Interview with Harry Yoshida

タイトル
Interview with Harry Yoshida
Accession number
2010.060
Interviewer
Lisa Uyeda
Videographer
Lisa Uyeda
Date of Interview
Language
English
Description

Harry Yoshida was born on March 23, 1924 in Chemainus on Vancouver Island in British Columbia where he lived until the age of 14. After that, Harry emigrated to Japan where he went to school. Harry talks about his family and his parent's emigration from Japan to the US and then, to Canada. His father was a dekasegi-shosei, students that were sent to the US for their education. While Harry was in Japan, he was adopted into his father's family and joined the Japanese Navy and talks about that experience. Meanwhile, his brother was in the Canadian Army. After the war, Harry left the Japanese Navy. Harry talks about the state of Tokyo after the war under the occupation of the Allies. Harry talks about people living in Japan who spoke English were sent to Prisoner of War Camps as translators so Harry never told anyone he spoke English. He talks about living in the house that his father bought. Harry worked as a social worker at hospitals. In 1949, Harry applied for Canadian citizenship and subsequently re-emigrated to Toronto, Canada where he would marry his wife. 

Short clip from this interview: https://vimeo.com/392998596

Clip from Japanese Canadian Experience Conference: https://vimeo.com/337574569

Format
Videotape
Video File
Length of Interview
2 hr 28 min
Period
Pre War
Post War
World War II
1940s
1950s
Event
World War II
Relocation
Forced Removal
Atomic Bomb
Attack on Pearl Harbour
Location
Japan
Toronto, ON
Vancouver Island, BC
USA
Tashme, BC
Topic
education
immigration
family
Prisoner of War (POW)
marriage
military
food
employment
Kika (Nikkei educated in Japan)
Number of Physical Tapes
3
Permission
For uses other than research or private study, researchers must submit a Request for Permission to Publish, Exhibit or Broadcast form.
Citation
Harry Yoshida, interview by Lisa Uyeda, September 10, 2010, 2010.060, Sedai: The Japanese Canadian Legacy Project Collection, Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre.