Interviews with Japanese in Utah: Grace Oshita

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Grace Oshita 2-21-85 s4:23 To this day, yes. (laughs) Ben helps me. !need his help (laughs). L When didpu become aware. Or when doyou remember becoming aware that there were some tension brewing lt's say between United States and Japan. As a young person. GO Well, first there were 2 or 3 Japanese language papers, newspapers, in San Francisco. Of course, Iwouldhear my father or grandmother talking about the events. In the newspaper. L what kind of conversations did you hear. GO Well, what I'm getting at is that we knew that China and Japan were really at war. I remember themmentioning about that "February 26 event that started the -what was it - it wasn't a takeover of the military in Japan. L It \tiS a military coup. I know what you're saying. GO Soon after- Oh, I shouldn't say soon .after. Just before Pearl Harbor. You know, a couple of years before Pearl Harbor there were several relief organizations. Being organized. Especially the one that my Dad became interested in. Was the HEI HEIMUSHA - It's all one word. Heimusha Kai. KAI. Organization. See, that was really short abbre-viation for HEIKIGIMU which means And Heiki is military. Gimu is obligation. So Sha means person. Kei is Organization. This was a group. L An organization. GO Yes, to send relief funds to families of- well, widows of Japanese soldiers killed. And it was only for relief purpose. But the name, you see,- Well,they felt like if they were- Don't forget, they