JACL protests ‘Yellow Peril’ as a trademark, and debates over Redress

Vol. 88, No. 37, April 6, 1979. 12 pages. View this issue

JACL’s protest of “Yellow Peril” as a trademark led the April 6, 1979 issue. The Kaneshiro report traced the phrase from 19th-century anti-Chinese rhetoric through anti-Japanese campaigns and the repeal of exclusion laws, and warned that neo-Yellow Peril hysteria remained a threat to Asian Americans. The front page also covered Rep. Richard Ottinger’s HR 621 on charitable giving, a citizenship law debate in the Japanese Diet, and Sen. Spark Matsunaga’s trip to Japan and the Philippines.

Redress ran through the commentary pages. Robert H. Kono wrote about “The Gun Tower Syndrome,” Doug Baker about hindsight and guilt, and letter writers weighed economic arguments for the claim. Sachi Seko reviewed her son’s thesis on wartime newspaper coverage, and Bill Hosokawa wondered about a Seattle street once named Mikado. Elsewhere: a Day of Remembrance apology from Carmel, a free ride to the Manzanar Pilgrimage, and a book excerpt on Nisei linguists in the Pacific.

What’s in this issue

National

• JACL protests ‘Yellow Peril’ as trademark, page 1. The Kaneshiro report traces the history of the ‘Yellow Peril’ phrase from 19th-century anti-Chinese rhetoric through anti-Japanese campaigns and the repeal of exclusion laws. It concludes that neo-Yellow Peril hysteria remains a threat to Asian Americans regardless of citizenship.
• Rep. Ottinger’s HR 621 would extend tax credit for charitable giving, page 1. Rep. Richard Ottinger’s bill would allow a tax credit on 50% of charitable contributions for non-itemizers, up to $500 or $1,000 jointly. The JACL planned to support the bill, noting that contributions to JACL are tax-deductible.
• Diet debates citizenship law change, page 1. The Japanese Diet began debate on revising the Nationality Law to grant citizenship to children of Japanese mothers and to equalize naturalization rules for alien spouses. The amendment was submitted by Socialist Diet member Takako Doi.

Community

• Carmel apologizes for being late on ‘Day of Remembrance’, page 1. After ignoring earlier JACL requests, the Carmel city council sent an apology for not recognizing Feb. 19 as a Day of Remembrance. Other Monterey Peninsula bodies had passed proclamations honoring the day.
• Matsunaga visits Japan, Philippines, page 1. Sen. Spark Matsunaga discussed trade relations with Japanese and Philippine officials during his visit. He secured assurances from the Philippines that the three percent tariff on canned pineapple would be retained.
• UCLA Asian Week April 9-12, page 2. UCLA’s Asian Week ‘Asian/Pacific Expressions’ features free events including a food fair, panel discussions, performances, and a concert. The schedule runs April 9 through 12 on campus.
• Political Reality, page 7. A column discusses the political challenges of pursuing Redress legislation and why a commission approach was chosen. The writers argue the commission route offers the best chance for success in Congress.
• WW2 marker for Walerga urged, by Thelma Burnside, page 8. The Sacramento-area JACL has asked that part of the planned Walerga Park be designated a memorial to Japanese Americans assembled at the Walerga Camp in 1942. Public meetings were held to discuss the park design, which a landscape architect offered to donate.

Incarceration & Redress

• Ride to Manzanar free for youth, page 2. The Manzanar Committee is chartering three city buses for youth attending the 10th annual Manzanar Pilgrimage on April 28. Resource people are also requested to assist with tour discussions at the campsite.

Commentary

• The Gun Tower Syndrome, by ROBERT H. KONO, page 3. Kono reflects on the lasting psychological effects of the camps on Japanese Americans, including racial self-hatred and an inability to act effectively. He argues that the Redress movement offers a chance to transcend this legacy and become New Americans.
• The Matter of Hindsight, by DOUG BAKER, page 3. Baker argues that individuals should not bear guilt for historical wrongs they did not commit, though he sees the Japanese American redress claims as a different matter. He acknowledges the patriotism of Nisei soldiers while questioning whether reparations should extend to all Americans interned.
• Goals and Methods, page 3. A letter writer argues that JACL members must support the Redress campaign as a matter of their creed and constitutional duty. He contends that critics have not done their homework and that internment violated the Constitution.
• Redress can be placed in a broader economic context, page 3. A letter writer suggests refocusing redress on the economic handicap faced by elderly Nisei forced out of productive life during the war. He argues this framing could build common ground and strengthen the claim.
• What Are You?, page 3. A writer reflects on the awkwardness of racial identity questions and how ambiguous phrasing puts people in uncomfortable positions. The piece recounts an experience that left the writer frustrated by the question.
• President’s Corner: Iki Dolphins, by Clifford Uyeda, page 4. JACL President Uyeda argues that the mass dolphin slaughter at Iki stems from environmental imbalance caused by pollution and overfishing, and the removal of the orca predator. He describes a proposal to reintroduce orcas to Iki waters as a practical solution.
• A variety of views of Redress, page 4. A reader argues that the redress campaign should be reframed around economic justification, particularly for elderly Nikkei whose productive years were disrupted. Another letter writer contends that the claim for reparations should also consider non-Japanese Americans who were interned.
• Higher Education—X, by Nobuyuki Nakajima, page 4. Nakajima argues that Japanese American youth should complete college, citing communities in New Jersey and Ohio where nearly all graduates attend college. He notes that families in certain Far Eastern professional circles expect graduate-level education.
• A thesis on ‘Mom’s Bag’, by Sachi Seko, page 5. Seko reviews her son’s thesis on wartime newspaper coverage of Japanese Americans, which found that editorials, unlike news columns, often supported evacuation as patriotic duty. She reflects on the difficulty of transmitting her own memories of the camps to her son.
• Merit of JAY Program, by Cathy Hironaka, page 5. Hironaka, NYCC chair, defends the value of JAYs youth programs against questions about their cost and worth. She describes how the organization has built friendships, leadership skills, and a sense of community among Japanese American youth.
• Mikado Street, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Hosokawa wonders how a Seattle street named Mikado in 1891 came to be renamed Dearborn. He speculates about the historical circumstances behind the change and the early Japanese community there.

In-Depth

• Yankee Samurai, by Joseph D. Harrington, page 9. This installment of the book excerpt recounts the wartime service of Nisei linguists in the Pacific theater, including India, New Guinea, and the Philippines. It covers their intelligence work, interrogations, and combat support during MacArthur’s campaigns.

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