Bias in county hiring tests, and a Nisei nurse recalls the camps

Vol. 76, No. 2, January 19, 1973. 6 pages. View this issue

A five-member minority task force accused Los Angeles County officials of racial and ethnic bias in personnel testing, hiring and promotion, and its two-year report led this six-page issue. Elsewhere on the front page, Sen. Daniel K. Inouye called the bombing of North Vietnam racially oriented, and Susan Sunada of the Deseret News told how an 18-year-old Nisei nurse trainee lived through the wartime forced removal and the losses her family never recovered. Peyton Whitely wrote about the struggles of Seattle’s Japanese-language daily, the North American Post, and Allan Beekman covered Japanese capital flowing into Hawaii.

On the commentary pages, Bill Hosokawa traced how Americans have favored China or Japan at each other’s expense, and Jerry Enomoto and K. Patrick Okura each took up a subject of their own. Page 3 and 4 carry chapter news, including Wes Doi’s election as San Francisco JACL president and George Takei as installation speaker in San Jose. A note reports that Cmdr. Gordon Ross Nakagawa was among captured fliers shown in Hanoi.

What’s in this issue

National

• Minority task force accuses county personnel tests replete with bias, page 1. A five-member minority task force accused Los Angeles County officials of racial and ethnic bias in personnel testing, hiring, and promotion after a two-year investigation. The report called for numerous reforms and found minorities and women underrepresented in upper management.
• Japan student slain in N.Y., page 1. Music student Masaharu Tomono of Tokyo was stabbed to death by three robbers in New York on Jan. 1 after refusing their demand for money. He was the second Japanese murdered by robbers in the city following a slaying the previous year.
• Nisei case worker shot by angry client, page 1. An angry welfare client fired shots at Nisei social caseworker Kinuko Iwamoto in San Francisco after claiming she had not received food stamps. Iwamoto was wounded in the arm, and a bystander was also shot before the client was detained by police.
• Sen. Inouye calls massive raids on Vietnam racially oriented, page 1. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye said he spoke for Asians when he criticized the massive bombing of North Vietnam as racially oriented during a Democratic senators’ caucus. He urged the Nixon administration to reconsider and noted that Congress could move to cut off war funds.
• Australia ends white-only rule on immigration, page 1. Australia’s Immigration Minister Albert Grassby announced that skin color is no longer a factor in admitting prospective settlers, removing the last vestiges of the White Australia policy. The change also allows Polynesian New Zealanders equal admission and ends unskilled immigration preference.

Commentary

• Nisei in paperback, page 1. The paperback edition of Bill Hosokawa’s book “Nisei: The Quiet Americans” was scheduled for publication on Jan. 19. The brief notice describes the book’s coverage of Japanese American history.
• Mr. Nobody, by Jerry Enomoto, page 2. Jerry Enomoto argues that Japanese society ignores individual achievement, with companies rather than inventors receiving recognition, and that Japanese people subordinate personal identity to the group. He ties this to the concept of Japan Inc. and the lack of individual credit.
• A serious game, page 2. The writer criticizes a briefing of Japanese Americans held with administration officials, arguing that the criticism of participants as unrepresentative is unfair and politically naive. He argues that community leaders often hold biased views about who represents the community.
• Holiday Issue letter from Po Sung Kim, by Po Sung Kim, page 2. Korean American publisher Po Sung Kim responds to Bill Hosokawa’s column on Asian unity, arguing that Asian Americans must work together and that Japanese Americans should help temper future imperialist ambitions in Japan. He urges coordination of Asian American efforts to influence Tokyo.
• Pacific Citizen letters from readers on Holiday Issue, page 2. Readers praised the Holiday Issue, including Dr. K. Murase of San Francisco State and Ben Oshita of Salt Lake City, with Joseph Morgan requesting the continuation of Paul Brinkley-Rogers’ article. Brief responses appreciated the publication’s value for ethnic studies.
• From the Frying Pan, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Bill Hosokawa examines the historical pattern of American attitudes toward China and Japan, arguing that Americans tend to favor one country at the expense of the other. He traces this pattern from the 19th century through the present trade rivalry with Japan.
• Peppermint Whirl: Religion Aids mental health, by K. Patrick Okura, page 3. K. Patrick Okura, executive assistant at NIMH, argues that religious institutions are increasingly important partners in addressing mental health issues such as drug abuse, runaways, alcoholism, and depression. He describes church-sponsored programs and calls for greater collaboration between religion and psychiatry.
• What Winter Weaves, by Sachi Seko, page 3. Sachi Seko, writing from Salt Lake City, reflects on winter imagery and the need for renewal, linking it to America’s scarred conscience and the suffering caused by war and disaster. She urges personal engagement and choice in small everyday acts of contribution.
• Race obsession obscures talent, by Allan Beekman, page 5. Allan Beekman reviews Daniel Okimoto’s book American in Disguise, praising the author’s writing and analysis of Japanese society while criticizing his racist assumptions about identity. The review argues that the author’s racial views undermine his considerable talent.

