‘Somehow, sink-or-swim situation made me strong.’

Setsuko Kato Hunter grew up in Japan and married an American serviceman in 1950. They lived in Canada and Germany before returning to the United States. On her own in mid-life, Hunter turned her international background and talent for working with people into a successful career. Hunter lives in Santa Clarita.

I remember very vividly B-29s that swarmed over the outskirts of Sendai where I lived. I was taking care of the house all by myself. I was 16. At 3 o’clock in the middle of the night one incendiary bomb hit my house. I dragged the heavy Japanese comforter and smothered the fire, and luckily it went out. Forty houses in my neighborhood were saved. That’s what my neighbors told me, and praised me. We were all trained constantly, so I thought nothing of it.

I was born in Kumamoto, Japan, in 1927. I’m the youngest of six children. My dad was a bureaucrat, so we moved around. My family was traditional Japanese. My father was the head of the family, and mother was very much the Japanese lady always walk three steps behind the father type.

My father took me everywhere. I guess I was his pet. He was a workaholic. Sometimes he would go to work over the weekend, and he would take me, and I’m 10 or 11. He gave me the impression that I can do anything I want, just like the boys.

I met my husband in 1949, and we were married in Japan in 1950. He was an Air Force radar technician. I became a citizen in 1956.

I felt like I was illiterate in English. After the kids had grown, I decided to do bonehead English. I don’t usually get nervous, but that day when I registered at College of the Canyons my knees were wobbling. So I asked myself, “Why are you so nervous?” It was that down deep. “If I fail, I can’t face it.”

I had very kind and understanding instructors, and they nurtured me and helped me. I adore that school. I became a kind of full-time student, and then they said get out of here because you’re finished. So I became a history student at Northridge and graduated in ’81.

Along the way my husband and I, we grew apart. We’re separated now.

I was looking for a job right after graduation. Somehow I wanted to use my bilingual skills. I went to the employment agency which specializes in Japanese personnel for the Japanese business community. They wanted me to become executive secretary, and I don’t type. So I jokingly said to the interviewer, “What you’re doing, I think I can do just as well if not better.” He said, “You think so?” Two days later, he called me and he said, “We’d like you to join us. You can be the office manager, and we’ll teach you to be a counselor simultaneously.” So I stumbled right into the business.

What I do now is focused toward bankers, because so many of the top-ranking Japanese banks are concentrated in the Los Angeles area. The Lissoy Ankenbrandt company needed some Japanese person who can communicate with the Japanese banks. So they approached me, and I’ve been with them ever since January.

Japanese businesses are quite sensitive about being accepted by American market. Middle managers are now changing from Japanese to American. The Japanese need somebody to bring those Americans in. And that’s where I come in. It seems to me I found a niche.

My friends back in Japan think I’m crazy. They all are very happily married grandmothers taking care of the family. They are staying home and enjoying their lives, and here I am running around driving long distance to go to work. They think I’m quite unusual.

I have been economically independent for the past 5, 6 years. The year before the graduation, I had no idea how I’m going to survive. I had no way of making a living. That was frightening, very, very frightening.

Somehow, you know, sink-or-swim situation made me strong. I just felt like hey, I guess I could do it too. So I think if anyone’s surprised I’m the first one to be surprised.

I am very pleased, and it’s a good, wonderful feeling that I don’t have to depend on somebody else.