Elections and a convention ahead: the June 26, 1970 issue

Vol. 70, No. 25, June 26, 1970. 8 pages. View this issue

The coming National JACL Convention in Chicago ran through this eight-page issue. National JACL President Jerry Enomoto wrote about the unusual number of candidates seeking office, and the paper carried a convention agenda, profiles of twelve nominees for JACLer of the Biennium, and statements from candidates including Ray Uno and Dr. Tom Taketa. Letters from Yori Wada, Joe Kadowaki and William Hohri weighed in on the elections. Sacramento JACL planned a dinner to thank Enomoto after four years as president.

Elsewhere, five reviewers took on Bill Hosokawa’s book Nisei: The Quiet Americans, among them Allan Beekman and George Ringwald. Tetsuo Shigyo, a Sansei born at Tule Lake, described returning to the camp where he was born. Don Hayashi wrote of a clash between police and students at Portland State College, and a boxscore listed support for repeal of Title II.

What’s in this issue

JACL

• Upcoming Elections, by Jerry Enomoto, page 1. National JACL President Jerry Enomoto reflects on the unprecedented number of candidates seeking JACL leadership positions ahead of the national convention, calling for strong, flexible leadership that respects both youth idealism and experience. He also defends Bill Marutani’s controversial convention speech on JACL relevancy, praising Marutani’s honesty and civil rights work.
• 12 Named for ‘JACLer of Biennium’, page 1. Twelve candidates have been nominated for the 1969-70 JACLer of the Biennium award, including the Dr. Randolph M. Sakada Memorial Award, with a new point system being used to evaluate candidates’ contributions at national, district, and chapter levels. The final decision will be made by the JACL National Board before the Chicago convention.
• NC-WNDYC Comment on Cambodia, page 1. The Northern California-Western Nevada District Youth Council received a form-letter reply from the State Department regarding its objections to the Cambodia incursion, which denied the action constituted an invasion. DYC chairman Carolyn Uchiyama also received responses from Sen. Alan Cranston detailing his amendment to end the war.
• Sacramento to Host ‘Thanks Jerry’ Night, page 1. Sacramento JACL is hosting an informal dinner on June 27 to honor outgoing National JACL President Jerry Enomoto as he steps down after four years. Enomoto will speak about JACL’s direction in the 1970s before relocating from Sacramento for a job promotion.
• NC-WNDC Set for June 28 Meeting, page 1. The Northern California-Western Nevada District Council will hold a special pre-national convention meeting on June 28 to discuss convention matters and a proposed constitutional amendment for direct election of the district governor. National Director Mas Satow announced that a planned special charter flight to Chicago was cancelled due to insufficient chapter response.
• Agenda for 21st Biennial National Convention Set, page 1. The National JACL Convention in Chicago will feature five sessions totaling 15.5 hours, including presentation of the National Planning Commission report and special budget requests totaling $119,000. Key issues to be discussed include the future of the Washington JACL office and a proposed separate division for social and political matters.
• Masaoka Testimonial Trust Fund Report, page 3. The weekly report from the Masaoka Testimonial Trust Fund committee acknowledged 354 contributions totaling $4,398, bringing the overall total to $24,588 from 1,449 donors as of June 12. Shig Wakamatsu will represent JACL at the testimonial dinner for Mike Masaoka’s 30 years of service, to be held July 9 in Chicago.
• Brief Profiles of JACLer of Biennium Candidates, page 4. Short biographical profiles describe the twelve candidates nominated for JACLer of the Biennium award, highlighting their contributions including civil rights work, chapter leadership, historical preservation projects, and community programs. Candidates include Dr. David Miura, James Murakami, Henry Taketa, Henry Tanaka, Dr. Yoshiye Togasaki, Edison Uno, and Raymond Uno.
• A Hair-Y Convention, page 5. The Chicago JACL convention will feature a special performance of the musical ‘HAIR’ on Friday, July 17, with tickets available for $10 each. The Convention Board has left ample free time for delegates to enjoy Chicago attractions like the John Hancock building and Lake Michigan boat tours.

