Itsuhei Takano camp journal

The Itsuhei Takano Camp Journal consists of seven volumes of his accounts of his experiences during World War II and other items, such as several issues from Gila River Co-op newsletters that include his essays, and Japanese translations of two English announcements presumably made by Captain Hideo Hiraide, the Imperial Japanese Navy, addressing citizens in the United States. The journal chronicles the events and incidents that he observed and/or heard, and the issues that drew his attention, along with his own opinions, views, and interpretations on them.

Volume 1 and 2 are titled as “Ne mo ha mo karete = After roots and leaves dried” and cover from the time when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, during the mass removal from the West Coast and incarceration in the Santa Anita Assembly Center, and the time when being transferred to the Gila River camp and imprisoned in the camp. Volume 1 details the confusions, turmoil, fears, and resentments among the Japanese American community when they were being removed from the West Coast under the turbulent circumstances where the U.S. government orders were rudderless and changing daily. At the Santa Anita Assembly Center, he was in one of the last groups who were transferred to assigned incarceration camps, his journal describes the Santa Anita until it was nearly closed. Volume 2 documents his life in the Gila River camp from October 18, 1942 through January 1944, covering a variety of issues and subjects.

Volume 3, “1944-nen yori 45-nen ni itaru Hira kansoroku” is a collection of his essays documenting his thoughts on various issues during his incarceration in the Gila River camp. It covers from January 1944 through August 7, 1945 when he left the Gila River camp.

Volume 4, which is titled as “Garakutabako: 1944-nen Hira,” was written during his recuperation for tonsillitis. He coughed blood and was hospitalized in the Gila River camp in January 1945. He felt as if he was facing death and thought of many issues from the edge of death. After he recovered from the illness, he continued writing. This volume is also a collection of his essays on a variety of subjects written from January 1945 through January 1946, including the time after he returned from the Gila River camp to Los Angeles, California.

Volume 5 and 6, “Demademashu,” are a chronicle of rumors and false information which were spread among the Japanese American community as well as the government propagandas which misled the society during the war.

Volume 7, “Rafu manroku,” chronicles from the time when he was released from the incarceration camp though the postwar period. It details his trip from the Gila River camp, Arizona to Los Angeles, California, and describes what he observed and thought when he learned of the surrender of Imperial Japan, and documents the postwar lives of the Japanese American incarcerees in Los Angeles when WRA camps were closed.

His journal details the Nisei’s reactions, that were fears, confusions, and untrust for the U.S. government when WRA and the War Department started registration of adult incarcerees in the camps in February 1943, that is known as the loyalty questionnaire. He was exasperated that while the Nisei citizens were stigmatized as enemies, imprisoned without legal processes, and their human rights were infringed, the government demanded the Nisei to fulfill the citizen’s obligations by joining the U.S. military. He strongly opposed the government decision on imprisonment of the Nisei who were citizens, criticizing the government that the decision was not made for anyone’s safety in the country but solely driven by the racial discrimination which had been prevalent in the country.

The Nisei and Kibei Nisei were citizens and had been serving for the country. He expressed his vexation for the fact that they were treated as enemies. Especially, the Kibei Nisei were targeted by the government because of their education and experience in Japan, which appeared suspicious to the government. He argued that their background would strengthen their understanding of two countries and should have been applauded because they would have been able to promote the foreign relationship between two countries. They should have been the country’s treasures instead of enemies. “No mo ha mo karete,” or “After roots and leaves have died,” is his expression for resentment and deploration from the Issei immigrants: The Nisei and Kibei Nisei were their successors in the country that they had made every effort to grow. The mass removal and incarceration completely exterminated their prosperity.