Japanese American Veterans Association
We are an educational, patriotic, fraternal organization dedicated to maintaining and extending the institutions of American freedom. Our members include veterans of World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and the Gulf Wars. Although the majority of our members are Americans of Japanese Ancestry, our members are not exclusively Japanese Americans.
Dear JAVA Members and Friends,
Freedom Walk: Turning Remembrance into Action
Each spring, as Washington, D.C., comes alive with cherry blossoms, our community gathers at the National Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism During World War II for the annual Freedom Walk. This is not a symbolic stroll or a routine calendar item. As I expressed in my 2024 remarks, the Freedom Walk transcends mere remembrance and serves as a potent declaration that activism matters.
JAVA’s role in this event is both practical and deeply personal. We stand as a visible, veteran-led presence that anchors the program in service, civic responsibility, and lived experience. We are proud to serve as a continuing sponsor and partner alongside the National Japanese American Memorial Foundation and our fellow community organizations.
Event Details
This year’s Freedom Walk is scheduled for Saturday, March 28, 2026, at the National Japanese American Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Check-in: 9:00 a.m.
Opening Ceremony: 10:00 a.m.
Keynote Speaker: Vietnam veteran Tak Furumoto
For the latest event information and updates, please consult the National Japanese American Memorial Foundation’s website (https://www.njamemorial.org/).
Why This Walk Matters
The history this walk represents is not abstract. On February 19, 1942, Executive Order 9066 enabled the forced removal and mass incarceration of about 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry The Freedom Walk exists so we do not soften these truths and instead teach them plainly to those who did not grow up with them.
This narrative spotlights the meaning of honorable perseverance when a nation fails its own ideals. At its heart is the courageous service of Nisei soldiers during World War II. For those from the mainland, practicing patriotism while their families suffered behind barbed wire was a profound act of activism. By donning the uniform, these soldiers did more than serve; they staged a disciplined demand for respect amidst widespread prejudice. Their sacrifice was an unwavering insistence on dignity, belonging, and the full protection of their rights under the Constitution.
A Legacy of Justice
Justice often arrives late and only after sustained civic effort. The Civil Liberties Act of 1988, signed by President Reagan, acknowledged the injustices faced by the Japanese American community and marked a significant milestone in our journey toward healing. This act stands as a national admission of error and a testament to our nation’s ability to champion the cause of justice.
The Freedom Walk reminds us that remembrance is not passive. It is a choice, an education, and a participation that affirms our resolve to uphold constitutional rights for all Americans.
My Request to the JAVA Family
Attend: If you are local or can travel, please join us and bring your family and neighbors.
Learn and Share: Tell others what Executive Order 9066 entailed and how Japanese Americans responded with honor and courage.
Commit: As I stated in 2024, the Freedom Walk invites us to safeguard the rights of all Americans moving forward.
Support: Continue to support the institutions that keep this history visible, including the National Japanese American Memorial Foundation.
We honor the past best by carrying it forward with clarity and action. We remember the Issei who endured and the Nisei who lived up to the values of loyalty so impressively. They did not ask to be remembered as victims; they asked to be remembered as Americans who held this country to its own principles.
Let us meet this spring with that same spirit.
In service and with gratitude, Howard High
When Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, mass hysteria erupted in America against all persons of Japanese ancestry. Nisei (American-born children of Japanese immigrants) were viewed as innately disloyal and were barred from enlisting in the armed forces. The 1,432 Nisei who were already in the U.S. Army in Hawaiʻi were placed in the 100th Infantry Battalion and shipped to Wisconsin for training and subsequently deployed to Italy for combat. Mike Masaoka, Executive Secretary of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), encouraged the Nisei to petition the government to allow them to serve in combat to prove their loyalty.
Masaoka believed a strong performance by the Nisei in combat was the best weapon to defeat racism and prejudice. In response to these petitions and the exemplary training record of the 100th Infantry Battalion, in early 1943 the U.S. Army formed the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, consisting of 4,000 volunteers from Hawaiʻi and the mainland, many from internment camps.