APABA-DC is proud to present a virtual reenactment of United States v. Iva Toguri D’Aquino on May 10, 2022. The reenactment will feature a cast of eleven federal and state court judges in telling the story of Iva Toguri, an American-born citizen and the daughter of Japanese immigrants, who was in Japan caring for a sick relative when the bombing of Pearl Harbor occurred. Unable to return home as the United States and Japan went to war, Iva took a job at a Japanese government-controlled radio station as a broadcaster.
Following the end of World War II, there was an ardent search for the so-called “Tokyo Rose,” a moniker given to the English-speaking female radio broadcasters of Japanese propaganda that reportedly demoralized the Allied forces in the South Pacific. In October 1945, Iva was arrested and imprisoned in Japan because U.S. reporters mis-identified her as the “real” Tokyo Rose. The FBI, however, found no evidence that her broadcast had aided the Japanese Axis forces. In 1948, following public uproar about “Tokyo Rose,” Iva was arrested once again and brought to the United States for trial of treason, although a prosecutorial legal memorandum concluded that there was no evidence for a prima facie case.
The reenactment is a reminder of the racism and scapegoating inherent in this case and countless others. With the prevalence of xenophobia and anti-Asian sentiment today, especially against Asian American women, APABA-DC presents this year’s reenactment as a sober reminder that the hard work in combating hate and bias related incidents continues.
Please join us for this year’s reenactment to continue shedding light on anti-Asian hate and bias. APABA-DC is proud to host this annual signature event during the Asian American Pacific Islander American Heritage Month.
The program for the production is available here: Trial of Tokyo Rose-Program-APABA DC Reenactment 2022.pdf
If you or someone you know has been the victim of hate crimes or bias, please visit our hate crimes and pro bono resources page, which includes a toolkit for combating hate crimes. The toolkit is available in 25 Asian American, Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander languages.
STARRING
Hon. Errol R. Arthur (Superior Court of the District of Columbia)
Hon. Raymond Chen (United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit)
Hon. Theo Chuang (United States District Court for the District of Maryland)
Hon. Laura A. Cordero (Superior Court of the District of Columbia)
Hon. Gwen D'Souza (District of Columbia Department of Employment Services)
Hon. Kelly Higashi (Superior Court for the District of Columbia)
Hon. Jason Park (Superior Court of the District of Columbia)
Hon. Maribeth Raffinan (Superior Court of the District of Columbia)
Hon. Jeri Somers (United States Civilian Board of Contract Appeals)
Hon. John Tran (Fairfax County Circuit Court)
APABA-DC also thanks Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP for its support in the production of the virtual reenactment.
