Bunro Sakaino Concentration Camp Diary

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We should have discussion and put our requests together, if any, to present them from the entire body of the barrack.

New policy was implemented to require everyone, not only who has one thousand dollars or over, to report the amount of cash possession. We should take necessary steps to report the remaining balance. The authority once sent out instructions that the requirement did not apply to detainees, but there has been a policy change this time.

Those who have not filed tax returns can fill out a form to meet with officers regarding the filing, if they wish, as they are coming next week.

We are requested not to bring our wool, silk and rayon garments to the cleaner facility. They could be damaged, and it is preferred to have them hand washed by the owner.

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Free speech is oppressed in fear for blindly patriotic movements of foolish populists following aggressive acts of the warmonger. As a result, it seems that a voice for humanity is in a shadow just observing the war. However, it might have some influence near and far in the future.

This afternoon, I received a suitcase full of items including clothes, pajamas, socks, summer underwear, collared shirts, a lot of cigarettes and laxative send for me by Mrs. Kiso. Even if I was not where I am now, I would have shedded tears of appreciation to receive this. I was crying in my heart and could not help bowing to the items in front of the inspection officer. It is almost impossible to casually mention that I have newly purchased items. I just am in tears for the kindness she always displays.

Removal Order Issued to Fellow Citizens in the Wapato region

It is understood that announced that fellow citizens in the Wapato area in Washington State, which was designated as Military Area 2, will be forcefully removed, as needed, after the removal of Japanese living in Military Areas 1 has been completed. Therefore, we were told that an evacuation [1] order has suddenly been issued to Japanese living in Wapato to complete the removal within the next 30 days (counting from April 2nd). We even heard a rumor that the entire farming land in the region will be confiscated by the government. The ownership issues mentioned above have plenty of room for doubts and are not certain, but the telegram Mr.Sakimura received from home this afternoon proved that the removal order was certain.

[1] Evacuation is the word used by the author

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As the news of the forced removal came abruptly without warnings, fellow detainees in the barrack from Wapato are suffering a huge blow, and they are extremely distressed and heartbroken. How would it affect their nisei children when the farms they have been cultivating through hardships for many years are forcefully taken away and offered to white people? I cannot help feeling deep sympathy for them. Especially people from Wapato do not make angry comments in hard times like people from Po City do, and they are quietly waiting for more details even though they are feeling furious. That makes me feel more sympathetic toward them. It is extremely painful to see someone like Mr. Ono made up his mind to give up on everything with practical understanding of the current situation in wartime, and decided to live with the fate wherever it carries him to.

I heard it was suspected that the hasty issuance of the removal order this time is the result of the military having accepted demands made by anti-Japanese movements such as the California State Grange around U.S. military personnel. Japanese farmers have had the majority of political power in the region, and they are also economically powerful in the cities and towns in the area. Therefore, anti-Japanese movements are gradually developing under the ground, but I heard local merchants have been alway protective of them. I would say they are taking advantage of the current situation and using it as anti-Japanese propaganda tools to profit themselves. I’m afraid that we have to assume that vicious movements like this will come up in many different regions in the future.

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It is reported that such an incident, as follows, occurred in this detention camp.

Investigations of undocumented aliens are conducted every day. Someone living in California was interrogated in a temporary office by an INS officer who is supposed to be sent by the California State government several days ago. His Korean interpreter was asking hard questions and interrogating him in an extremely violent fashion instead of the officer, adding insulting remarks, and the interpreter finally jumped on him, grabbed his hair and pushed hard on his cheek. The fellow I mentioned got furious, ran out of his patient and suddenly punched the interpreter. He was immediately looked up in solitary confinement, but it is said he made quite a scene. However, this incident was of course the fault of the Korean, and he ended up being released from solitary confinement one or two days later. He said that he was told he has terminal cancer and had little left to live by his doctor. He just protested against the violent act on behalf of all the fellow citizens from homeland. He said he is dying anyway and willing to die in the solitary cell. He firmly refused to be released from confinement. We heard the authorities did not know what to do with him, asked Mayor Taoka to mediate and finally sent him to the barrack. I would like to say this was a refreshing act that is rare to see nowadays.

Memorial service was held at 7 p.m. today at the Recreation Hall lead by Christianity priest Reverent Nakajo for the third victim of the war Mr. Kamekichi [2] Kinoshita from Kymamoto, who passed away at 9 p.m. on April 1st at the Main Hospital.

[2] Kameyoshi? Kameki?

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Mr. Ban from Los Angeles offered a condolence speech, but he got messed up, and all the attendees were regretfully saying that ruined the somber atmosphere.