In March of 1946, Iva Ikuko Toguri D’Aquino was convicted and imprisoned on the charge of Treason. Iva Ikuko Toguri D’Aquino was an American born citizen, born in Los Angeles. Her parents were immigrants- her father came to the US in 1899, her mother in 1913. She grew up a girl scout and attended Methodist schools. She graduated from UCLA with a degree in Zoology. A relative became ill in Japan so in July of 1941 she traveled to Japan from LA, she was also interested in perhaps studying medicine in Japan. Before she left, she was issued a Certificate of Identification because she did not have a passport, so when she applied for a passport from the UC Vice Consul in Japan to come back to California in September, they did not get to address her request before the attack on Pearl Harbor in December. The attack had cut her relation to the US, from America’s perspective. She was employed by a radio broadcasting company by an American in Japan, and she received her own show entitled Zero Hour. Many veterans of World War 2 believe that she was the voice of Tokyo Rose, a nickname the Allied soldiers gave to one of the female radio broadcasters they had been listening to from the NHK- Nihon Hoso Kyokai- Japanese Broadcasting Association. NHK was a Japanese propaganda broadcast, but Toguri claimed to be loyal to the US. Witnesses claimed that she had been giving away military information over the radio and that she was announcing planned US attacks but She denied ever saying any of what the witnesses claimed she said over any of her shows. She remained in jail for one year, but was released on good behavior and lack of evidence, for no actual recordings were found of Toguri ever saying any of what was supposedly said. In 1976, Ron Yates exposed the two witnesses as they gave false testimonies- they were coached before the trials to lie against Toguri. Yates wrote articles arguing her innocence, and in 1977 President Ford pardoned her and restored her citizenship.
Imprisoned, 1946
Toguri being questioned
Iva Toguri was a Japanese American caught up in a sticky situation in which her American-ness was ignored. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, there was no way the US would continue to let any person of Japanese descent into the country, regardless of circumstance. The fact that she was an American born citizen did not matter in the least, regarding legality. As long as she had a Japanese name and particular narrow eyes, she could not get back into the US. Her forced stay in Japan, however, opened an opportunity for her to maintain a form of connection to her homeland as her broadcasts were tuned in to by American and other Allied soldiers. She kept the soldiers updated on frontline news and played popular American music during her Zero Hour show. The false accusations against her made by the two witnesses convey the idea that people were agitated by the fact that a Japanese woman was making broadcasts to the Allies. Even though NHK was a Japanese Propaganda radio corporation, Toguri remained loyal to the US in trying to make her broadcasts propaganda-free and lighthearted. Her pardon in 1977 by President Ford portrayed to Asian Americans that they finally understand and fully recognized Iva Toguri’s American citizenship, and that she was truly an American in remaining loyal to the US. Ultimately, (the suspected) Tokyo Rose’s plight from her trip to Japan to the present illustrates how non-Asian Americans have become more accepting and trusting of Americans of Asian descent. Asian Americans gained a sense of relief and satisfaction from Toguri’s redemption as an American citizen. Furthermore, this event helped open the minds of both Asian and non-Asian people alike; that ethnicity is diminishing as an obstacle for citizenship.
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