The New Sun

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.

“The quality of Yashima’s art and the economy of the text make The New Sun a powerful and riveting tale of political dissidence against Japanese imperialism.” —from the Introduction by Naoko Shibusawa

Intersections: Asian and Pacific American Transcultural Studies
April 2008 / ISBN 978-0-8248-3185-1 / $21.00 (PAPER)