Tuesday, June 30, 2009

A Book "Poem of San Mateo" - 5

It was a surprise for me that there were restriction on immigration policy long before the World War II between Japan and US. It looks like there were several time of restriction to tighten the immigration to the US from Japan. Some people analyze that it casted dark shadow on the relation and trust between Japan and US influencing badly the consequence of the dark days of World War II.

Teijiro, the father of Fujie needed to be trained to be a soldier before he started to work. Japanese military was mandatory before WWII. Teijiro carried around his English books and English Japanese Dictionaries all over the place. One day, he was found reading his English book. In those days in Japanese military, any private possession must be under permission of higher ranked officers. He was sent to his lieutenant to get permission to carry around his English books and dictionaries.

The lieutenant asked Teijiro why he carries English Books and dictionaries. Teijiro answered "I wanted to immigrate to US after I finish my military training." The lieutenant laughed. He told Teijiro that he must study hard to show Japanese Samurai Spirit to US after he immigrated to US. Teijiro got permission to openly study English.

After his military training for one year is over, he became a cargo ship crew.


It is not just San Francisco City area. Japanese stuff is everywhere. This picture left is the gate of San Mateo Japanese Garden


Related posts:
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-4.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-3.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-2.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-1.html

Check my websites to find out what I am doing:
http://vur.me/shawfunami/main
http://vur.me/shawfunami/SF
http://vur.me/shawfunami/zi


Feel free to contact me:
shaw@zhenintl.ws
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link

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4 comments:

Marketing Unscrambled, Home edition said...

Hello Shaw,
He finished his duty to his country before he left. Good for him. Many today would say he should have just left. Now he is working toward his goal. With everything he did he worked toward his goal.

Some today when things get hard they quit. They never get to that goal because they do not do what it takes to get to the goal.

Thank you for sharing about this father and daughter.

Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"

Unknown said...

Dear Dan & Deana,

You are right. If one quits, he never reaches his goal. This was illegal immigration. And again, I have no intention to promote it. But there are something which we can learn from his spirit to realize his dream whatever it takes.

Thank you for your comment.
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Shaw .. amazing how people laugh at something that will absolutely change another's life .. or laugh at their vision .. thank goodness he didn't get stopped carrying his books ..

I look forward to reading how he got on with the ship ..

Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters

Unknown said...

Dear Hilary,

Teijiro's time, military was generous for the people who are willing to study. Anything, including foreign languages. Anyway, this lieutenant never knew that Japan would enter into the war against US and England.

Thank you for your comment.
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link