Kumaji Furuya

Kumaji Furuya (February 22, 1889 – November 4, 1977) was a Japanese businessman who worked in Hawaii. He started the Fuji Furniture store in Aala, and created Hawaii's first Japanese-language radio program. His penname was Suikei.

Early life Furuya was born on February 22, 1889, in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, and moved to the territory of Hawaii in 1907. He originally planned to move to the United States, but the 1907 Gentleman's Agreement banned him from moving there, so he stayed in Hawaii. Furuya worked in sugar plantations and stores all across the islands for five years. In 1914, he opened up a store of his own, the Fuji furniture store. He also joined the Japanese Merchants Association (Chuo Rengo) in 1918. He later helped with a merger between the Japanese Merchants Association and two other organizations to become the Honolulu Japanese Chamber of Commerce (HJCC) in 1939. He served as the Vice President of the HJCC and the United Japanese Society for two years.

He married Jun Kitagawa in 1921.

Incarceration Furuya was arrested by the FBI on December 7, 1941, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He was interned in the Sand Island Internment Camp until February 20, 1942, when he was sent to the mainland with other Japanese-American internees. He was incarcerated at five different internment camps across the United States, until he was finally incarcerated at the Department of Justice's Santa Fe camp.

Post-war On November 13, 1945, Furuya was released and returned to Hawaii. In 1951, he was elected the president of the Honolulu Japanese Chamber of Commerce.

In 1968, Furuya was awarded an Order of the Sacred Treasure, 5th class.

He died on November 4, 1977.

Selected bibliography