The fight against an anti-Japanese slur, and a remark about Sen. Inouye

Vol. 77, No. 6, August 10, 1973. 6 pages. View this issue

A racial slur ran through the front page and the commentary of this six-page issue. JACL President Henry T. Tanaka wrote about letters he had received on the use of “Jap” and described JACL’s campaign against the term, while a news story covered Watergate attorney John J. Wilson calling Senator Daniel K. Inouye “that little Jap.” Harry K. Honda’s Editor’s Desk and a statement from Congressman Philip Burton followed on page 2.

Elsewhere, Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka’s U.S. visit and the summit with President Nixon made the news, and Mike Masaoka and Shig Sugiyama wrote about the Hilton Hotel boycott and staffing JACL. Pages 2 and 3 cover bilingual education in San Francisco and the spread of ethnic studies on campuses. Community items include a reunion of former Heart Mountain Sentinel staffers and a proposed heart attack study among Fresno Japanese Americans.

What’s in this issue

Commentary

• Use of ‘Jap’, by Henry T. Tanaka, page 1. JACL President Henry T. Tanaka addresses correspondence about the derogatory term ‘Jap’ and argues it fuels racist attitudes amid U.S.-Japan trade tensions. He notes JACL’s campaign to remove the term from official maps and public usage.
• Editor’s Desk: ‘That Little Jap’, by Harry K. Honda, page 2. The editorial argues the Wilson remark galvanized national attention against the slur ‘Jap’ and supports JACL’s long campaign. It notes the value of the public exposure in combating the term’s use.
• Use of ‘Jap’, by Philip Burton, page 2. Congressman Philip Burton condemns Wilson’s racial remark as shameful, especially when aimed at a decorated World War II veteran. He describes the slur as contemptible in any usage.
• Books-in-print, by Michael Berger, page 2. Michael Berger reviews a Japanese bestseller about Japanese and Jews, examining how the book’s disputed authorship and translation affect its credibility. He concludes the book is interesting but questionable.
• To the Point: Staffing JACL, by Shig Sugiyama, page 2. JACL president Shig Sugiyama discusses difficulties in recruiting qualified staff and the need for members to volunteer. He stresses that organizational success depends on people willing to contribute.
• Hilton Hotel boycott, by Mike Masaoka, page 2. A JACL Ad Hoc Committee chairman explains misgivings about the National Board decision not to pursue a major boycott of Hilton Hotels. He argues a low-key boycott will not affect the corporation and supports the Okubo and Yamada families’ suits.

National

• Tanaka urges Americans to learn more about Japan, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Japanese Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka, during his U.S. visit, urged Americans to learn more about Japan and noted the trade imbalance. He was welcomed in New York and Chicago during the trip.
• Presidents Nixon and Tanaka agree to second summit talks, by P.C. Staff, page 1. President Nixon agreed to visit Japan, and Prime Minister Tanaka accepted an invitation for the Emperor and Empress to visit the United States. The announcement came at the two-day summit concluding July 31-August 1.
• Design sought for ’74 National JACL convention theme, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL sought design submissions for the 1974 National Convention theme. Details on entries and deadlines were provided.
• EEOC to zero in on most biased firms in nation, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced it will target the most discriminatory employers in the nation. The agency now has authority to file lawsuits.
• First minority named to civil service board, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Dr. Alice Mizuno of Cal State University was named the first minority member of the three-member Civil Service Commission in Los Angeles County. The commission regulates the civil service system for about 76,000 county employees.
• Wilson’s ‘That Little Jap’ remark about Sen. Inouye draws national outrage, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Watergate attorney John J. Wilson referred to Senator Daniel K. Inouye as ‘that little Jap,’ prompting apologies and widespread condemnation. JACL and officials in Hawaii and Washington responded strongly.

Community

• YWCA garden dedicated in honor of Ruth Tanbara, by Dean S. Potter, page 1. St. Paul YWCA dedicated a small Japanese garden in honor of longtime secretary Ruth Tanbara. The garden was donated by volunteers and reflects her service in building intergroup relations.
• Heart Mountain Sentinel reunion, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Former Heart Mountain Sentinel staffers gathered for their first reunion, recalling the camp newspaper’s final edition in 1945. Haruo Imura and Bill Hosokawa were among those remembered.
• Cultural pluralism and bilingual education in San Francisco, by Pat Nakano, page 2. A San Francisco Unified School District statement rejecting restoration of ancestral languages drew criticism from Japanese American parents seeking bilingual programs. The article argues that pluralism should be supported in education.
• Stress on multi-ethnic society in U.S. continues to expand, by Frank Ching, page 3. Ethnic studies programs are spreading across schools and universities, with over half of states prescribing ethnic content in curricula. The article describes preparations for the 10th Biennial EDC-MDC convention in Detroit.
• Ethnic studies expanding on campuses, by Frank Ching, page 3. Asian American studies courses are spreading across American universities, with programs at Davis, Hunter College, and others. Faculty and students report growing interest in ethnic studies curricula.
• Fresno medicos plan Nikkei study of heart attack risk, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Concerned doctors in Fresno proposed a study of heart attack susceptibility among Japanese Americans in the Bowles community. The study would include blood pressure and cholesterol testing.
• Berkeley JACL denies role in recall push, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Berkeley JACL chapter disavowed any role in a handbill from the Committee Against the Recall that listed JACL among its supporters. Chapter president Beatrice K. Kono said JACL policy prohibits endorsing candidates for public office.

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