Akira Otani, born in Honolulu, Hawai'i in 1921, grew up in a predominantly Japanese neighborhood with a strong fishing industry presence. His father ran a fish stall and wholesale business, while his mother worked in the fish and pineapple canneries. Otani's father had little involvement at home due to his work schedule, and Otani and his siblings had to take care of themselves. He attended Pohukaina School, a Japanese-language school with strict discipline, and later pursued a college preparatory program at Washington Intermediate School and McKinley High School. Otani was the first in his family to attend college. During World War II, he experienced the attack on Pearl Harbor and the subsequent internment of his father. He was involved in the Hawai'i Territorial Guard but was dismissed due to his Japanese ancestry. Otani then joined a labor battalion formed by Japanese-American volunteers and later made the decision to join the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.

Scope and Content Note
Session 1: This interview with Mr. Akira Otani, conducted by Michiko Kodama-Nishimoto, provides a rich account of Mr. Otani's experiences growing up in Honolulu, Hawai'i. Mr. Otani discusses his early education at Pohukaina School, recalling the conscientiousness of his teachers and the discipline they instilled in their students. He mentions two teachers, Mrs. Lee and Mrs. Waldron, who left a lasting impression on him. Mr. Otani also shares his experiences attending a Japanese-language school, where he and his peers would often play in a nearby sandlot before class. He recounts an incident where they were reprimanded for trespassing on private property, illustrating the strict discipline of the school. He also discusses the school's curriculum, particularly the emphasis on shushin or ethics, which he believes played a significant role in shaping his moral compass. The interview also touches on Mr. Otani's experiences during World War II. He expresses his frustration and disappointment at being dismissed from the military after volunteering to serve his country. He recounts how he and his peers, with the guidance of community leaders like Hung Wai Ching and Shigeo Yoshida, decided to offer their services in any capacity they could. Mr. Otani also reminisces about the social gatherings in his community, particularly the Christian religious groups that would put on slide shows and Bible storytelling sessions in an open ground. He also mentions the local stores where children would buy dried abalone and crack seed, although he is unsure if adults also gathered there socially.

Session 2: This interview with Akira Otani conducted by Michiko Kodama-Nishimoto on April 20, 1993, covers a range of topics related to Otani's experiences during World War II. Otani discusses his role in Japan, where he was assigned to oversee domestic mail to gauge public opinion or attitudes towards Americans. He explains that local Japanese were employed as mail inspectors, who would read letters and identify passages that indicated the sender's feelings about the American soldiers or the American occupation. This information would then be passed on to various departments for classification and analysis. Otani also recalls incidents of conflict between soldiers, specifically mentioning a scuffle involving a Black soldier. He recounts how the commander of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team addressed these issues by reading the articles of war to the soldiers, emphasizing the section on "mutiny" and reminding them of the need to respect local customs. Otani's training at Fort Snelling is also discussed, where he and others were trained to read, speak, understand, and interpret the Japanese language. He mentions that the training was primarily focused on preparing them to read Japanese military messages and speak military Japanese. Otani also notes that the students at the military language school were almost all Japanese, and they were grouped into classes based on their knowledge of the Japanese language, rather than their rank. Otani also touches on his childhood, mentioning his old neighborhood and the local blacksmith and senbei-ya (rice cracker shop). He also discusses his Japanese language training at Kishida School and Chuo Gakuin. Finally, Otani discusses the process of how the information gathered from the mail inspections was compiled and sent to headquarters for further study and action. He also mentions that his colleague, Dick Kosaki, was in charge of handling any anti-American or subversive activity.

Session 3: This interview provides a comprehensive insight into the evolution of the food industry, specifically focusing on the Otani company's journey through the mid-20th century. Otani discusses the company's transition from a small-scale operation to a large-scale import and sales business, highlighting the challenges and changes they faced over time. He begins by discussing the substantial renovation work they undertook to keep up with the changing food industry. Otani emphasizes the need for a complete overhaul of food handling concepts, driven not only by business needs but also by government food and drug regulations. He then shares anecdotes about his father's innovative strategies to increase sales and brand recognition, such as painting the spokes of the wheels of his cars yellow to identify his trucks. Otani also discusses his responsibilities during the 1950s and 1960s, which primarily involved handling the company's import and sales. He also mentions his involvement in all phases of the business, including rental, importation, and the fish auction business. Otani further discusses the challenges they faced due to the lack of space and outdated machinery. He mentions the gradual realization that drastic changes were needed to meet the growing demands of the business. Otani also reminisces about the clientele that the marketplace attracted, primarily fish, meat, and pork peddlers, and notes the decline of this profession over time. Towards the end of the interview, Otani discusses the difficulties they faced in developing the property to meet the needs of their fish auction and wholesale seafood business. He mentions the eventual decision to sell the property and relocate certain segments of their business in 1979. The interview concludes with the interviewee expressing his fond memories of the 'A'ala Marketplace and the 'A'ala Rengo stores, and his continued connection with the 'A'ala area.

Program Note:  
This interview is part of the Center for Oral History's project Aala Park.  Interviews from this project are available in the Center's ScholarSpace open access repository.

The Center for Oral History (COH), in the Department of Ethnic Studies at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, collects, documents, preserves and highlights the recollections of Native Hawaiians and the multi-ethnic people of Hawaiʻi. It produces oral histories and interpretive historical materials about lifeways, key historic events, social movements and Hawaiʻi’s role in the globalizing world, for the widest possible use.