National

• Oriental Home Found Assessed 280 Per Cent Above Its Average, page 1. Seattle JACL investigated unequal property tax assessments after discovering three Oriental-owned homes were assessed far above the neighborhood average, though no official discrimination charge was made. The chapter is now seeking volunteers to conduct further spot checks of assessment records, particularly for non-English-speaking Oriental homeowners.
• Lower Airmail Rate to Far East Sought, page 1. Sen. Hiram Fong questioned why airmail rates to the Far East (25 cents) are higher than rates to Europe (20 cents) in a letter to the Postmaster General. He asked whether the Far East rate could be lowered to match European rates.
• Inouye’s Mail ’20-1′ Against Nixon’s Decision, page 1. Sen. Daniel Inouye criticized President Nixon’s decision to send troops into Cambodia, saying his constituent mail ran 20-to-1 against the policy and that he fears for the survival of the American system of government. Inouye also expressed concern about South Vietnam’s continued presence in Cambodia and called for ending U.S. involvement in Indochina at the earliest possible date.
• San Francisco Schools Seek Specialist in Asian American Studies, Workshop, page 2. Sixty-four years after the 1906 resolution segregating Oriental schoolchildren, the San Francisco Board of Education is establishing a full-time Asian American Ethnic Studies Teacher Specialist position, to be filled for the first time by an Asian American teacher. Nine candidates, including two Nisei women active in JACL committees, were interviewed for the post responsible for developing Japanese American curriculum.
• Current Stock Market Lowers Endowment Fund, page 3. Despite stock market fluctuations, the JACL Endowment Fund’s net asset value stood at $471,848.76 as of March 31, with Dr. George Miyake, fund chairman, confident it will reach its $1,000,000 goal. The fund committee is recommending a president’s ad hoc committee to reappraise the fund’s purpose given changed circumstances since 1952.
• Title II Repeal Boxscore, page 4. A comprehensive list documents the many national, state, regional, county, and local organizations, churches, and public officials who have gone on record favorably commenting on repeal of Title II (the Emergency Detention Act), crediting much of this success to JACL members’ efforts. The boxscore spans from 1968 through 1970 and includes civil rights organizations, labor unions, city councils, and newspaper editorials.
• Public Works, by Richard Gima, page 7. Sen. Daniel Inouye urged Senate approval of $256,000 in funding for six Hawaii public works projects including harbor construction and flood control. The column also covers Hawaii political news including fundraisers for Sen. Hiram Fong and gubernatorial campaign developments.
• Japan’s No. 3 Car: Mazda Enters Northwest Market, by Joe Hamanaka, page 7. Mazda, Japan’s third-largest automaker, is launching sales operations in the Pacific Northwest with its distinctive rotary engine vehicles, establishing dealerships and an American headquarters. The company faces intense competition from established Japanese imports like Toyota, Datsun, and Honda as well as domestic manufacturers.

