Vol. 71, No. 25, December 18, 1970. 60 pages. View this issue
JACL’s past and future ran through this 60-page holiday issue of 1970. National president Raymond Uno looked ahead to 1971 on the front page, and John Fujimori and Ellen Sakai each wrote about how the organization was changing. Mike Masaoka filed his biennial report from Washington and thanked friends for their support. Bill Hosokawa wrote about the Japanese on the East Coast, and about Heart Mountain residents who pushed back against a Dies Committee investigation in 1943. The 442nd Regimental Combat Team was honored in a report that included a rededication at the Rohwer camp cemetery.
Other pieces included Darrell Houston’s survey of Asian American activism in the Pacific Northwest, Kazumi Miyata’s study of Japanese in Canada, and Allan Beekman on the road to Pearl Harbor. Wayne Maeda, Barbara Yoshida and George Takei wrote about visits to Japan. The issue also carries the chapter membership records and the 1000 Club Honor Roll, and about 40 of its pages hold holiday greetings.
What’s in this issue
Commentary
- Thoughts as 1971 Approaches, by Raymond Uno, page 1. JACL national president Raymond Uno reflects on the organization’s past transitions and the year ahead, thanking members and staff for their support. He pledges that future columns will focus on the programs and activities of JACL and how the organization is serving its membership.
- Story for the New Year: It’s All in the Way You Look at Life, by James Kubota, page 1. A parable is retold of a Nisei woman whose car overheats on a freeway and whose experience at a service station is initially a frustrating ordeal. Her Issei mother’s perspective reframes the day as one of good fortune.
- Showdown at Generation Gap, by William Marumoto, page 2. Marumoto addresses the Orange County JAYs, reflecting on the purposes of Japanese American youth organizations and the generational tensions between Sansei and their elders. He urges young people to work within the system, seek understanding across generations, and recognize the historical struggles their parents faced.
- Mike Masaoka’s Biennial Washington Report, by Mike M. Masaoka, page 13. Masaoka reviews the Washington JACL office’s activities over the past biennium, including the campaign to repeal Title II of the Internal Security Act and changes in Supreme Court composition. He argues the organization needs a full-time Washington office to meet growing demands.
- The JACL Story: Changing Emphasis of the JACL, by John Fujimori, page 19. Fujimori traces the evolution of JACL from its early goals of establishing Nisei citizenship and economic position to the postwar emphasis on integration and minority rights. He argues the organization must now embrace a multicultural vision of American society.
- Nisei Fear Japan as Super Power No. 3, by Joe Hamanaka, page 36. Hamanaka expresses concern that deteriorating US-Japan trade relations, especially over textiles, could foster anti-Japanese sentiment that would affect Japanese Americans. He describes Japan’s aggressive economic expansion and warns of the risks of a trade war.
- Nihonjin Assumption Jolts a Sansei Lass, by Barbara Yoshida, page 37. A Seattle Sansei recounts her experience on the JACL-JAL fellowship, surprised by the Japanese assumption that she spoke the language. She describes contrasts between old and new Japan and reflects on her growing appreciation of her heritage.
- Expo ’70 and the Drama of Japan, by George Takei, page 40. Takei describes his impressions of Japan during the summer of 1970, contrasting Expo ’70’s technological showpiece with the alienation and youth protest visible in Tokyo. He reflects on the emotional experience of visiting Hiroshima and the contradictions of modern Japanese society.
National
- Japanese on the East Coast: A Distinctive Story, by Bill Hosokawa, page 1. Hosokawa describes the history of Issei pioneers on the East Coast, including the early Japanese silk and trade businessmen of New York who helped launch United States-Japan commercial relations. He argues that the East Coast Japanese story, though less told, is distinctive and important to the nation’s history.
- Mike Masaoka Thanks Friends for Support, by Mike M. Masaoka, page 3. Masaoka thanks JACL members and friends who contributed to his testimonial at the summer convention, asking that the fund be dedicated to common causes of civil rights and US-Japan cooperation. He notes his gratitude for the support of the many who made the gesture possible.
Incarceration & Redress
- Heart Mountain Evacuees Protest Dies Committee Investigation, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Hosokawa recounts how Dies Committee investigator Gene Hagberg questioned residents of the Heart Mountain WRA camp in May 1943 about loyalty and conditions. Evacuee leaders responded with a forceful defense of their rights and a complaint about the injustice of their confinement.
- Japanese in Canada: Discrimination and Evacuation, by Kazumi Miyata, page 5. Miyata traces the history of anti-Japanese discrimination in British Columbia from the late 1800s through the 1942 wartime evacuation and postwar restrictions. The study argues that the Japanese Canadian experience reflects economic competition, racial prejudice, and the failure of the state to protect minority citizens.
Community
- Color Me Real, Say Pacific Northwest Asians, by Darrell Houston, page 4. A Seattle journalist surveys the growing activism and changing attitudes among Asian Americans in the Pacific Northwest, from the Old Timers to the New Wave. The article examines stereotypes, the generation gap, and emerging demands for political power and ethnic identity.
JACL
- Chapter All-Time Highs and Membership Records, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Pacific Citizen reports all-time membership highs for JACL chapters across the country as of November 1970, with national membership reaching 25,349. The listing includes district council and chapter totals along with the years of previous peaks.
- JACL Reference Section: 1000 Club Honor Roll, by P.C. Staff, page 42. The Honor Roll lists active 1000 Club members by chapter and years of membership as of December 1970. It recognizes the continuing financial support given to JACL by its long-standing members.
Obituaries
- Obituaries of 1970 JACL and Community Figures, by P.C. Staff, page 11. The Pacific Citizen lists notable deaths within the Japanese American community during December 1969 through November 1970, including JACL leaders, pioneers, and civic figures. Each entry gives a brief note on the person’s background and contributions.
Military & Veterans
- Pearl Harbor: Genesis of the Japanese Attack, by Allan Beekman, page 25. Beekman traces how the British aerial torpedo attack on the Italian fleet at Taranto influenced Admiral Yamamoto’s planning for the Pearl Harbor attack. He describes the technical and strategic developments that made a surprise attack on Hawaii possible.
- 442nd Regimental Combat Team Honored, by P.C. Staff, page 41. The Pacific Citizen reports on the continuing recognition of Nisei soldiers, including Arkansas memorial observances and the rededication of monuments at the former Rohwer camp cemetery. The events honor Nisei volunteers who served in the 442nd and in military intelligence.
Arts & Entertainment
- Tokyo’s Showboat Sails No More, by Jim Henry, page 36. Henry recounts the history of Tokyo’s famous Showboat cabaret on the Ginza, popular with American servicemen from the Korean War era, which was demolished and then destroyed by fire. The piece reflects on the passing of a colorful era in Tokyo nightlife.
In-Depth
- Japan Trip Enhances Need of Sansei to Seek an Asian American Identity, by Wayne Maeda, page 37. A Sacramento Sansei who took part in the JACL-JAL summer fellowship reflects on his visit to Japan and how it deepened his sense of identity. He argues that Asian American Ethnic Studies are needed so that Asian Americans can understand their own history and place in society.
- The Changing JACL, by Ellen Sakai, page 52. Sakai, a Hayward JACL member, argues that rapid social change requires new understanding among generations and races within JACL. She urges the organization to take active stands on civil rights issues affecting other minorities while preserving its commitment to democratic methods.
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