George Takei, the Japanese American actor famous for Star Trek, has promoted the Japanese translation of his children's book on wartime internment in the U.S. during World War II. The 88-year-old activist held a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan on November 20, stressing the internment's significance in American history. The translation will be released on November 27.
George Takei is a Japanese American actor renowned for his role in Star Trek and an 88-year-old activist who has leveraged his fame to support causes like human rights and LGBTQ+ issues. As a child, he was sent with his family to U.S. internment camps during World War II.
His illustrated children's book, "My Lost Freedom," published in the U.S. last year, recounts this period. It became a New York Times bestseller and received the California Independent Booksellers Alliance's Golden Poppy Award.
At a press conference on November 20 at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan in Tokyo, Takei promoted the Japanese translation. "I wrote this because there are still people in the United States that don’t know American history," he said. He added, "I maintain that the internment was a major event in American history that’s still being underplayed."
The Japanese edition is set for release on November 27, offering a chance to share Takei's internment experiences in Japan. This event highlights themes in U.S.-Japan relations and historical awareness.