A trademark dropped, and Hayakawa’s remarks on the camps answered

Vol. 89, No. 51, July 13, 1979. 8 pages. View this issue

A company gave up its “Yellow Peril” trademark after protests from Asian American groups. Telecommunications Publishing disclosed that it was abandoning the claim, and attorney David Nikaido credited the historical documentation the groups had gathered. Senator Daniel Inouye, speaking at the Nisei Veterans Reunion in Hawaii, called for redress and rebuked Sen. S.I. Hayakawa for calling the World War II incarceration (often called internment) beneficial. Walter M. Weglyn answered Hayakawa in a commentary, and John Tateishi explained the chapter poll on the redress commission approach.

Elsewhere, Clifford Uyeda wrote about Hawaii and JACL chapters, and David Takashima wrote about the Yonsei generation. Page 7 carries a review of Masayo Duus’s book on Tokyo Rose and a notice for the novel Tule Lake. Chapter news covers a regional office move to Seattle and a Fresno district convention. The issue is eight pages long.

What’s in this issue

National

• ‘Yellow Peril’ Trademark Voluntarily Abandoned, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Telecommunications Publishing disclosed it was voluntarily abandoning its ‘Yellow Peril’ trademark after protests from Asian American groups including the JACL. The abandonment followed efforts by David Nikaido and the JACL Eastern District Council to challenge the trademark.
• Filipina Wins EEO Plea, Lands Job with New York I&NS Office, page 1. Loida Nicholas-Lewis won an equal employment opportunity case against the New York I&NS office after being denied a position. The Federal Employees Appeals Commission recommended she be placed with retroactive pay.
• Squibb Still Wants ‘Opium’, page 1. Squibb Corp. responded to protests against Yves St. Laurent’s ‘Opium’ perfume by modifying ads and commissioning market research. OCA spokesman James Tso criticized the company for missing the point about the offensiveness of the name.
• Asians Eligible for SBA 8-A, page 1. The SBA determined that certain Asian/Pacific American groups are socially disadvantaged and eligible for the Section 8A program. The designation is expected to increase their opportunities for federal and private contracts.
• Yoshimura Denied Probation, Clemency Up to Gov. Brown, by Lee Ruttle, page 1. Wendy Yoshimura was denied probation and must surrender July 17 to a women’s prison, with only the Governor able to grant clemency. Her supporters, citing over 250 letters of support, launched a petition and letter-writing campaign.
• Carter Invited Matsunaga on Japan Trip as Interpreter, by Barry Saiki, page 2. Senator Spark Matsunaga accompanied President Carter to Japan and Korea, reportedly invited to serve as an interpreter. He described his role as partly symbolic, showing the U.S. Senate is not all white.

Military & Veterans

• Sen. Inouye Raps Colleague’s Description of Evacuation, page 1. Senator Daniel Inouye addressed the Nisei Veterans Reunion in Hawaii and called for redress for Japanese American internees. He rebuked Sen. S.I. Hayakawa for calling the internment beneficial, citing the sacrifice of 442nd soldiers like Sgt. Masa Sakamoto.
• Heritage Week at Wright-Patterson AFB, page 8. Personnel at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base marked Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week in May with a proclamation signing. The photo caption identifies the participating officers and program organizers.

Community

• Rep. Matsui Backs Energy Antimonopoly Act, page 2. Rep. Robert Matsui co-sponsored the Energy Antimonopoly Act of 1979, which would require oil companies to reinvest profits in exploration and research. He argued the bill would help restore public faith in the oil industry.
• Diablo Valley JACL Continues Activities, page 6. Diablo Valley JACL, recipient of a small chapter award, reports on its board meetings, tennis, flea market, and a first chapter picnic. The chapter also voted in favor of the redress commission route.
• CCDC Preparing for District Confab, page 6. The Central California District Council planned its November convention in Fresno and recommended keynote speakers. District representatives were appointed to several national committees.
• PNW Regional Office Moving to Seattle, page 6. The Pacific Northwest District Council approved relocating its regional office from Portland to Seattle. Seattle JACL president Mich Matsudaira formed a transition committee to prepare for the move.
• French Camp JACL Bazaar and Scholarship Awards, page 6. French Camp JACL awarded scholarships to two Manteca East Union High graduates and announced its annual bazaar. The chapter’s membership is participating in fundraising booths for the event.
• Janice Sakamoto Candidate for Nisei Week Queen, page 6. South Bay JACL introduced Janice Sakamoto as its candidate for Nisei Week queen, detailing her education and activities. The chapter also nominated three candidates for National JACL scholarships.
• Nisei Plastics Charity Golf Tournament, page 7. Nisei Plastics of Oakland announced its 1979 charity golf tournament benefiting the East Bay Issei Housing Project. Entry fees are tax-deductible and invitations were going out to participants.
• Bilingual L.A. School to Open, page 7. The International Bilingual School is set to open in Torrance to serve Japanese children whose parents are from Japan. The school will operate with teachers certified under both California and Japanese standards.
• Hibakusha Travel Awardees Named, page 8. Three U.S. journalists were selected for the 1979 Hibakusha Travel Grant to visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Applications for the 1980 program were also announced.

Commentary

• Hawaiian Dilemma, by Clifford Uyeda, page 4. JACL President Clifford Uyeda addresses whether Hawaii can have JACL chapters and the concerns about Japanese Americans there being a dominant group. He argues that national focus can make Hawaii chapters a beneficial force for justice across minorities.
• Thoughts About Japan, by H. Dick Yamashita, page 4. Yamashita, founder of the Joint US-Japan Trade Study Group, invites readers to write about Japan and Japanese Americans. He describes a planned film on cultural communication differences between Japanese and Americans.
• Sen. Hayakawa, by Walter M. Weglyn, page 4. Walter Weglyn, a Jewish writer, rebukes Senator Hayakawa for characterizing WWII incarceration camps in ways that deny their nature. He draws parallels to the suffering of Jews under Nazism and criticizes Hayakawa’s opportunism.
• Picking on a Picnic, page 4. A columnist recounts a family outing to a summer picnic that devolved into minor domestic friction and a child’s tantrum. The humorous personal essay reflects on family dynamics.
• The Yonsei Spirit, by David Takashima, page 5. Takashima reflects on the Sansei generation’s contributions to community history and identity. He urges JACL and organizations to support the Yonsei generation’s own forms of expression.
• Tule Lake Book Announcement, page 7. A promotional notice for the novel Tule Lake, depicting Japanese Americans incarcerated at the Tule Lake camp during WWII. It explores the spectrum of responses to incarceration and the breakdown of the Japanese community.

Incarceration & Redress

• Chapter Poll, by John Tateishi, page 4. Redress Committee chairman John Tateishi explains the National Council poll on whether the commission-approach should guide redress legislation. He affirms the committee’s view that this approach meets the SLC mandate and will follow the poll results.

In-Depth

• ‘Giving Up the Gun’, page 5. A review of Noel Perrin’s book examining how Japan voluntarily abandoned firearms and returned to swords and bows during the Tokugawa period. Perrin uses this history to ask whether the modern world could similarly set aside plutonium.

Arts & Entertainment

• Tokyo Rose: Orphan of the Pacific, page 7. A review of Masayo Duus’s book on the WWII figure Tokyo Rose, translated by Peter Duus. The book examines the political trial, the nature of treason, and the role of racial prejudice.

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