Vol. 88, No. 33, March 9, 1979. 12 pages. View this issue
Redress was the main story. JACL was preparing a bill that would create a commission to address the wartime incarceration of Japanese Americans, and committee members debated the commission approach and the need to keep to JACL’s redress schedule. John Tateishi’s column, “Do We Have It Made?”, argued that fear of a backlash over redress showed Japanese Americans had not yet won equal standing. Readers wrote in about Senator S.I. Hayakawa’s stance, and a report on his aides described him as superficial but harmless.
Also inside: Sen. Spark Matsunaga’s call for better census data on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and Bill Hosokawa’s profile of playwright Kobo Abe. Joseph Harrington’s excerpt from Yankee Samurai follows the Nisei linguists of the Military Intelligence Service Language School. Community pages cover Judge Mikio Uchiyama of Fowler and Steinbeck Day in Salinas.
What’s in this issue
National
- JACL drafting bill for redress commission, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL is preparing a redress bill that would create a commission to address the wartime incarceration of Japanese Americans. Committee members debated the commission approach and the need to keep to JACL’s redress schedule.
- Hayakawa aides see boss as ‘superficial’, page 1. Anonymous staffers describe Senator S.I. Hayakawa as superficial but harmless, according to a Copley News Service report. The article notes his focus on foreign policy and his reported lack of attention to domestic issues.
- Matsunaga calls for better census data on Asian Americans, by Mikio Uchiyama, page 1. Sen. Spark Matsunaga urged early action on a joint resolution to improve census data on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. He argued that undercounts and inadequate categories have harmed planning and policy decisions.
- New plan on minorities in federal jobs ready, page 2. The Office of Personnel Management proposed a method for measuring underrepresentation of minorities and women in federal jobs. The plan compares agency workforce percentages with local and national labor force figures.
- Mori declares dispute costly, page 3. Assemblyman S. Floyd Mori urged the United Farm Workers and Imperial Valley lettuce growers to negotiate an end to the strike after a fatal shooting. He chaired the legislative committee reviewing California’s farm labor law.
Community
- Fowler’s outstanding citizen, page 1. Judge Mikio Uchiyama of Fowler, California, was named Outstanding Citizen by the Chamber of Commerce. The article traces his wartime experience, legal career, and his views on juvenile justice.
- Nikkei contribute to Steinbeck Day, page 1. Japanese Americans played prominent roles in Steinbeck Day celebrations in Salinas on Feb. 27. Margery Y. Ura won first prize in a Steinbeck fiction contest for her story about an evacuee girl.
- Travel agency owner ordered to pay restitution to victims, page 2. The Los Angeles Police Department investigated a Japanese-speaking travel agency accused of fraud over airfare tickets. The owner was convicted of grand theft and ordered to pay restitution to the victims.
Commentary
- Hayakawa and redress letters to the editor, by M. Yamanaka Iseke; Donna Ogawa; Chuck Kubokawa, page 4. Readers respond to Senator Hayakawa’s stance on redress, with some criticizing his comments on incarceration and eligibility to apply. Other letters address the need for chapter newsletters and personal experiences of wartime detention.
- Do We Have It Made?, by John Tateishi, page 6. Tateishi argues that fear of backlash over redress shows Japanese Americans have not fully achieved equal standing. He calls on the community to assert its place in American society.
Obituaries
- Robbie remembered, by Sachi Seko, page 5. Sachi Seko reflects on the death of Robbie, a Japanese culture enthusiast with whom she had a complicated friendship. She recounts their last conversation and the reasons she struggled to accept his friendship.
Arts & Entertainment
- Avant-Garde Abe, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Bill Hosokawa profiles novelist and playwright Kobo Abe during a visit to Denver ahead of a planned production for the Japan Today festival. He discusses Abe’s experimental theater and his play The Little Elephant Is Dead.
Military & Veterans
- Yankee Samurai excerpt: Japanese Americans in the Pacific War, by Joseph Harrington, page 9. This excerpt describes the Military Intelligence Service Language School and the Nisei linguists who served in the Pacific and Asian theaters. It covers training at Camp Savage, team deployments, and the hardships and contributions of these soldiers.
Thank you for exploring the Pacific Citizen archive. The title, introduction and contents on this page were written by an AI model from scans of the printed issue, so they may contain mistakes. If you spot one, we would be grateful if you let us know.