Editing Norman Mineta (section)

==Early life and education==
Mineta was born in [[San Jose, California]], to [[Japanese American|Japanese]] immigrant parents Kunisaku Mineta and Kane Watanabe, who were barred from becoming [[Citizenship of the United States|American citizens]] at that time by the [[Immigration Act of 1924]].<ref name=legacy>''Norman Mineta and his legacy: an American story'' (documentary), [[Public Broadcasting System|PBS]], Bridge Media, 2019.</ref> During [[World War II]], the Mineta family was [[Internment of Japanese Americans|interned]] for several years at Area 24, 7th Barrack, Unit B, in the [[Heart Mountain Relocation Center]] near [[Cody, Wyoming]], along with thousands of other Japanese immigrants and [[Japanese Americans]].<ref name=KenWatanabe>{{Nihongo|"Ken Watanabe meets Japanese-Americans"|渡辺謙 アメリカを行く|Watanabe Ken America o Iku}} broadcast on [[NHK]] BS Premium in Japan July 19, 2011 & TV Japan in USA September 11, 2011</ref> Upon arrival to the camp, Mineta, a baseball fan, had his [[baseball bat]] confiscated by authorities because it could be used as a weapon. Many years later, after Mineta was elected to the U.S.&nbsp;House of Representatives, a man sent Mineta a $1,500 bat that was once owned by [[Hank Aaron]], which Mineta was forced to return as it violated the congressional ban on gifts valued over $250. Mineta said: "The damn government's taken my bat again."<ref>{{cite news |last=Wald |first=Matthew L. |date=January 3, 2001 |title=Norman Yoshio Mineta: A Clinton Holdover, a Reagan Veteran and a Departing Senator |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/01/03/us/43rd-president-choices-man-norman-yoshio-mineta-clinton-holdover-reagan-veteran.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=April 20, 2018}}</ref>

While detained in the camp, Mineta, a [[Boy Scouts of America|Boy Scout]], met fellow scout [[Alan Simpson (American politician)|Alan Simpson]], a future U.S. senator from [[Wyoming]], who often visited the Boy Scouts in the internment camp with his troop. The two became close friends and remained political allies throughout their lives.<ref>{{cite web | last = Matthews | first = Chris | year =2002 | url =http://www.scoutingmagazine.org/issues/0201/d-wwas.html | title = A Pair of Boy Scouts | work =Scouting Magazine | publisher =Boy Scouts of America | access-date =December 16, 2006}}</ref>

Mineta graduated from the [[University of California, Berkeley]]'s [[Haas School of Business|School of Business Administration]] in 1953 with a degree in [[business administration]]. Upon graduation, Mineta joined the [[United States Army]] and served as a [[military intelligence]] officer in [[Japan]] and [[Korea]]. He then joined his father in the Mineta Insurance Agency.<ref name=legacy/>