ABC Radio National, The History Listen presented by Kirsti Melville, Saturday 19 Oct 2024.

Between 1952 and 1965, over 600 Japanese war brides crossed once enemy lines to make a home in Australia. Anti-Japanese sentiment was still palpable then, and they had little choice but to hide their Japanese-ness, and assimilate into Australian society. But today, WWII is in the distant past, and ‘Japan-as-enemy’ is an idea that feels alien. How do the grandchildren of Japanese war brides tell this history, one that began with war, fear, and hate?

Listen to their stories here.

Image above: Alien registration documents for Mikiko Casey (nee Murakami). NAA: J25, 1970/54