Toshi Yamamoto

YAMAMOTO, EATON

Posted By: Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/30/2007 at 11:41:37

Source: Daily Hawk-Eye Gazette clippin (no date visible, believe it is 1941

Burlington native serves in Jap foreign service

While Burlington has no Japanese residents at present, one of its native sons presumably is in the diplomatic corps of the Japs - Toshi Yamamoto.

Yamamoto was born in Burlington, educated in the public schools of this city and graduated from Knox College. Stating he had received an offer of a position with an importing firm of an uncle in Japan, Yamamoto left Burlington 2 1/2 years ago shortly after graduating from the Illinois college.

Sent to China

Attending the University of Japan, primarily to become more familiar with the Japanese language, Toshi next was heard from after having joined the diplomatic forces and becoming liaison officer for the Japanese embassy at Nanking, China.

His father, Moto, received a picture from his son, showing Toshi in batwing collar and cutaway coat, at his diplomatic post in April of this year. (Photo accompanies article)

As a high school student, Toshi was popular, serving as a cheer leader and accompanying athletic teams on trips. He also became cheer leader at Knox and was popular there also with faculty and students alike. He graduated with honors.

Father leaves

Toshi was born here some years after his parents were brought to Burlington from the Hawaiian Islands by Walter Eaton, 1013 N. Third St.

Moto, the father, had been house man at the Eaton home some 37 years when he decided to return during the summer to Japan, and he reportedly left in July. While many Japs are called home, with war imminent, it is not known whether Moto was ordered home or decided of his own voltion to return.

Toshi, as a small child, spent several years in Japan, then returned to Burlington. His mother returned to Japan years ago, never to return. Toshi has an older sister who friends here report still holds a federal position in Washington.

Whether Toshi remained in the diplomatic force now was not definitetly known to friends here, just as it was not known whether he might have been demoted or interned for the duration because of his American connections. Those who know him here found it difficult to believe he would use his knowledge of this country to its detriment in serving its enemies.