The May 1966 JACL convention, health plan and Nisei in politics

Vol. 62, No. 18, May 6, 1966. 6 pages. View this issue

Preparations for the San Diego national convention ran through this six-page issue, from a call to register early to a Fashion Fiesta luncheon and a youth bus plan. JACL National President Kumeo Yoshinari wrote from England about a lost airline ticket, and the JACL Group Major Medical Health Plan entered its third year with premiums unchanged. Mike Masaoka praised Nisei candidates for the California State Legislature, and Fred Taomae reported William Marutani’s talk on his civil rights work in Bogalusa, Louisiana.

Elsewhere, Denver Mayor Tom Currigan named Min Yasui to head the city’s Commission on Community Relations, and Judge Stephen Tamura was honored at a testimonial dinner. Bill Hosokawa’s column looked at frost, Issei sacrifice and Colorado blossoms. Chapter news covered Philadelphia, Chicago, Seattle and Idaho Falls, and a feature described the Tokugawa isolation edict of 1636.

What’s in this issue

Community

• Register Early for the San Diego Convention, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Pacific Citizen urges members to register early for the 1966 JACL National Convention in San Diego. The notice highlights the upcoming national convention deadlines and event schedule.
• Capitol Life Enters 3rd Year with JACL Group Insurance, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The JACL Group Major Medical Health Plan enters its third year with premiums unchanged despite rising hospital costs. Capitol Life representative Milton Edwards reported increasing claim payments and praised the plan’s administration.
• Denver Mayor Names Min Yasui Commission Head, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Denver Mayor Tom Currigan appointed Min Yasui chairman of the city’s Commission on Community Relations. Yasui is a well-known Nisei attorney active in civic affairs and school advisory work.
• PSW Oratorical Champion, DYC Queen, Nisei Relays Queen Selected, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Martin Koba of San Diego won the Pacific Southwest oratorical contest and will represent the district at the national convention. Patti Ito was crowned PSWDYC queen and Connie Nakao was named Nisei Relays Queen.
• First Ethnic Survey at UC Berkeley Taken, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A first ethnic survey at UC Berkeley counted 231 Negro and 76 Mexican American students among 26,083 total. Chancellor Roger Heyns hopes to increase minority enrollment through special programs.
• Chapter Newsletters, by Tamotsu Murayama, page 2. The editorial encourages chapters to produce newsletters and invites editors to a national committee workshop at the convention. It also requests circulation, cost, and page-count data to prepare the session.
• From the Frying Pan, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Bill Hosokawa describes spring frost destroying Colorado blossoms and reflects on Issei sacrifice to educate their Nisei children. He also comments on Denver fresh-fish imports and Wyoming congressional candidates.
• Progress Report: SJR 20 Repeal, by Elmer Ogawa, page 3. Elmer Ogawa reports that funds for the Washington State alien land law repeal effort have topped $20,000 toward a $30,000 budget. He also describes a planned community variety show and volunteer recruitment.
• Supreme Court Rules on Hawaii Redistricting, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A U.S. Supreme Court reapportionment decision requires an open election for all 76 Hawaii legislative seats. Nine new Senate seats for Oahu may benefit the minority Republicans.
• Student to Cycle Around Rim of U.S., by P.C. Staff, page 3. Tokunori Matsumoto, a student at Aoyama University in Tokyo, began a 15,000-mile bicycle tour of America from California. Two Japanese girls were also stopped while cycling on a freeway.
• Issei Pioneers Earn Japanese Recognition, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Eleven Issei pioneers in the United States received Japanese government decorations on Emperor Hirohito’s 65th birthday. The honorees were cited for years of community leadership and U.S.-Japan relations.
• California Grapes Find Market in Tokyo, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Oakland wholesaler George Ushijima shipped California grapes by air cargo to Tokyo, where they were well received. Lower air cargo rates on perishables have made regular fresh produce exports to Japan feasible.
• Role of Japan in Asia Crisis Related at Phila. Installation, by Herb Horikawa, page 3. Donald Barnhouse, a WCAU-TV news analyst, addressed the Philadelphia JACL installation and discussed Asian history, Japan’s economic role, and containment of communism. He also suggested Nisei could serve as a bridge between cultures.
