Daniel Akaka: “I rise to introduce a bill for the relief of the family of Sadae Tamabayashi. In 1941, Mrs. Tamabayashi was the owner of…”

“I rise to introduce a bill for the relief of the family of Sadae Tamabayashi. In 1941, Mrs. Tamabayashi was the owner of Paradise Clothes Cleaning Shop in Honolulu, HI. On the fateful morning of December 7, she and her family lost everything that they owned. The attack on Pearl Harbor not only had national repercussions, it affected the lives of many individuals as well, especially those who lived in Hawaii at the time. For Sadae Tamabayashi and her family, the bombing was devastating to their livelihood. On the morning of December 7, Paradise Clothes Cleaning Shop was destroyed by fire which started as a result of the attack on Pearl Harbor and the subsequent retaliatory shots by U.S. Armed Forces. The entire building and its contents, which included the Tamabayashi's family quarters, were destroyed. The Tamabayashi family attempted to seek compensation through the War Damage Corporation Claims Service Office in 1942. Their efforts were to no avail. Their claim for reparations was denied by the corporation because Mrs. Tamabayashi was a Japanese national. However, Mrs. Tamabayashi was prohibited from becoming a citizen under the Immigration Act of 1924, which excluded persons of Japanese descent. It was not until 1952, 7 years after the end of World War II, that the 1924 Immigration Act was repealed, and Asians were finally given equal citizenship status in this country. The family of Sadae Tamabayashi seeks fair treatment of their mother's losses.”