This moving 12News profile features Dr. Richard Matsuishi, an 88-year-old West Valley dentist and U.S. Air Force veteran who survived the Japanese-American incarceration during World War II. At just four years old, Dr. Matsuishi and his family were uprooted from California and forced into the Poston War Relocation Center in Arizona following the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Highlights from Dr. Matsuishi’s Reflection:
The Reality of Incarceration: He describes a childhood spent in a 100×20 foot barrack shared by five family members, featuring only a single lightbulb and a pot-belly stove.
A Life of Service: Despite his early experiences, Dr. Matsuishi went on to serve in the U.S. Air Force, became a pillar of his community as a dentist, and raised a large family in the West Valley.
“Shikata ga Nai”: Dr. Matsuishi reflects on his parents’ stoic silence regarding the camps—a Japanese phrase meaning “it cannot be helped”—but argues that today’s generation must find their voice to prevent history from repeating.
A Warning for Today: Living near a proposed ICE detention facility in Surprise, Arizona, he draws parallels between his past and current immigration debates, citing a “lack of political leadership” as the root cause of constitutional failures.
Dr. Matsuishi’s story is a powerful reminder of the fragility of civil liberties. To read his full, firsthand account of life in the barracks and his specific advice for modern civic engagement, click through to the full article and video at 12News.
