In 1939 the painter Iwamatsu Jun (1908-1994) and his artist wife, Tomoe, arrived in the U.S. as political refugees. During World War II, Iwamatsu used his artistic talents for the U.S. war effort, and he adopted a pseudonym, Taro Yashima, to protect his young son, whom he left behind in Japan. The New Sun, which was published in the U.S. in 1943, is an account of his life in prewar Japan.
In its depiction of ordinary Japanese, The New Sun is both an indictment of Japanese militarism and a plea for American understanding of the enemy. Told mainly though Yashima's powerful artwork, it...
In 1939 the painter Iwamatsu Jun (1908-1994) and his artist wife, Tomoe, arrived in the U.S. as political refugees. During World War II, Iwamatsu u...
