The Untold Story

The Untold Story, produced by the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i (JCCH), is a groundbreaking documentary that sheds light on a lesser-known chapter of World War II history — the internment of Japanese Americans in Hawai‘i.

Unlike the mass incarceration on the U.S. mainland, Hawai‘i’s internment involved a smaller but still significant number of people. Shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, local authorities arrested several hundred Japanese community leaders — including teachers, priests, journalists, and business owners — from O‘ahu, Maui, Hawai‘i Island, and Kaua‘i. Many were sent to camps on the islands or transferred to facilities on the mainland.

Through archival footage, photographs, and first-hand accounts from former internees and their families, the film reveals the personal hardships, community impact, and resilience of those affected. It also explores how wartime fear, prejudice, and martial law shaped these events, while honoring the voices of those who lived through them.

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Host or Publisher Nisei Veterans Memorial Center