Community

• Rural JCCA Not Busy, But Won’t Disband, by Jay Walz, page 1. The Japanese Canadian Citizens Association in Lethbridge, Alberta, considered disbanding due to lack of pressing issues, reflecting how Japanese Canadians there have largely integrated into the wider community since WWII internment. The article profiles several successful Japanese Canadian families, including farmers and businessmen, who settled permanently in the area after the war.
• ‘Go For Broke’ East Los Angeles Youth Organize to Fight Delinquency Issues, page 1. A new youth organization called ‘Go For Broke’ (GFB) has been established in East Los Angeles to address drug abuse, school dropouts, and delinquency among Asian American youth who could not easily access similar groups like Yellow Brotherhood. The group has formed a board of community leaders and held its first orientation meeting, car wash, and general meeting in June.
• Inside WRA Camp Part of Seattle Museum Display, page 1. The Seattle Museum of History and Industry will host a special JACL exhibit titled ‘Japanese American Pride and Shame’ from July 7-Sept. 30, featuring a full-scale mock-up of a WWII relocation center barrack. The exhibit will also cover Japanese pioneers in the Pacific Northwest and early immigrant history.
• Issei Want to Live in Little Tokyo, page 1. A preliminary study of a Little Tokyo redevelopment questionnaire distributed throughout Southern California shows overwhelming favorable response from Issei for senior citizen housing in the area. Mori Nishida is leading the senior citizens component of the development project.
• Asian Curriculum Workshop to Start, page 2. The Berkeley Unified School District’s Asian American Task Force is beginning a six-week summer workshop on June 29 to develop Asian American studies curriculum materials, with Professor Stanford Lyman as kickoff speaker. The workshop will involve 12 teachers, 7 parents, and 20 students working in six sections, funded by a $27,000 Board of Education appropriation.
• Japanese Course at Dorsey High May Be Cut, page 2. The Japanese Language program at Dorsey High School, taught continuously since 1963, is at risk of elimination because it remains classified as ‘experimental,’ jeopardizing 60 currently enrolled students. Teacher June Hatanaka remains on non-permanent status despite requests for proficiency examination certification.
• News Capsules, page 2. A roundup of community news items including school and career promotions, Nisei Week queen contestants, scholarship recipients, retirements, and business achievements among Japanese Americans across the country. Highlights include Nisei Week queen candidates Claudie Kadota and Jean Kadonaga, and various business executive promotions.
• Stockton Issues New $500 Award in Memory of Teacher, page 3. Stockton JACL presented its first Elizabeth Humbargar Scholarship of $500 to Julia Yamaoka, honoring the retired teacher who befriended Japanese Americans since prewar years, along with two $100 chapter scholarships to Matthew Shiroma and Ken Nishikawa. The scholarship will be awarded annually to the Japanese American high school graduate with the highest grade point average.
• Cold Rocks, Warm Friendship: Earth Science Sister City Clubs, page 3. West Los Angeles JACL’s Earth Science Section established a sister rock club affiliation with Japanese clubs in Nagoya, exchanging rock and fossil specimens including a gem mosaic of Mt. Fuji gifted by Nagoya’s mayor. The Los Angeles group promised to reciprocate with American rock specimens and fossils.
• Our War at Home, by Don Hayashi, page 6. Don Hayashi provides a firsthand account of a violent confrontation between police and student protesters at Portland State College over a plastic tent symbol, resulting in 31 injured students and 7 arrests. The piece describes the tense campus atmosphere following Nixon’s Cambodia decision and the Kent State shootings, including a subsequent 3,000-person march on City Hall.
• Hayward to Celebrate International Day, page 6. Cal State Hayward will host International Day on June 28 at the Botany Gardens, featuring Japanese cultural demonstrations including tea ceremony by Kiyoko Morita, flower arrangements by Mrs. Suiyo Fujimoto, and classical dance performances. Community groups are joining the university for the event.
• Benefit Movie, page 6. The Japanese American Service Committee in Chicago is holding a benefit movie screening June 26-27 at Viking Hall to raise funds for summer Creative Workshops for Sansei, featuring the anti-war films ‘Hiroshima-Nagasaki’ and ‘I Live in Fear’ starring Toshiro Mifune.
• People Who Still Care, by Jeanne Konishi, page 6. Salt Lake JACL’s annual Memorial Day service honored Nisei war dead at City Cemetery, with Gold Star Mother Mrs. T. Ogawa laying a wreath and approximately 200 people attending including Japanese consular officials. The column also covers San Jose JACL’s protest against a Bay bridge proposal and San Gabriel Valley JACL’s Issei recognition dinner.
• Prog. Westsiders Take Up Beat on Ethnic Studies, by Bonnie Shimasaki, page 6. Progressive Westside JACL is shifting its focus toward an Asian American Education Project after hearing a speaker on education, planning to fund the initiative through their annual pancake breakfast. The young adult chapter (ages 18-35) aims to balance educational advocacy with continued social activities for members.
• 61 Players Compete in Alameda JACL Golf Meet, page 6. A record field of 61 players competed in the third annual Alameda JACL golf tournament, with Ted Goto winning at 67 (net). The tournament was organized by Gordon Kono, Harry Ushijima, and Dr. Kay Takeoka with various prize sponsors.

