Vol. 75, No. 8, August 25, 1972. 6 pages. View this issue
Sanshiro Miyamoto, a 5-foot-5 Nisei in Detroit, was the subject of the lead story: he had stretched, gained weight and slept with a neck brace to meet the police height and weight rules, after being rejected twice. JACL matters filled the rest of the front page. Membership passed 26,200, with four chapters above 1,000, and the NC-WNDC voted to keep national headquarters in San Francisco. Harry K. Honda reported that youth delegates in Salt Lake City renamed the Jr. JACL Japanese American Youth (JAY).
Columns on page 2 included Shig Sugiyama on the Ushio controversy, Frank Twama on the National Convention, and Joe Hamanaka and Moonray Kojima on the Kenzo trademark. Elsewhere are a profile of artist Mine Okubo, a reunion of Boy Scout leaders recalled by Ed Matsuda, and a profile of 442nd veteran Dick Itanaga.
What’s in this issue
Military & Veterans
- Strenuous Efforts of Detroit Nisei to Become Policeman Cited, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Sanshiro Miyamoto, a 5-foot-5 Nisei bantamweight, has tried stretching, weight gain, and other measures to meet Detroit’s police height and weight requirements after being rejected twice. Critics argue height standards are arbitrary and unrelated to an officer’s ability to perform the job.
- Dick Itanaga: Mr. Madison Avenue, by Jim Henry, page 6. 442nd veteran Dick Itanaga, a media promotion specialist in New York advertising, discusses his career and the challenge of competing in a talent-rich field. He also reflects on how his combat experience changed his outlook.
Community
- Four Chapters Pass 1,000-Member Mark as JACL Membership Reaches Record 26,200, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL national membership surpassed 26,200 as of August 11, a new record, with four chapters now exceeding 1,000 members. San Francisco, San Jose, Chicago, and Gardena Valley lead the way, and over 48 chapters also topped last year’s totals.
- Jr. JACL Convention Changes Name to JAY, by Harry K. Honda, page 1. Nearly 150 youth delegates at the first separate national youth convention in Salt Lake City adopted the new name Japanese American Youth (JAY) by a close vote. The convention also restated purposes focused on Asian American identity, cultural heritage, and leadership.
- Translation Project Hit by Rising Printing Cost, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The English translation of Hyakunen Zakura, a 100-year history of Japanese in the Pacific Northwest, faces higher printing costs in Japan due to yen-dollar revaluation. The project is expected to be completed by 1975.
- Resthaven Community Mental Health Council Criticizes County Director, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Ethnic community leaders criticized Los Angeles County Mental Health chief Dr. Harry Brickman for suggesting funds could shift between ethnic groups. The Resthaven council rejected his offer to limit existing funds to Asian and Chicano patients.
- Japanese Christian Weddings Boom in Tokyo, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Aoyama Gakuin University’s wedding hall performs about 2,000 Protestant weddings a year, most for couples who are not practicing Christians. The article describes the popularity of Western-style ceremonies among young Tokyo couples.
- Reunion with Old Scoutmaster, by Ed Matsuda, page 5. A 61-member Boy Scout group from Aichi Renmei, Nagoya, visited Los Angeles, where Eddie Masao Matsuda met Kenzo Masuda, who had started a Boy Scout troop in Osaka in 1915. Matsuda recounts his own role in organizing Japanese American scout troops in Los Angeles and at Heart Mountain.
- Dog Days of Summer in Tokyo, by Mas Manbo, page 5. The column describes Japan’s summer Bon season and the popularity of horror films and television shows during the hot weather. It focuses on the enduring appeal of the ghost story Yotsuya Kaidan and its heroine Oiwa.
JACL
- Quo Vadis: Whither JACL, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The NC-WNDC third quarterly session addressed the trademark resolution, dues, and a proposed national health care and cultural complex in San Francisco. The article argues JACL must balance membership service with community involvement and support the energy of young members.
