In response to Regina Lark's inquiry concerning resources for her research
on interracial marriages between Japanese women and American men during the
occupation, I can suggest she contact the International Social Services
agency in Tokyo. I did some work for them back in the 1970s; they are a
social work agency and, among other services, counseled Japanese women
married to American (Australian, and others) servicemen. Their case files
would be a valuable source of information concerning the personal problems
that some of these women and their children faced. Some of the women
immigrated up in the US; others had to remain in Japan after they divorced.
The family problems could be severe - children who grew up on bases in
Japan, had American citizenship, and limited Japanese language skills were
required to move off-base. Some became virtually stateless if they
couldn't get Japanese citizenship. I unfortunately do not have a current
address for ISS. Nor do I know of their policy concerning privacy issues
and access to their records. But it might be worthwhile to check them
out. (The agency had it roots in Europe dealing with displaced persons
after the world wars and by the '70s they had branches throughout the
world. They were established in Japan following the Pacific War.)
To introduce myself: I completed a masters in Asian Studies at the
University of Oregon last year. My area was Japanese history and art
history, specifically folk or traditional textiles. My final research
paper was a study of kasuri textiles in Tottori prefecture from the
Tokugawa period to the present. Professionally, I am an archivist at the
Oregon State Archives and doing some volunteer work with the museum
archives at the Portland Art Museum.
Elizabeth Uhlig
Oregon State Archives
elizabeth.m.uhlig@state.or.us
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