Okinawa’s return, a new PNW governor and a bowling tournament

Vol. 74, No. 1, January 7, 1972. 8 pages. View this issue

News of the new year ranged from Japan and Washington to local chapters. At the Nixon-Sato summit in San Clemente, the two leaders agreed to return Okinawa to Japanese control on May 15, and Yuji Ichioka began a four-part series on the reversion. Dr. James Watanabe of Spokane was elected governor of the Pacific Northwest JACL District Council, and National JACL President Raymond Uno named Harry Kawahara to head the JACL Education unit. Plans for the 1972 National JACL Bowling Tournament were also under way, with over 1,000 bowlers expected.

Also in this 8-page issue: Dennis Fujii’s view of the Vietnam war, Jerry Enomoto’s column on the TV movie ‘If Tomorrow Comes,’ and Warren Furutani’s New Year essay. Chapter news covered new officers at Watsonville, Sonoma County and Fremont, along with a visit by Lt. Gov. George Ariyoshi. Wally Yonamine’s new post as manager of the Chunichi Dragons is also reported.

What’s in this issue

Community

• Dr. Watanabe of Spokane elected PNW governor, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Dr. James Watanabe of Spokane was elected governor of the Pacific Northwest JACL District Council at the district convention hosted by the Seattle chapter on Dec. 5. Outgoing governor Tak Kubota was honored, and youth involvement in JACL was raised during the business session.
• 1,000 keglers due for 1972 National JACL Bowling Tournament, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Over 1,000 bowlers from across the U.S. and two teams from Japan are expected for the 1972 National JACL Bowling Tournament, co-hosted by Gardena Valley JACL and Southern California Nisei bowling associations, March 6-11 in Redondo Beach. Activities include a mixer, a fashion show, and an awards dinner-dance aboard the Queen Mary.
• Fuzzy Shimada rolls his fourth 300 game, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Fuzzy Shimada bowled his fourth 300 game on Dec. 12 in the Tri-City Nisei tournament at Sunnyvale Bowl. His earlier perfect games were made possible after the American Bowling Congress removed its all-white membership clause.
• Spokane JACLers speaking out against subtle anti-Nikkei bias, by Alden Cross, page 1. Spokane JACL president Yone Ota and past president Frank Hisayasu say the chapter is becoming more active in confronting job discrimination and other subtle bias against Japanese Americans. They also describe efforts to engage younger members and the lack of local youth opportunities.
• Sequoia JACLer seeks proclamation for ‘Respect for Aged’ day, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Charles Kubokawa, president of Sequoia JACL, proposed a national holiday honoring elderly citizens on Sept. 15. Rep. Charles Gubser introduced a joint resolution to authorize the proclamation.
• Lt. Gov. Ariyoshi to address Orange County JACL inaugural Sunday, by Ken Hayashi, page 3. Hawaii Lt. Gov. George Ariyoshi is scheduled to speak at the Orange County JACL installation dinner on Jan. 16 in Santa Ana. He is reportedly being groomed for the governorship.
• Tomozawa heads Watsonville JACL, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Dr. Francis Tomozawa was installed as president of Watsonville JACL at the annual dinner in December, with former national president Jerry Enomoto as installing officer. Enomoto spoke about his work in California correctional institutions.
• Chapter pulse: Sonoma County re-elects same cabinet for 1972, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Sonoma County JACL re-elected Fred Yokoyama as president and kept the same cabinet officers for 1972. Officers were installed by National Director Mas Satow at a joint dinner with the Enmanji Buddhist Temple.
• Fremont JACL installs Tanouye as president, by Aileen Tsujimoto, page 3. Harry Tanouye was installed as Fremont JACL president at the annual dinner. Mayor William van Doorn and John Baker of the Community Drug Council spoke about civic issues and drug abuse in the Tri-City area.
• Ron Lai, Edison Uno to head Bay Area Community JACL, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Ron Lai of Berkeley and Edison Uno of San Francisco were elected co-chairmen of the Bay Area Community JACL for 1972, succeeding Ray Okamura. Both have long records of civic involvement.
• Nagaoka—Seattle: What makes Seattle run, by Eira Nagaoka, page 5. Seattle JACL’s board has shifted toward a more socially conscious stance as a new generation of activists joins longtime members. The column describes the chapter’s committees, projects, and the mix of old guard and younger leaders.
• Shimura in New York, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Hircaki Shimura visited New York and presented Mayor John Lindsay with a carved personal seal, having met him during an earlier Tokyo visit. The article describes the mayor’s hospitality and the gifts exchanged.
• School bussing poll, by Sachiko Oyama, page 5. A survey of 595 residents in Los Angeles area Japanese American communities found mixed views on school bussing, with overall favor and opposition roughly balanced and many holding no opinion. Respondents cited concerns about involvement, distance, and children’s activities.
• First voluntary action center set up for Asian Americans in Los Angeles, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The National Center for Voluntary Action awarded a $10,000 start-up grant for an Asian American Voluntary Action Center in Los Angeles. The center will recruit and place volunteers serving Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, and Samoan communities.