- NC-WNDC Wants HQ to Stay in San Francisco, by P.C. Staff, page 1. At its August 12 session in Mountain View, the NC-WNDC voted to keep JACL national headquarters in San Francisco in response to a national request for district input. The council also discussed the controversial selection of Ushio as executive director.
- Where the Action Was: Washington, D.C., by Frank Twama, page 2. A Sacramento JACL delegate recounts impressions of the 22nd biennial National Convention, praising the talent within JACL. He also explains the process by which Ushio was selected as executive director designate through committee, board, and council votes.
National
- Hawaii Summit with Pres. Nixon Latest of Challenges for Tanaka, by Allan Beekman, page 1. The August 31 to September 1 meeting between President Nixon and Premier Kakuei Tanaka in Honolulu will address trade imbalances and Japan’s distribution system. The article profiles Tanaka’s rise from a rural background to become Japan’s youngest postwar premier.
- Black Dragon of Manzanar Added to List of Anti-Nisei Films, by P.C. Staff, page 1. KTTV has agreed not to air the film Black Dragon of Manzanar after a complaint from the Rafu Shimpo and JACL cultural affairs chairman George Takei. The article lists other anti-Nisei films JACL has protested since 1957.
Commentary
- Javits Calls for Massive Asian Aid, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Senator Jacob Javits urged President Nixon and Prime Minister Tanaka to agree on massive post-Vietnam economic aid for Asia, including Indochina. He argued the time has come for a grand design for Asia’s development.
- Kenzo’s Trademark: Letter from Moonray Kojima, by Moonray Kojima, page 2. Reader Moonray Kojima writes that credit for the agreement with Kenzo Takada on the JAP trademark belongs to George Yuzawa, who spent his own time and money. He outlines the legal history and says some JACL leaders offered help only after the hard work was done.
- Thought on Food, by Naomi Kashiwabara, page 2. Reader Naomi Kashiwabara compares saimin with other island noodle dishes and recommends cop dai juk, a Chinese hot rice and meat porridge. She notes where to find it in San Francisco.
- To the Point: Tsurushiage, by Shig Sugiyama, page 2. Incoming JACL president Shig Sugiyama reflects on the Ushio controversy at the convention and the Japanese concept of tsurushiage, the public pulling down of someone who stands out. He calls for focus on the Washington office, membership drive, and youth programs.
- Area Code 206: Is There a Difference?, by Joe Hamanaka, page 2. Joe Hamanaka argues that Nisei and Sansei who casually use the word Jap undermine the community’s protests against the Kenzo trademark. He urges the community to police its own members’ use of the term.
- Papago Column: Revisiting the Public Eye, page 2. A short column touches on community perceptions and the need for vigilance. The text is heavily garbled by OCR and the article’s content cannot be reliably reconstructed.
- Yen Claim Bill Gains Editorial, Popular Support, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Rep. Spark Matsunaga’s bill to return $4.5 million in seized pre-war savings to about 2,000 elderly Japanese Americans gained committee approval and editorial praise from the Evening Star and Daily News. The editorial called the seizure sleazy and urged speedy passage.
Incarceration & Redress
- Congressional Record: Farm Subsidies Debate, by Ross Harano, page 2. A Senate debate over reducing the maximum federal crop subsidy from $55,000 to $20,000 was defeated, and the columnist reviews the Record’s listing of California subsidy recipients. Few Nisei farms appear among the largest recipients, with most being small operations.
Arts & Entertainment
- Mine Okubo: Artist’s Search for Personality and Identity, by P.C. Staff, page 4. A profile of artist Mine Okubo traces her stylistic evolution from grim depictions of camp life to a happier, more abstract approach. She explains her philosophy of self-research and her choice to remain unmarried in pursuit of her art.
- I Am a Cat: Review of Soseki Natsume’s Maiden Novel, by P.C. Staff, page 5. A review of the Tuttle translation of Soseki Natsume’s I Am a Cat, which began as a short story and grew into a satirical serial. The reviewer notes the book’s humor, psychological insight, and the difficulty of translating the title and tone.
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