Commentary

• Washington Newsletter: 18-Year-Old Voting Rights Bill, by Mike Masaoka, page 2. Mike Masaoka reports on the House passage of a historic bill lowering the voting age to 18 and extending the Voting Rights Act of 1965, noting JACL’s support for the legislation. The column discusses the political implications of enfranchising millions of young voters and questions whether they will exercise this new power given historically low turnout among young voters.
• The Chasm in the Basement, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Bill Hosokawa reflects personally on watching movers clear out his daughter Christie’s belongings for her move to Texas, while reminiscing about his son Pete who left behind fishing and sporting gear when he moved to Los Angeles. He muses on parenting, time spent with his children, and hopes to share these mementos with his grandchildren someday.
• Dec. 7, 1941 Headline Still in Window Display, by George Yoshinaga, page 8. Columnist George Yoshinaga recounts his visit to Tucson, Arizona, describing the heat, local Japanese-made souvenir goods marketed as ‘authentic Indian’ items, and his discomfort at discovering a ‘Japs Bomb Pearl Harbor’ newspaper headline framed and displayed at the local Evening Citizen newspaper office. He reflects wryly on being frequently mistaken for Native American during his travels through the Southwest.
• Ye Editor’s Desk, by Harry K. Honda, page 8. The editor reflects on the Dodgers’ upcoming 1,000th game in Los Angeles and recalls that the same evening in 1958 saw a tragic shooting of honor student Richard Sumii at a dance party, sparking community concern about juvenile delinquency. The piece traces the evolution of youth programs addressing delinquency from that era through current efforts like Yellow Brotherhood and Go For Broke.
• Letters from Our Readers: Nisei of Biennium, by Yori Wada, page 8. Yori Wada defends National JACL President Jerry Enomoto against criticism from Dr. Clifford Uyeda and Steve Doi regarding the selection process for ‘Nisei of the Biennium,’ arguing the public attacks were unnecessarily harsh. Wada expresses support for Enomoto’s leadership during critical times for the organization.
• Letters from Our Readers: JACL Candidates, by Joe Kadowaki, page 8. Joe Kadowaki of the Cleveland Chapter endorses Henry Tanaka for National JACL President-elect, citing his 23 years of dedicated JACL service, leadership experience, and professional background in mental health rehabilitation. The letter emphasizes the need for experienced leadership capable of bridging old and new approaches during changing times.
• Letters from Our Readers: Election Process Critique, by William Hohri, page 8. William Hohri criticizes the low engagement of JACL membership, noting only three dozen attended a Chicago chapter meeting out of 1,000 members, and argues elections are often uncontested and uninformed. He suggests candidates should respond to a published questionnaire so delegates can make informed decisions based on substance rather than personality.
• Letters from Our Readers: Dr. S.I. Hayakawa, by Clifford Uyeda, page 8. Clifford Uyeda defends his long acquaintance with Dr. S.I. Hayakawa, describing him as a dedicated political and social liberal who has evolved his views on ethnic identity since coming to the Pacific Coast in 1955. Uyeda notes Hayakawa’s outspoken positions on college reform have been echoed by other university presidents.
• Guest Column: An Act of Trespass to Visit Okei Grave Bothers a Visitor, by James N. Ono, page 8. James Ono describes his emotional pilgrimage to trespass onto private land to visit the gravesite of Okei, a Wakamatsu colonist, feeling pride and connection to Japanese American heritage despite finding only plastic flowers at the grave. He proposes that JACL chapters nationally contribute funds to purchase the gravesite land to permanently preserve this historic site.
• JACL’s Prime Responsibility, page 8. An opinion piece argues JACL’s first responsibility is advancing civil rights and employment opportunities for Japanese Americans while remaining flexible enough to address both local and national issues affecting younger and older generations. The piece emphasizes the organization must balance differing viewpoints while maintaining its core mission.
• Significant Force in the Movement, by Ray Uno, page 8. National Presidential candidate Ray Uno argues JACL can be a significant force in the national civil rights movement despite its small size, calling for action on social and economic disparities. He pledges that if elected, he would work to make JACL an organization that can look back with pride at having shaped a better America.
• A Major JACL Project in the ’70s, by Dr. Tom Taketa, page 8. Presidential candidate Dr. Tom Taketa proposes JACL undertake a major education project in the 1970s to create supplementary curriculum materials on Japanese American history for elementary and high school students. He also outlines additional priority areas including programming for youth chapters if elected.

Incarceration & Redress

• Birthplace Revisited: Tule Lake, by Tetsuo Shigyo, page 4. Tetsuo Shigyo, a Sansei born at Tule Lake Relocation Camp, describes his emotional journey back to his birthplace with another Sansei student, finding weather-beaten barracks, guard towers, and gun emplacements still standing, along with a cross built by prisoners on a nearby hill. They met Mr. H, a local resident, who shared memories of the camp and barbed wire fences, helping the author discover and connect with his heritage.

