Submitted to http://javadc.org – June 2005
Explore the World of the Nikkei at DiscoverNikkei.org
By Janis Tanji Wong.
In Spring 2005, the Japanese American National Museum launched a new web site,
www.DiscoverNikkei.org. The purpose of this new site is to provide a multilingual, global online gateway of resources, data and history of all things Nikkei - people of Japanese descent who have migrated and settled throughout the world. The web site features four sections: Community Forum; Nikkei Resources; Real People; and Make History.The Discover Nikkei web site includes many military-themed resources - a Military Experience database that records the service of nearly 7,000 Japanese American veterans, and web links on the themes of War & Resistance. Recently, we have added the winning essays from the National Japanese American Veterans Council (NJAVC)’s 2004 "Japan Occupation Essays" contest. The winning essayists were Kan Tagami, who served as personal interpreter-aide to General Douglas MacArthur; Harry K. Fukuhara, assigned to the U.S. Army Counter Intelligence Corps; and George M. Koshi, who helped defend prisoners in the War Crimes Trials, and later contributed to the reform of the legal and judicial system of Japan after the war.
While the essays serve a historical purpose by recording these first-hand experiences, they also offer important insights into the challenges the United States faces today with the aftermath of the recent wars in the Middle East. On the Discover Nikkei web site, visitors can not only read these extraordinary accounts, but they can join in online discussions of the essays, their historical impact, and their relevance to America's current foreign policy.
Please help us spread the word about these important resources to veterans, their families, and friends!