Kishida set to get boost from Biden’s comment on ‘shameful’ incarceration of Japanese-Americans in WWII

“Biden wants to build on the existing relationship with Tokyo and help the regional security alliance, while Kishida knows that the support of Washington is important for his chances of retaining power in the party and when he calls the general election.” Toshimitsu Shigemura, a professor of international relations at Tokyo’s Waseda University, told This Week in Asia.

On Monday, the White House issued a statement on the 82nd anniversary of President Franklin Roosevelt signing an executive order approving the blanket incarceration of more than 120,000 people including Japanese-Americans. Biden called the order “shameful” and pointed out that around half of the internees were children.

“Families were separated. Communities were torn apart. People were stripped of their dignity. And the unconstitutional and unconscionable policy was even upheld by the Supreme Court,” Biden said.

“We remember the tragic legacy of Executive Order 9066 – and the trauma it inflicted – by reaffirming the Federal Government’s formal apology to Japanese Americans,” he added. “And by stating unequivocally: Nidoto Nai Yono – to ‘Let It Not Happen Again’.”

Waseda University’s Shigemura said on Wednesday that Biden’s comments were, “very significant and impressive to the Japanese government and people.

“These comments also helpful to both leaders politically ahead of Kishida’s trip to Washington next month for face-to-face talks with Biden,” he said.

The injustices of the internment policy were recognised as far back as 1988, when then-President Ronald Reagan signed the Civil Liberties Act, issued a formal apology and provided US$20,000 each in reparations to surviving Japanese-Americans who had been detained.

Biden has built on that, signing a bill in 2022