Densho Digital Archive
Densho Visual History Collection
Title: Hikaru Morohoshi Interview
Narrator: Hikaru Morohoshi
Interviewer: Martha Nakagawa
Location: Los Angeles, California
Date: September 2, 2010
Densho ID: denshovh-mhikaru-01-0010

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MN: There was a group called Sokuji Kikoku Hoshidan in Tule Lake, Right?

HM: Right, there was. They were wearing a long headband across the forehead. They were called Sokuji Kikoku Hoshidan and they were ready to go back to Japan immediately. They were ready to devote their lives to Japan. They demanded to be sent to Japan. They were demanding the U.S. government to send them back to Japan. Back to Japan. Sokuji Kikoku HoshiDan. They wanted to go back to Japan and devote their lives to Japan. They wanted to go back immediately. They were all wearing a long headband across the forehead. With the headband on, they were waking up at five in the morning, marching and chanting, "Wasshoi wasshoi." Running all around. Considered dangerous. Wasshoi wasshoi. Nakagawa didn't join them. Your father.

MN: How about you?

HM: I didn't join. With a headband on their skin heads, with a headband and running, "Wasshoi wasshoi." At five in the morning. So annoying. I didn't join.

MN: Why didn't you join them?

HM: You are asking why? U.S. government, they were demanding the U.S. government to send them back immediately, Sokuji Kikoku HoshiDan, but there was no way. U.S. government wouldn't have sent them back to fight in the war and to devote their lives to Japan. That is ridiculous. They were crazy. I didn't join such a group. They were all crazy. There was no way that the government would have sent them back. They wanted to go back to Japan as soon as possible, devote their lives to Japan and fight against the States. U.S. government wouldn't have sent them back. They were crazy. There was no way. They were all crazy. A lot of people joined them. The father of the Murakoshis, the father and the other family members joined too.

MN: Mr. Murakoshi joined, and didn't they tell you to join too?

HM: They told me to join. But I didn't. You father Nakagawa didn't either. They were foolish, all crazy. There was no way that the government would have sent them back. They wanted to go back to Japan. They wanted to fight for Japan. They were crazy. What do you think, Miyoko?

MN: Well, we'll discuss it later. When you were at Tule Lake, there was notification that you could renounce your American citizenship, right?

HM: Yes.

MN: Did you renounce your American citizenship?

HM: I did. One of my friends, an Issei guy that I knew, told me that Japan was going to win the war. He said when the day would come, he was such a patriot, that he would make marriage arrangements for my daughter and someone from a good family in Japan. I was reluctant, but I renounced the citizenship. I cancelled the renunciation after one week though. I asked.

MN: How did you cancel your renunciation?

HM: I renounced the citizenship, and a white person was working on it. I went to the white person and asked. I cancelled the application. I renounced the citizenship. And [inaudible] I went out, out to Washington and to Maryland. I talked to an English teacher and wanted to learn English, I took classes at [inaudible] Academy. I was working as a houseboy and dish washer. After a while, I received a letter from the U.S. government. It said that I renounced the American citizenship in Tule Lake. The letter asked if I would like to keep my American citizenship or not. I went to the Caucasian English teacher and asked then to write a letter for me. I told them that I wanted to keep my American citizenship. I wasn't expecting such a letter at all. I renounced the citizenship. I thought I did, but maybe it didn't get through? Then I received the letter and told them that I wanted to renounce the citizenship. I wasn't expecting a letter. I cancelled my application. But I went out of the camp. When I came back, I received this letter asking if I wanted to keep my American citizenship or not, and I told them that I did.

One of my friends, who was that... not Fujiki... Kato. Kato was my friend and went to the United Church together. Kato renounced his American citizenship like I did. He renounced it and went out of the camp, but didn't receive a letter. Kato didn't. He went out and paid three hundred dollars to a lawyer in San Francisco.

MN: Three hundred dollars.

HM: Yeah.

MN: You didn't hire a lawyer?

HM: I didn't.

MN: Mr. Kato hired a lawyer?

HM: Paid three hundred dollars. Three hundred dollars.

MN: Mr. Kato renounced his citizenship, right?

HM: Yes. But he didn't receive a letter. I did. I cancelled my application. Then I received the letter asking if I wanted to keep my citizenship. I didn't pay, didn't hire a lawyer. The cancellation worked, I guess.

MN: You didn't need a lawyer.

HM: I cancelled my application and wasn't expecting a letter. I was out after I cancelled the application at the camp. There were five of us when we were sent to the camp including Takeshi and Tsutomu. Nobody else renounced American citizenship. I was the only one. I renounced it and cancelled the application right away.

MN: You thought you had cancelled, but it wasn't clear. That's why the U.S. government sent you the letter later?

HM: I don't know why. I cancelled the application and wasn't expecting a letter. I receive the letter. Asking me if I wanted to keep my citizenship or not. I didn't need to hire a lawyer. I wonder if the government was aware that I had cancelled my application. At the camp. I don't know.

MN: In Maryland?

<End Segment 10> - Copyright © 2010 Densho. All Rights Reserved.