Arts & Entertainment

• Checkmate: ‘California Generation’, by Ron Hayashi, page 5. The columnist reviews the novel ‘California Generation’ by Jacqueline Briskin, soon to be a Columbia Pictures movie, expressing discomfort with its portrayal of a Japanese American protagonist dating a white ‘fox’ while his Japanese American girlfriend is described unflatteringly. He reflects on how such portrayals affect self-image among Japanese American men and women.
• Book Review: ‘Nisei’ Full of Contradictions, by Allan Beekman, page 5. Allan Beekman critically reviews Bill Hosokawa’s book ‘Nisei: The Quiet Americans,’ arguing the subtitle itself is contradictory since the book documents significant activism and resistance. The review praises Hosokawa’s firsthand JACL knowledge but criticizes his personal involvement for coloring his judgment regarding the wartime evacuation experience.
• Performing Arts Series: Japanese Puppet Theater Book, by H.H., page 5. Weatherhill has published ‘BUNRAKU: The Puppet Theater’ by Donald Keene with photography by Kaneko Ando, part of a series on Japanese performing arts including Kabuki, Buyo, Noh, and Gagaku. The richly illustrated book details the history and technique of Japanese puppetry.
• For the Young Reader, by H.H., page 5. Yoshiko Uchida’s new children’s book ‘Makoto the Smaller Boy’ tells the story of a young boy in Kyoto who discovers his talents with help from a master potter neighbor. Also reviewed is Audrey McKim’s ‘Judy and the Moons of Korea,’ which describes Korean children’s festivals and customs.
• Quiet Acceptance: More Hosokawa Book Reviews, by George Ringwald, page 5. George Ringwald critiques Bill Hosokawa’s ‘Nisei: The Quiet Americans’ for implying Japanese Americans passively accepted wartime discrimination, contrasting this with the historical record of Supreme Court dissents by Justices Murphy and Jackson condemning the racist basis of evacuation. The review questions whether ‘acceptance’ and ‘quiet cooperation’ truly served Japanese Americans compared to other minority groups’ civil rights struggles.
• Nisei: The Quiet Americans Should Be Read, by Rev. Victor Fujiu, page 5. Rev. Victor Fujiu offers a positive review of Hosokawa’s book, describing it as well-researched and readable, divided into three parts covering early immigration years, the wartime years of travail, and postwar fulfillment. He finds the book balanced in its treatment of controversial issues like evacuation and resistance within the Japanese American community.
• A Minority That Could, by Budd Fukei, page 5. Budd Fukei reviews Hosokawa’s ‘Nisei’ favorably, describing it as an engaging account of how Japanese Americans overcame discrimination to achieve acceptance in American society. The review highlights the book’s comprehensive historical scope from early immigration through the postwar period.
• Tagawa’s ‘Antoku Tenno’, by Joe Oyama, page 5. Young composer Rick Tagawa, a Julliard student from Chicago, had his musical work ‘Antoku Tenno’ performed by the Julliard Repertory Orchestra, based on an elegy about the child emperor’s suicide from the medieval epic Heike Monogatari. The piece was conducted by 26-year-old Dennis Russell Davies and well-received by an appreciative audience.
• Prima from Japan: Yoko Morishita, by Joe Oyama, page 5. Ballerina Yoko Morishita, described as having exquisite proportions and technique comparable to legendary dancers like Fonteyn and Danilova, performed in New York drawing special interest from the dance community. Her appearance at the 92nd Street YM-YWHA concert hall was described as an exciting event for ballet enthusiasts.

Sports

• Chicago, Chicago: Dance, Dance, Dance…, by Lily Liu, page 6. A feature on Chicago’s discotheque scene describes the music and dance culture frequented by young people across the city, recommending venues like the ‘Green Gorilla’ in Des Plaines and ‘The End’ in Park Ridge. The piece captures the diverse music styles popular at the time, from soul to hard rock.

In-Depth

• Touring Expo ’70, by Jim Henry, page 7. A detailed account of navigating Japan’s Expo ’70 describes the extensive walking required to see the grounds, electric taxi services driven by young women facing harassment from visitors, and the convenient monorail system connecting seven strategic stops. The piece includes statistics about the massive scale and daily attendance of the world’s fair.

Thank you for exploring the Pacific Citizen archive. The title, introduction and contents on this page were written by an AI model from scans of the printed issue, so they may contain mistakes. If you spot one, we would be grateful if you let us know.