<Begin Segment 19>

MK: We would like to present this interview to children at the Japanese Overseas Migration Museum in Yokohama when the video is made. Do you have anything you would like to tell Japanese children?

CE: Not really. Not at this point.

MK: Anything you would like to tell them? I can be something about living in the States.

CE: About living in the States. There is not anything good about living in the States.

MK: Is that what would like to tell them?

CE: My father told me that he would never leave such a great country and go back to Japan if he had been the second son. He said there is no better place to live in than America.

MK: That will be the message for Japanese children.

CE: I don't know what to say about the States. Those who were making a lot of noise about loyalty for Japan ended up receiving 20,000 dollars. Those who had died before the law was signed didn't get any. I feel sorry for those people. People went to Italy and went to the war. They didn't get anything, and their children did.

MK: It is not fair.

CE: It is not fair. I always think about it. What a shame. [Laughs]

MK: It was a dark spot in the history.

CE: People went to the war and went through such hardships. They didn't receive any compensation because they passed away before the law was signed. Their children didn't do anything but got the money.

MK: You are talking about the $20,000 redress payment, aren't you?

CE: I've always thought it is so unfair. Everyone tells me not to talk about it.

MK: You have a point. Those who had passed away...

CE: I feel sorry for those who had passed away. Some missed the payment by only one or two months. They need to do some research. Their children should receive it.

MK: Thank you very much for sharing a lot of stories with me today.

CE: Oh, just a bunch of boring stories.

MK: No, no. Such a valuable life, really. You worked so hard.

CE: I did okay.

MK: I learned a lot.

CE: Looking back, I have been doing okay, thanks to my children.

MK: You have been working so hard.

CE: Yes.

MK: Thank you very much for your time today.

<End Segment 19> - Copyright © 2003 Oregon Nikkei Endowment and Densho. All Rights Reserved.