HomeTerminology + Timeline

Terminology + Timeline

Terminology: 

  1. incarceration v. internment
  2. forced removal v. evacuation/relocation
  3. people of japanese ancestry v. Japanese
  4. Incarceration sites, detention centers, american concentration camps v. assembly/relocation centers
  5. Japanese American v. Japanese-American
  6. Asian American v. Asian-American
  7. Non alien = U.S citizen
  8. Nikkeijin= in this context, it means Japanese Americans
  9. Issei, Nisei, Sansei…etc= (In Japanese) First generation, second generation, third generation… and so on

Throughout our research project, we have learned that historical terms used to express Japanese American incarceration sometimes include euphemisms and inaccurate terms, which downplay the experiences that Japanese Americans have gone through. Although there is no concrete answer to say which use of terminology is correct, at least in this online exhibition, we will be using the following words. We would like to acknowledge Ms. Emma Lincoln Saito from JASC Legacy Center, who kindly provided us with information on the usage of the specific terminologies.

Historical terms

Terms we would like to use

Internment

Incarceration*

Evacuation/Relocation

Forced Removal

Japanese

People of Japanese Ancestry

Assembly Center/Relocation Center

Incarceration SItes/Detention Centers/American Concentration Camps**

Japanese-American

Japanese American***

Asian-American

Asian American***

Non Alien

US Citizen

*Internment is the term that only applies to enemy aliens. On the other hand, incarceration includes the citizens of their own countries as well. It has been said that almost two-thirds of Japanese Americans in the camp were nisei, thus, holding the US nationality (although the numbers are not fully accurate either, still relatively close). Therefore, it is accurate for us to use the term incarceration for this occasion.

**Although usage of the term “concentration camp” is avoided on some occasion in order to distinguish it from the Jewish concentration camp of Nazi Germany during WWII, by definition, Japanese Americans during WWII was incarcerated in concentration camp.

***The usage of hyphens is also avoided on a number of occasions. There are multiple reasons for that, and it is thoroughly explained in the article Why “Japanese American” Doesn’t Need a Hyphen published by the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Washington.

Some of the specific terms in Japanese are:

  • Nikkeijin(日系人): Japanese Americans (in this context)
  • Issei(一世): First generation
  • Nisei(二世): Second generation
  • Sansei(三世): Third generation

Timeline: 

Footnote

  1. Yoshiko Urayama, “シカゴ建築バーチャルツアー： 建築の街シカゴと日本とのつながり”, The Chicago Shimpo, The Chicago Shimpo, January 1, https://www.chicagoshimpo.com/news-jp/-.
  2. Exhibit: Nikkeijin Illinois. 19 Feb.-10 Dec. 2023, Spurlock Museum of World Cultures, Illinois.
  3. Timelines on the large print exhibit of Nikkeijin Illinois. 19 Feb.-10 Dec. 2023, Spurlock Museum of World Cultures, Illinois.

  4. “年表を見る,” 明治150年　インターネット特別展岩倉使節団　～海を超えた150人の軌跡～, 国立公文書館　アジア歴史資料センター, accessed March 25, 2024,  https://www.jacar.go.jp/iwakura/history/index.html.

  5. Yoshiko Urayama, "Sister City Chicago and Osaka Celebrates 50 Years of Prosperity", The Chicago Shimpo, The Chicago Shimpo, August 15, https://www.chicagoshimpo.com/news/sister-city-chicago-and-osaka-celebrates-50-years-of-prosperity#:~:text=Since%20the%20sister%2Dcity%2Daffiliation,of%20the%20sister%2Dcity%2Dstreets.
  6. "日米和親条約（にちべいわしんじょうやく） | 史料編", 国立国会図書館国際子ども図書館, 2014, https://www.kodomo.go.jp/yareki/archive/archive_01.html.