MO: Yeah, uh-huh. Confiscated or stole it. But it's a whole, everybody is, they'd share.

TI: So let's go back to the end of the war. So Japan surrenders, and so the next thing that's going to happen are the Americans are going to come into places like Tokyo. What was the thinking, what were people thinking the Americans were like during that time right before they showed up?

MO: They just, they were afraid. Many of 'em were afraid, so they were telling all the womenfolks, "Better get out of town." In fact, in General Headquarters, the head made an announcement saying in Russia, when the soldiers came -- no, what country was that they came and raped the women? "If you folks stay around, you're gonna get raped." So we were all told to get out of Tokyo.

TI: Now, how did you feel about that? Because you grew up in America, and so you kind of knew Americans. Did you think that that was gonna happen?

MO: No, I didn't think so.

TI: And so did you say anything to anyone, that Americans aren't like this?

MO: No, I didn't say anything. But that was very, you know...

TI: And so after the Americans came, then what did people start thinking? What happened?

MO: People welcomed them in. In fact, they were having, lots of families were welcoming the Americans that came in, and inviting them to dinner. They had a very nice fellowship. That's the thing I was very happy. In fact, my brother came, and then we brought, and he brought some friends over, and we would eat ochazuke with them. [Laughs]

<End Segment 16> - Copyright ©2009 Densho. All Rights Reserved.