• 19 Candidates to Meet Informally at West L.A., by P.C. Staff, page 3. Nineteen candidates on the June primary ballot were scheduled to meet voters at an informal public affairs event sponsored by the West Los Angeles JACL. No speeches were planned.
• Accent: Did You Know?, by Alan Kumamoto, page 4. National youth director Alan Kumamoto reminds chapters of the May 30 deadline for nominating National JACL Scholarship candidates and encourages youth group participation. He also reports on the upcoming PSWDYC board meeting in San Diego.
• Intermountain Youth May Charter Bus to Attend San Diego National Convention, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Intermountain Jr. JACL delegates met in Ontario, Oregon, selected a national convention delegate, and planned a tree-planting ceremony. They also discussed chartering a bus to San Diego and possible fundraising.
• Trip to Japan Offered 1966 Miss Nisei Week, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The 1966 Miss Nisei Week queen will receive a free 17-day trip to Japan, with a required visit as part of a 1967 tour group. The queen will be crowned at the Coronation Ball sponsored by West Los Angeles JACL.
• Code Book Being Devised to Screen Scholarship Winners, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Seattle JACL is preparing a code book to equitably screen applicants for National JACL scholarships. Nominations from chapters are due May 30 with applications due June 15.
• Juniors and Seniors Discover Each Other in Chicago, by Elaine Yamada, page 4. Chicago JACL boards of senior, junior, and young Japanese American groups met for a joint dinner that helped members bond across age groups. Attendees shared news and socialized informally.
• 25-Year History of IDC Available for $1, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Alice Kasai compiled a 63-page history of the Intermountain District Council from 1940 to 1965, available for $1 plus postage. The book covers meetings, officers, conventions, and chapter activities.
• New L.A. Chapter Elects H. Yamaga, Name Undecided, by P.C. Staff, page 4. A new JACL chapter for southeast Los Angeles County elected Henry Yamaga of La Habra as president at its first general meeting. Members expressed enthusiasm for friendship among suburban Japanese American families.
• Rockhounds Explore Kramer Hills and UCLA Lab, by P.C. Staff, page 4. A West Los Angeles JACL earth science group went rock collecting in the Kramer Hills and toured UCLA’s geology laboratory. The members learned rock cutting and thin-section identification techniques.
• Desalinization Discussed at Chapter Meeting, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Andre Balia of UCLA discussed desalinization of brackish and sea water at an earth science chapter meeting. The group also learned about fossils and shark teeth in the Kern River area.
• Downtown, East L.A. Mother’s Day Fete, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Downtown and East Los Angeles JACL chapters will honor three community mothers at their annual Mother’s Day dinner. The event is open to the public.
• Seattle JACL Preps for 1968 National Bowling Tourney, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Seattle JACL’s handicap bowling tournament served as a training ground for organizers of the 1968 National JACL bowling tournament. Winners were announced in singles, doubles, and team categories.
• Youth Mayor Gene Ochi Serves in Idaho Falls, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Gene Ochi served as youth mayor of Idaho Falls during Youth Day activities. He greeted visitors, addressed a luncheon, and participated in a United Nations Pilgrimage speech contest.
• Nisei Dies of Monoxide Poisoning at Plant, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Juan A. Nakasone, a 28-year-old Peruvian Nisei, died of carbon monoxide poisoning at a Berkeley plant. The State Industrial Accident Commission is investigating.
• Philadelphia JACL Installation Report, by Herb Horikawa, page 5. The Philadelphia JACL installed new chairman Richard Horikawa and his cabinet at a dinner program that honored long-serving members. Awards and scrolls were presented to community leaders.
• Nisei Judge Stephen Tamura Honored at Testimonial Dinner, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Orange County honored Justice Stephen Kosaku Tamura at a testimonial dinner after Governor Brown appointed him to the Court of Appeals. Speakers praised his career and his example for Japanese Americans.
• Cost of Living Skyrockets in Tokyo, by Tamotsu Murayama, page 6. Consumer prices in Tokyo rose 6.8 percent over the past year, the second highest advance in a decade. Record business bankruptcies were also reported.
• Orange County Japanese Shopping Center Begins Construction, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Construction began on a $600,000 Oriental shopping center in Santa Ana with a Sumitomo Bank branch as the main tenant. The project owners are Bill Wada, Yas Kubo, and Henry Nitta.

