<Begin Segment 7>

FA: Paul Nakadate...

SH: Yeah.

FA: ...is another history figure.

FA: Tell me, what kind of man was Paul Nakadate?

SH: Well, he's a, I would say he's a scholar because of, I think he must have been a teacher. He was good in conducting a meeting. He doesn't take either side, though. But he was good. He has opinion, he has opinion, he has opinion, see. Then you put 'em together right away.

FA: Frank Emi. Did you know him before the war?

SH: Oh, I knew him. [Laughs] But I didn't, I didn't, I didn't know he was that much interested in this movement at first.

FA: Why --

SH: No, because --

FA: Why do you laugh when I say -- why do you laugh?

SH: Why? I didn't believed that he had, he'd be interested in the, this movement at the time, then more I talked to him, he's sincere. He meant it. He would help. Help me and I'll help you.

FA: You knew Frank before.

SH: Oh, yes.

FA: In what way?

SH: Huh? We were, we were in the same judo class that he was in. That's how I get acquainted with him. But you know, he just, in the classes you just meet, you don't pay attention to it. But I know he was a, he was a student there. That's it, that's how I got acquainted. And Frank approached me, too. That's why we got better acquainted. I got an understanding of him better, and I thought, "Well, he's okay." He's not tell-, in other words, he want to discuss the issue. Fine. Because I didn't believe in taking either side. It's up to you. Individual got a right to make their own decisions. But we, if you have anything to say, put it on the platform. Come out there and express your views. We'll listen, everybody listens.

FA: Tell me about you and judo. You, what's your involvement with judo before the war?

SH: Yeah, oh yeah. Well, I mean, I was just an average person.

FA: Were you good?

SH: Well, I've taken my best friend, and he took me, so it's fifty-fifty. He takes me once in contest, I take him the next one. So it's a draw, and then we laugh about it. [Laughs] You know how it is, "Shucks. I fell down, and the referee gave you the point." "What are you talking about?" [Laughs] You know how it is, huh? Even though you're defeated, you won't admit it. "Come on, come on." He said, "I just fell down, I just tripped on my own feet." But that's the way it went. But it's always a draw. He takes, people take me, it doesn't make any, who it was, especially among friends.

<End Segment 7> - Copyright © 1993, 2005 Frank Abe and Densho. All Rights Reserved.