Welcome back to Japanese America! In Season 3, Episode 7, we step directly into one of the most monumental, legally complex, and deeply emotional chapters in our community’s history: the fight for Japanese American Redress.
While most people think of Redress in terms of the landmark Civil Liberties Act of 1988 and the 120,000 Japanese Americans forced into domestic concentration camps, there is a massive parallel story of international kidnapping and legal limbo that took decades to bring to light. In this episode, we explore the extraordinary narrative of Japanese Latin American (JLA) deportees.
Through the rare, deeply personal oral histories of the three Naganuma Brothers—Jimmy, George Kazuharu, and Kazumu Julio Cesar—we trace a family’s journey from a thriving life in Callao, Peru, to being abducted by the U.S. military, fumigated with DDT upon arrival in New Orleans, and incarcerated at the Department of Justice internment camp in Crystal City, Texas.
We examine their multi-decade battle for basic legal status after being classified as “illegal entrants,” and highlight the fierce advocacy of their sister Kiyo, whose bold confrontation with U.S. officials made her siblings some of the few Japanese Peruvians to receive the full $20,000 Redress settlement. Koji also shares his own personal connection to Crystal City, where his family was incarcerated after his grandfather gave up his citizenship, illustrating the diverse and irony-filled nature of that camp
Links & Resources Mentioned
Discover Nikkei & Densho Partnership: Listen to the full oral histories and read the complete transcripts for:
George Naganuma: https://ddr.densho.org/narrators/928/
Jimmy Naganuma: https://ddr.densho.org/narrators/927/
Kazumu Julio Cesar Naganuma: https://ddr.densho.org/narrators/929/
Learn More: Visit the Japanese American National Museum (JANM.org) for exhibitions, history, and community resources.
Follow & Support Us
Enjoyed the episode! Don’t forget to rate, review, and tell a friend!
CREDITS
The music was created by Jalen Blank
Written by Koji Steven Sakai
Hosts: Michelle Malazaki and Koji Steven Sakai
Edited by Koji Steven Sakai
Produced by Koji Steven Sakai in conjunction with the Japanese American National Museum
Koji Steven Sakai 