<Begin Segment 20>

TI: Now, in terms of timing, so April 1944, you turned eighteen, right?

HN: Yes.

TI: So you go from a minor to an adult. And so did that change anything for you, now that you're an adult?

HN: Yeah, because the "loyalty question" was posed to me. It wasn't posed to me until then. Then I knew my family were returning to Japan, and the informal information that was passed on to us was that if you decide not to, if you say "yes-yes," then you would be, probably be separated from your family, because your family is returning to Japan and you were, you're staying here and be drafted or... and then if you choose "no-no," then you probably could stay with your family and go to Japan. So that was the option that was in my mind when I answered the "loyalty question."

TI: And so how did you answer the questions?

HN: I, well, my psyche at the time was, "Wait a minute now." All this time, my formative years, only thing I remember is camps, and traveling from Santa Anita to Heart Mountain, from Heart Mountain to Tule Lake. And when, as I say, my father's worry, I don't, I didn't have that... normally when you volunteer for armed forces to combat you need to have some kind of affection toward your, and sense of belonging... so I didn't have that feeling. And the option is, if you say "yes-yes," you'll probably be separated from your family, which was, family was the only thing I had left. And if you said "no-no" then you may be able to go with your family and face the future together, so I said "no-no." First of all, basically because I lost that sense of belonging and affection toward the country, and secondly, the only thing left was my family. And regardless of what, I was determined to stay together with the family. That's the reason why I answered "no-no."

TI: So when you answered "no-no," what happened next? Did anyone talk with you or did anything happen to you?

HN: No, nothing happened, they just took it.

TI: Okay, so they just took it and they... what was the reaction of your family when, when you told them you went "no-no," what reaction did you get from your family?

HN: Well, they said, "Good, you're gonna stay with us."

TI: How about your friends? Did you tell your friends how you answered?

HN: Yeah, and all my friends had the similar family background and ideas, so, you know, we said, "Okay, we're gonna be together."

TI: And then just others, did you get any reaction from other people about your decision?

HN: No, not at Tule Lake, no.

<End Segment 20> - Copyright © 2010 Densho. All Rights Reserved.