Although Hawaii's Asian American community was a vital part of its economy, they faced wide-spread discrimination, even when purchasing life insurance. Companies either refused to write policies on them or demanded exorbitant premiums, believing that Asians had shorter life spans than Caucasians.
Lawrence "L.T." Kagawa - a young insurance executive - was convinced this wasn't true. He compiled detailed health data that proved it. But the insurance companies wouldn't listen to him.