National

• Census Bureau says no Asians in U.S. Congress, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A Census Bureau table classified all members of Congress as either white or Negro, omitting Asian American legislators such as Senators Inouye and Fong and Representatives Mink and Matsunaga. Hawaii statistician Robert Schmitt criticized the report’s accuracy.
• U.S.-Japan ‘hot line’ established, Okinawa reversion set for May 15, by P.C. Staff, page 1. At the Nixon-Sato summit in San Clemente, the two leaders agreed to return Okinawa to Japanese control on May 15 and to establish a Washington-Tokyo hot line. The summit also produced agreements on textile export limits.
• Sul Mineta accuses legislators of gerrymandering, by P.C. Staff, page 1. San Jose Mayor Norman Mineta testified that the state legislature’s reapportionment plan added chunks of San Jose to existing districts to preserve incumbency. The Reinecke Commission held hearings in response.
• U.S.-Japan textile limit treaty signed, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Japan agreed to limit exports of wool and man-made fiber textiles to the U.S. over three years, with annual caps rising each year. The agreement includes a provision allowing either country to seek consultation if its textile industry is harmed.

JACL

• Kawahara named head of JACL Education unit, by P.C. Staff, page 1. National JACL President Raymond Uno appointed Harry Kawahara to head the JACL Education unit. The appointment was announced from Salt Lake City.

Military & Veterans

• Isle hero says Vietnam war a ‘lost cause’, by Douglas Woo, page 1. Dennis Fujii, a Hawaii soldier awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for rescuing wounded from a Vietnam outpost, says the war is a lost cause and that he is not against military life or benefits. Fujii, now a civilian, describes his growing antiwar feelings after a second tour of duty.

Commentary

• Letters from our readers, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Readers respond to the TV movie ‘If Tomorrow Comes,’ criticize the anonymity of certain writers, and share reflections on heritage and the New Year. Letters express differing views on the film’s portrayal of Japanese Americans.
• Repeal Title II, by Kaz Oshiki, page 2. A letter writer responds to earlier critiques of the campaign to repeal Title II of the Internal Security Act, defending the role of JACL and Washington lobbyists. He argues that federal repeal efforts depend on congressional action.
• Happy New Year, by Warren Furutani, page 2. Furutani reflects on the New Year as an occasion for resolutions that often go unkept, and argues that the nation’s real problems will persist past the holiday. He urges that the November election be treated as a meaningful opportunity for change.
• Perspectives, by Jerry Enomoto, page 2. Enomoto recounts a White Christmas with family and offers a critique of the ABC movie ‘If Tomorrow Comes.’ He also praises the Watsonville JACL and the JACL Student Aid Program and its Abe Hagiwara Memorial Fund.
• Frying Pan, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A columnist recounts a rainy New York visit, describing umbrella peddlers, chestnut sellers, rising taxi fares, and being addressed in Japanese at a restaurant and airline office. The column reflects on how Japanese Americans are perceived in New York.
• Book review: Author fails to establish case, by Allan Beekman, page 6. A reviewer assesses David Bergamini’s book on Emperor Hirohito’s role in Japan’s war and finds its evidence and conclusions unconvincing. He argues that the author misreads sources and relies on unverifiable material.

In-Depth

• JACL International Affairs: Part I, the Okinawa reversion, by Yuji Ichioka, page 2. Part I of a four-part series examines Okinawa’s historical background and its postwar status under U.S. control. It describes the 1971 reversion agreement and the opposition it generated among Okinawans.
• Decision to run for top Hawaiian post due in ’73, depends on state programs, by Douglas Boswell, page 3. Lt. Gov. George Ariyoshi says his decision on running for governor will come in mid-1973 and will depend on political conditions and state programs. He discusses his role in the Hamakua Coast pollution settlement and other state assignments.

Sports

• Wally Yonamine named manager of Chunichi Dragons, by Monte Ito, page 6. Hawaii-born Wally Yonamine was appointed manager of the Chunichi Dragons of Japan’s Central League, succeeding his old friend Shigeru Mizuhara. The article reviews Yonamine’s playing career, batting titles, and coaching work in Japan.

Obituaries

• Hiro Miyatake dies at 67, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Hiro Miyatake, a Los Angeles photographer, died of cancer on Jan. 2 at age 67. He is survived by his husband Toyo and children Archie, Robert, Richard and Minnie Takahashi.

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