The Empty Chair is a memorial to the Japanese and Japanese Americans from Juneau, Alaska who were interned during World War II. The chair is inspired by the story of John Tanaka, Juneau High School's Valedictorian in the class of 1942. Prior to that year's graduation, John and his family were imprisoned at the Minidoka internment camp in Idaho and thus, could not attend the ceremony. In his place, his classmates left an empty chair to represent him and the loss they felt at the forced removal of their friends and neighbors. The names of 53 internees from the Juneau area are etched on the surface of the bronze floor as well as narrative text and the Japanese kanji for "Peace". The Empty Chair Memorial was a joint project between the Empty Chair Committee and the City of Juneau.