<Begin Segment 14>

KK: The other thing was that I think it's those group that started that renunciation thing. They says if you're going back to Japan, you gotta get rid of that citizenship because you going to be Japanese.

AI: Did anyone try to encourage you to do that?

KK: Yes.

AI: What did you think about it?

KK: Well, I didn't think much of it, but fortunately I was under age. It was seventeen and over, but my brother and sister renounced their citizenship, and I blame it on them really 'cause they didn't want to actually, but they just -- I think they were afraid. So I'm just saying that they weren't that big of a group, but they were most powerful people in camp. They were persuading everybody and everybody was scared of them.

AI: Why were they scared of them?

KK: Because they went around beatin' up people and they just threatening people.

AI: So they did use threats and physical force --

KK: Oh, yes. Physical violence.

AI: -- to persuade or force people to join in.

KK: That's right.

AI: I see.

[Interruption]

AI: So you were saying that your brother and sister had decided to renounce their citizenship.

KK: Right.

AI: And what happened after that decision?

KK: Then it was getting closer towards the end of the war and people were starting to go out, and they were detained from going out because of that... so they came out. They were probably the last to come out, people who renounced citizenship.

AI: So did you and your parents leave earlier?

KK: Yes.

AI: Before your brother and sister?

KK: Yes.

<End Segment 14> - Copyright © 1998 Densho. All Rights Reserved.