In-Depth

• Nisei evacuee recalls camp, by Susan Sunada, page 1. Deseret News staff writer Susan Sunada recounts her experience as an 18-year-old Nisei nurse trainee in Los Angeles when Pearl Harbor was attacked and the wartime evacuation began. She describes family losses, the difficulty of finding refuge, and her later feelings about the government’s mistake and the uncompensated losses.

Community

• EDC to meet Jan. 27 at D.C., page 1. The JACL Eastern District Council will hold its meeting January 27 at the Sheraton-Silver Spring Motor Inn, hosted by the Washington, D.C. JACL chapter. The Saturday session is scheduled prior to the council meeting.
• A Dying Business, by Peyton Whitely, page 1. The North American Post, Seattle’s Japanese-language daily, struggles with a shrinking readership of aging Issei and Nisei and a costly, labor-intensive production process. Editor Takami Hibiya discusses the paper’s history and its uncertain future.
• $25 million deal focuses Japanese capital in Hawaii, by Allan Beekman, page 1. The sale of the Hawaiian Regent Hotel to Japan’s Tokyu Corp. for more than $25 million highlights the growing influx of Japanese capital into Hawaii. The article examines Japanese tourism, investment in resort development, and trade imbalances.
• BCA contributes to Nicaraguan relief, page 1. The Buddhist Churches of America asked its member churches to donate food and clothing for victims of the Nicaraguan earthquake. The BCA had already sent a monetary donation to the relief fund.
• Her new car ruined: swerved to avoid black cat on street, page 3. A Los Angeles motorist, Mrs. Yoshiyama, swerved to avoid a black cat and sustained major damage to her new car in a collision with a utility pole. She escaped injury, and the report is a brief local news item.
• Nat’l JACL keglers deadline nears, page 3. The entry deadline for the 1973 National JACL Bowling Tournament in Portland is January 23, according to treasurer Hiro Takeuchi. The tournament will be held March 5-10 with social events and tours planned for nonbowlers.
• East-West offers $600 scholarships, page 3. East-West Players in Los Angeles offers one-year $600 scholarships for training in performing arts and related fields, funded by a National Endowment for the Arts grant. No prior experience is required for some awards, and recipients will be chosen by financial need and interest.
• Linc Shimizu ends 7-yr. reign as head, page 3. Lillian Kimura was elected 1973 president of the Japanese American Service Committee in Chicago, succeeding Lincoln Shimizu, who led the organization for seven years and increased its budget substantially. Ted Uchimoto was honored for his service as finance chairman.
• LA area chapter-sponsored group major med insurance program thrives, page 3. The JACL group major medical insurance plan, introduced by Jimmy Gozawa in the San Fernando Valley, now covers about 4,200 persons across several chapters. The plan provides $25,000 coverage with a $100 annual deductible and is administered by the American Japanese Insurance Agency.
• Sequoia holds community mochitsuki, page 3. The Sequoia JACL held a community mochitsuki event at the Palo Alto Buddhist Church on December 30, with 21 families participating. The event was described as a successful pilot project that may be repeated.
• Kidos return to San Francisco, page 3. Saburo Kido and his wife returned to San Francisco after a 20-year absence to live in retirement. Kido, a former National JACL president and attorney, previously lived in Los Angeles and publishing work.
• Seattle Univ. Students Club celebrates 50th year, page 3. The University Students Club, also known as the Japanese Students Club, marked its 50th anniversary in Seattle with a reception and announced scholarship awards for 1972-73. Recipients received $500 each.
• Calling Motsubora, page 3. Oakland JACL president Steve Hirabayashi is seeking the whereabouts of Frank Matsubara, last known to live in Oakland in 1967 and later in Pasadena, on behalf of a relative in Sacramento. The notice asks readers to contact him with information.
• Pasadena School seeks Asian American expert, page 3. The Pasadena Unified School District seeks an education expert with Asian American community experience to help run a program at Audubon Primary School. The position pays $40 per day for up to 50 days beginning January 25.
• Wes Doi elected San Francisco JACL president, page 3. Wesley T. Doi was selected to lead the San Francisco JACL chapter for 1973, having previously served as president in 1969. He is a proprietor of a cleaning business and a former district governor.
• Stockton to stage Japan culture benefit, page 4. The Stockton JACL will present a Japanese cultural benefit show on February 25 at the Stockton Civic Memorial Auditorium in cooperation with city parks and recreation and the Pixie Woods board. The program includes music, dance, and costumes from several local groups.
• West Valley JACL installation with George Takei, page 4. The West Valley JACL will install David Muraoka as 1973 president at its installation dinner on February 3 in San Jose. Actor George Takei, known for Star Trek, will be the featured speaker.
• Mas Satow to install Venice-Culver board, page 4. National JACL director Mas Satow will swear in the 1973 board of the Venice-Culver JACL at its installation dinner-dance on January 20. John Y. Asari, a deputy district attorney, succeeds Betty Yumori as president.
• Arizona JACL Christmas Yuletide party, page 4. The Arizona JACL held a Christmas party attended by about 40 people, described as a successful and enjoyable chapter event.
• Denver JACL Chapter pulse: Chicago and Cleveland briefs, page 5. Brief chapter notes include Jerry Sakamoto’s expected ordination as a Buddhist minister and Mildred Kosaki’s election as the first woman director of Hawaiian Electric Co. Other items cover state appointments and business news.
• Nisei stock brokerage opens Gardena branch, page 5. Kawano & Co., a Nisei-owned stock brokerage, opened a branch office in Gardena under manager Hirashima. It is the second mainland branch for the Hawaii-based firm.

