Monument Honoring Japanese American WWII Detainees Unveiled

The Irei monument, featuring the Ireichō book with over 125,000 names, aims to restore dignity to those unjustly incarcerated during the war.

The Ireichō, a sacred book listing 125,284 verified names of Japanese American WWII detainees, has been introduced at the Japanese American National Museum.
The Irei monument, including the Ireichō, aims to restore dignity and individuality to Japanese Americans targeted during WWII.
Visitors to the museum can search for their loved ones in the Ireichō and leave a mark under their names using a Japanese stamp called a hanko.
The monument also features soil from the 75 internment camps and light installations at incarceration sites to honor the detainees.
The project, led by Duncan Ryūken Williams, involved extensive research to correct errors and fill gaps in detainee records, achieving at least 99% accuracy.