Commentary

• From England, by Kumeo Yoshinari, page 1. JACL National President Kumeo Yoshinari describes his trip to England, including a lost airline ticket that was found in his attache case. He recounts his arrival in Scotland and England and his work overseeing the company’s new factory and English staff.
• Vietnam an Ocean Away, by Tamotsu Murayama, page 2. The editorial notes Nisei casualties and decorations in Vietnam and warns of Red China’s efforts to foment wars of national liberation in Thailand. It draws parallels to the postwar history of Vietnam.
• An Intermountain Tradition, by Tamotsu Murayama, page 2. The editorial praises the Intermountain District Council for paying for delegates’ breakfasts to ensure timely Sunday sessions. It suggests other districts consider breakfast meetings as a way to learn about chapters.
• Letters from Our Readers: Sansei Heritage, by Clifford Uyeda, page 2. Clifford Uyeda responds to Wakako Sasaki’s letter by arguing that Sansei and Yonsei are able to learn and enjoy their heritage. He notes that earlier Nisei tried to lose their identity to be accepted.
• Uniform Chapter Dues, by Ed M. Yamamoto, page 2. Ed Yamamoto supports a uniform national dues plan but proposes $10 for single members and $5 for affiliates with $1 going to the district council. He also proposes a new 10-10-10 minimum performance formula for membership.
• Washington Newsletter: Nisei in Politics, by Mike Masaoka, page 2. The column praises Toshiro Hiraide and Kazuo Umemoto for running for the California State Legislature and urges support for Nisei candidates. It also notes earlier Nisei election successes and the election of Ken Nakaoka and Frank Ogawa.
• Spring Has Sprung: Fashion Fiesta at San Diego, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The San Diego convention Fashion Fiesta luncheon will feature spring and fall fashions modeled by professionals and Sansei. The event includes door prizes and a trip to the San Diego Zoo.
• Health Plan Consideration Adopted by Districts, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Several JACL district councils adopted the Capitol Life health plan with updated age provisions. Paul Chinn is the general agent handling the plan.

Military & Veterans

• Negro Stereotypes Should Be Dispelled, by Fred Taomae, page 1. William Marutani spoke at the Pacific Southwest District Council banquet in Long Beach about his civil rights work in Bogalusa, Louisiana. He described the bitterness Negroes feel and urged that the stereotype of the Negro as a poor, ignorant bum be dispelled.

JACL

• PSW Names Trio for Nat’l, Defers $10 Member Dues, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Pacific Southwest District Council nominated Dr. David Miura, Henry Kanegai, and Harris Ozawa for national JACL offices. The council also deferred a uniform $10 national dues proposal and adjusted the budget submission deadline.
• Health Plan Enters Third Year, by Paul Chinn, page 4. The JACL Major Medical Health Plan will keep its premium unchanged in its third year while the plan’s minor coverage changes take effect. Capitol Life confirmed that existing insureds keep benefits through age 70.

Obituaries

• George Togasaki Decorated by Japan Gov’t, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Kiyoshi George Togasaki of San Francisco and Tokyo received the Order of the Rising Sun, third class, from the Japanese government. He is a former Rotary International vice president and former publisher of the Japan Times.
• Deaths, by P.C. Staff, page 5. A list of obituary notices reports Nisei and Issei deaths in Los Angeles, Fresno, San Francisco, Sacramento, Portland, and Seattle. Each entry gives name, age, and surviving family.

In-Depth

• Tokugawa’s Isolation Edict, by P.C. Staff, page 1. This Japanese American Research Project feature describes the Tokugawa regime’s seclusion policy and the 1636 edict forbidding Japanese from going abroad. It also recounts the story of Sam Patch, a shipwrecked sailor who chose to remain with Commodore Perry’s expedition.

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