Redress for Japanese Americans/ U.S. legislation

Japanese-American redress efforts officially began when President Ford repealed Executive Order 9066 and acknowledged the wrongdoings of the United States government in a public apology. To many Japanese-Americans, this was the starting point of a long healing process. Various acts were passed by the U.S. government to aid in this process.

Early Redress Efforts

 * April 24, 1946: Evacuation Claims Commission – Allowed Japanese-American evacuees to present claims against the U.S. for their losses due to internment.


 * July 2, 1948: Japanese-American Claims Act – Suggested compensation for losses during internment. Valued compensation at $38 million for 23,000 claims.

Timeline of Japanese-American Redress Legislation

 * 1976: Proclamation 4417, “An American Promise” - President Gerald Ford signed Proclamation 4417 on February 19, 1976, which formally terminated Executive Order 9066.


 * 1980: Establishment of the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians (CWRIC) - Congress created the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians in 1980. Its goals were to examine the reasoning behind the internment and offer ways for redress.


 * Recommendations of the CWRIC:
 * Recognition of injustices and apology.
 * Pardon those who were convicted of disobeying rules put in place during internment.
 * Executive agencies to aid in restitution of losses during internment.
 * Establish monetary funds and foundations to aid in redress.
 * Provide a sum of $20,000 to each survivor.


 * 1988: Civil Liberties Act of 1988 - President Ronald Reagan signed The Civil Liberties Act of 1988. Under the act, $20,000 was to be given to each internee of Japanese descent, whether they were a U.S. citizen or permanent resident alien.


 * 1993: Fulfillment of Civil Liberties Act - The Civil Liberties Act of 1988 was finally fulfilled on October 1, 1993 when President Bill Clinton sent a letter of apology to Japanese-American internment survivors along with reparations checks of $20,000 each.


 * May 10, 1994: Civil Liberties Act expanded – The Department of Justice recommended expanding the redress available under the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 to Japanese-American minors.

External resources

 * "The Japanese American Incarceration: The Journey to Redress," American Bar Association.
 * Transcription of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988

External articles

 * Satsuki Ina, "PRESIDENTIAL LETTER OF APOLOGY," Children of the Camps Project, 1999.