JACL

• Turning over a new leaf, by Harry K. Honda, page 2. Editor Harry K. Honda sifts through a backlog of mail and clippings from 1972, noting stories on Seiichi Otow’s trip to Japan, a Sonoma County barn restoration, Texas JACL history, and other items. He concludes with notes on various community members.

Obituaries

• Rev. Goto, Taro, 76: Lodi, page 4. Rev. Taro Goto, a Hokkaido-born Methodist minister who served Japanese congregations in Portland, Denver, and Ontario, Oregon, died December 18 in Lodi. He also served as superintendent of the Pacific Japanese Provisional Annual Conference.
• Tajiri, Fayo K., 80, Berkeley, page 4. Fayo K. Tajiri, 80, of Berkeley died December 28. She was the mother of the late Pacific Citizen editor Larry Tajiri.

Military & Veterans

• Cmdr. Gordon Ross Nakagawa among captured fliers, page 4. Cmdr. Gordon Ross Nakagawa, an A-6 pilot based at Whidbey Island, was among eight captured American fliers shown at a Hanoi press conference in December. His parents, Placer County JACL members, reported he was shot down and was being treated for a fractured arm.

Sports

• Horiuchi Japan Series performance, page 5. Hawaii-born Japanese baseball player Horiuchi captured the Japan Series honors in 1972 after a strong season. The article describes his batting and fielding statistics and his selection as the league’s leading player.

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