James Otsuka facts for kids

Katsuki James Otsuka (born January 22, 1921 – died May 25, 1984) was a Japanese American man who was part of the Quaker faith. He was sent to jail because he refused to fight in World War II. Later, he also refused to pay taxes that would go towards war efforts. This is known as being a conscientious objector and a war tax resister.

During World War II, the United States government issued Executive Order 9066. This order forced many Japanese Americans, including Katsuki Otsuka, to leave their homes and live in special camps. Katsuki Otsuka was sent to the Tule Lake War Relocation Center.

Standing Up for His Beliefs

Katsuki Otsuka believed that fighting in a war was wrong. He was a conscientious objector, meaning his beliefs did not allow him to take part in war. The government wanted him to do non-fighting work for the military. But Katsuki felt he could not help the military in any way. He wanted to do civilian work that would help people, like medical research or helping areas damaged by war.

Why He Went to Jail

Because he would not join the military, Katsuki Otsuka turned himself in. He admitted that he was not following the draft law. This law said that certain people had to join the military. He was sentenced to three years in prison.

Katsuki Otsuka explained his feelings about breaking the law:

I feel I must help people in any way I can, especially in times of war. I wanted to help in a civilian program, like helping people in war-torn areas or doing medical research. But my draft board never allowed this. I usually follow the law. But I feel it is my duty to break a law when it goes against my beliefs. This includes laws that separate people by race or force me to join the military and harm others. When I refuse to obey a law, I do not do it lightly. It takes all my faith and courage.

Another Time in Prison

In 1949, Katsuki Otsuka was sent to prison again. This time, it was because he refused to pay a small amount of taxes ($4.50). He did this to protest against war. He was supposed to be in prison for four months. But he stayed an extra month because he would not pay a fine.

Protesting Nuclear Weapons

Two months after he was released, on August 5, 1950, Katsuki Otsuka was arrested again. This was one day before the fifth anniversary of the first atomic bomb being dropped on Hiroshima. He was with two other people. They were giving out leaflets at the Y-12 nuclear weapons factory in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

The leaflets explained why they were there:

I came to Oak Ridge to show people that our tax money is being used to build things that can destroy the world. The first atomic bomb was used on August 6, 1945. Today, at the same time, I burned 70% of a dollar bill. This showed that 70% of our taxes, according to President Harry Truman, were used for military preparations and fighting the "Cold War."

The "Cold War" was a time when the United States and the Soviet Union had a lot of tension. They built many weapons but did not have a direct war.

See also

• Conscientious objection to military taxation
• Conscription in the United States