Vol. 89, No. 63, October 5, 1979. 8 pages. View this issue
The redress study bill drew the biggest news in this eight-page issue. The House version of the JACL-backed measure was introduced with 112 co-authors, including House leadership. Its Senate companion, S 1647, would set up a commission to gather the facts about Executive Order 9066 and recommend remedies. Also on page one, Raymond Y. Otani, a member of a New York State Senate task force, pressed Japanese corporations to invest in rebuilding the South Bronx.
Other pages bring JACL business and commentary. Harry K. Honda reported the results of the 1979 readership survey, Dr. Kaz Mayeda asked where JACL is heading, and Bill Yoshino described a Carson chapter meeting full of grandparents. The front page also notes that Dr. Joseph B. Hunter found the Rohwer cemetery in fine shape, and that a history by Robert A. Wilson and Bill Hosokawa has a publisher.
What’s in this issue
National
- Nippon Corporate Investment Sought to Rebuild South Bronx, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Japanese American businessman Raymond Y. Otani is promoting Japanese corporate investment to revitalize the blighted South Bronx in New York. New York State offers incentives including land, financing, tax abatements, and a planned vocational school.
- Oklahoma Bans Alien Ownership of Property, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Oklahoma’s attorney general ruled that alien corporations cannot own property in the state, potentially putting millions of dollars of foreign-owned property at risk. The ruling follows an earlier opinion barring alien individuals from property ownership, with limited exceptions for residents and inheritors.
- L.A. Koreans Now 170,000, Yim Says, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Hank K. Yim reported that more than 170,000 Koreans have come to Southern California since 1971, with over 50,000 settling in Olympic Boulevard’s Korea Town. The association sponsored the annual Independence Day parade.
- Acupuncturists in Calif. Become Independent, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Governor Brown signed AB 1391, removing legal restrictions that required California’s licensed acupuncturists to obtain medical doctor approval before practicing. The bill was authored by Assemblyman Art Torres.
JACL
- East to America by Wilson-Hosokawa to Be Published by Morrow in 1980, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The JACL-sponsored history of the Japanese in the United States, co-authored by Robert A. Wilson and Bill Hosokawa, has a publishing contract with William Morrow & Co. and is expected by the 1980 JACL Convention. Status updates on other JARP-supported works, including The Bamboo People and several manuscripts, are also reported.
- Operation ’80s Passes EDC-MDC Test, by Harry K. Honda, page 2. National JACL Executive Director Ron Ikejiri describes the EDC-MDC joint conference in Bloomington, Minnesota, where the Operations ’80s plan was endorsed. He reflects on the value of intergenerational dialogue between Nisei and Sansei.
Incarceration & Redress
- Rohwer Cemetery in Fine Shape, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Dr. Joseph B. Hunter reported that the Rohwer Relocation Center cemetery and Nisei GI memorial are in fine shape. The grounds have been maintained since Arkansas designated the site a State Historic Site in 1969.
- 112 House Members Co-Author Redress Study Bill, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The House version of the JACL-backed redress study bill was introduced with 112 co-authors, including House leadership, to establish a commission on wartime relocation and internment of civilians. The Senate companion bill S 1647 would gather facts and recommend remedies for Executive Order 9066 victims.
Community
- Daruma Folk Festival Nets $14,000 for West Valley Seniors, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The West Valley JACL’s second annual Daruma Folk Festival in San Jose raised over $14,000 for the Senior Club. The festival featured Japanese foods, performances, demonstrations, and handmade items sold by senior members.
- Japan Air Lines Becomes JACL Diamond Corporate Member, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Japan Air Lines joined JACL as a diamond corporate member at an annual dues level of $1,000 in ceremonies at the St. Francis Hotel. Photo shows JACL and JAL representatives at the signing.
- Rancher Shot to Death, 3 Youths Held, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Bill Shunji Satow, a Stockton hatchery owner, was fatally shot at his home, and three high school youths are being held for investigation. Fingerprints linked one suspect to a prior burglary of the Satow house.
- Reischauer Speaks on Japan at San Diego East Asia Society Founding, by Don Estes, page 8. Former U.S. Ambassador Edwin O. Reischauer delivered a talk on Japan at the founding dinner of the East Asia Society of San Diego. His overview covered Japan’s economy, politics, education, and cultural identity.
Military & Veterans
- MIS Language Instructor Paul T. Tekawa, 1913-1979, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Isutomu Paul Tekawa, retired director of the Far East Language Division of the Defense Language Institute, died at age 65 after a heart attack. He served as an MIS Language School instructor and received the Army’s Meritorious Civilian Service Award in 1971.
Obituaries
- Rev. Masaji Goto Drowns in River, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Rev. Masaji Martin Goto, 66, of Fresno, drowned while fishing along the Kings River. Funeral services were held at Christ United Methodist Church, and he had continued teaching language classes after retirement.
- Tribute: Koda, the Rice King, by Jin Konomi, page 8. Jin Konomi honors Koda, the agricultural scientist who developed California rice strains and led early Nikkei civil rights efforts. Koda organized the defense of Fred Oyama and later supported JACL’s founding and Issei naturalization efforts.
Commentary
- New Ideas, by Cliff Uyeda, page 4. National JACL President Clifford Uyeda discusses the value of committee chairs rotating with each biennium to bring in fresh ideas. He announces changes to the Japanese American of the Biennium award, including eliminating runners-up.
- 1979 Readership Survey, by Harry K. Honda, page 4. Editor Harry Honda reports results of the Pacific Citizen’s readership survey, comparing 1979 responses with the 1974 survey. The top-rated features were Frying Pan, News Briefs/PC People, Letters, East Wind, and Nisei in Japan.
- Mountbatten and Japanese, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Dayton Daily News editor Arnold Rosenfeld criticized Lord Mountbatten for excluding Japanese guests from his funeral. Rosenfeld also condemned the wartime incarceration of Japanese Americans and the continued airing of racist wartime films.
- Mother’s Take: Waiting for My Son, by Sachi Seko, page 4. Sachi Seko reflects on her son’s first business trip and her changing family dynamic as he takes on responsibilities once held by his father. She recalls his steadfast presence during family crises.
- Scholars From Japan Snap Stereotype, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The column profiles Japan-born scholars Masao Miyoshi, Akira Iriye, and Kuniaki Hata, who teach American university courses unrelated to Japan. The author argues that stereotypes of Japanese Americans limit individuality.
- Active Grandparents Plus, by Bill Yoshino, page 6. Bill Yoshino describes attending a Carson JACL chapter meeting where the majority of members are grandparents. He recounts their fireworks sale, camping plans, and a bingo game where the chapter’s 87-year-old members enthusiastically participated.
- Whither JACL, by Dr. Kaz Mayeda, page 6. Midwest District Governor Dr. Kaz Mayeda examines the future of JACL in light of the EDC/MDC Conference theme, arguing the organization must modernize its Constitution. He calls on Nisei to overcome timidity and embrace a proud Japanese American identity.
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