The 1979 introduction of the wartime incarceration commission bill

Vol. 89, No. 64, October 12, 1979. 8 pages. View this issue

Redress legislation led the news. HR 5499, a bill to create a Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians, was introduced on Sept. 28 by House Majority Leader Jim Wright and Rep. Norman Mineta, with over 100 original co-sponsors. It matches Senate bill S 1647 and would ask whether a wrong was committed against Americans held under Executive Order 9066. A later story reported 112 House co-sponsors. Karl Nobuyuki Nakajima’s essay “Relief in Sight” looked back at the Korematsu and Nisei cases and argued that Congress now offered a remedy.

Other pages carry a Los Angeles story on $2.2 million restored to the Little Tokyo redevelopment budget, and Linda Anthony’s profile of Isamu Taniguchi, who planted cherry trees across Austin, Texas. Columns by Clifford Uyeda, Bill Hosokawa and Kimi Tambara fill the commentary pages. Washington D.C. JACL scholarships on a redress essay theme are also covered.

What’s in this issue

National

• 114 Co-Sponsor HR 5499, Internment Commission Bill, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Legislation HR 5499 to establish a Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians was introduced Sept. 28 by House Majority Leader Jim Wright and Rep. Norman Mineta, with over 100 original co-sponsors. The bill parallels Senate bill S 1647 and would examine whether a wrong was committed against Americans interned under Executive Order 9066.
• Redress Bill Sponsorship Grows to 112 House Co-Sponsors, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Rep. Norman Mineta reported that 112 House members had signed on as sponsors of the Redress bill after its introduction. The bill was then referred to the Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Civil Liberties and the Administration of Justice, chaired by Rep. Kastenmeier, who is a co-sponsor.

Community

• Assemblyman Mori Bill Solves Problem Cited by Nikkei Farmer, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A California law effective Jan. 1 will ensure a farmer’s producer’s lien remains in effect even when a processor pledges the crop as loan collateral. The bill by Assemblyman S. Floyd Mori was prompted by a Dixon Nikkei farmer who lost nearly $400,000 when his cannery went bankrupt.
• Japan Tourists at Waimea First to Spot Fellow Tourist Nixon, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Japanese tourists at Waimea Canyon, Kauai, were the first to recognize former President Richard Nixon in mid-September while he was en route to Peking. Nixon was greeted without hostility and spent the day on Kauai before continuing his flight.
• Mayor Restores $2.2 Million to Little Tokyo, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley ordered $2.2 million restored to the 1980-81 Little Tokyo Redevelopment budget, including funding for the JACCC plaza and Anzen Triangle parcels. Prospective JACCC tenants are concerned that proposed rents of 70 cents per square foot are too high.
• Cherry Trees in Texas Blossom After Issei Discovers Secret, by Linda Anthony, page 3. Isamu Taniguchi, an 82-year-old retired Stockton Issei farmer, has created Japanese gardens and planted cherry trees across Austin, Texas. His lotus pond and garden features were cultivated from seeds gifted by the Crown Princess of Japan.
• Altadena Pastor Retires After 40-Year Ministry, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Rev. Donald K. Toriumi retired Sept. 30 after 40 years in ministry, including 31 years as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Altadena. He was honored by the community and recognized for his leadership in Asian and inter-ethnic caucuses and in resettling Vietnamese refugees.

Incarceration & Redress

• Wendy Yoshimura Case Before Community Release Board, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The California Community Release Board will consider at its Oct. 12 hearing whether Wendy Yoshimura is a serious offender, which could lengthen her determinate sentence. Her attorney Dennis Riordan argued she does not meet the criteria and that her record shows strong community service.
• Relief in Sight, by Karl Nobuyuki Nakajima, page 2. The author reviews the Korematsu and Nisei cases and the enduring warning in Mr. Kido’s words about the constitutional precedent set. He argues that S 1647 and HR 5499 now offer a legislative remedy to the wartime evacuation after the courts declined to address constitutional liberties.

Arts & Entertainment

• Noguchi Exhibit, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Works of Isamu Noguchi will go on exhibit Oct. 21 to Jan. 6 at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Special events including Minyo folk dancers and the Tokyo String Quartet have been arranged during the exhibit.

Commentary

• Northwesterners, by Clifford Uyeda, page 4. Uyeda reflects on why many prominent Japanese Americans came from the Pacific Northwest, suggesting the more dispersed population and pride in heritage may have contributed. He notes Northwesterners are outspoken and recounts an anecdote about Dr. Kazuo Kimura at a Minnesota conference.
• Cultural Drawbacks, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The columnist describes the cultural and language barriers faced by Nisei who grew up in rural households without fluent English and the shock of entering university. He recounts efforts to encourage his children to read more challenging material.
• From the Frying Pan: Black/PLO Talks, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Hosokawa observes that Black leaders have moved beyond domestic civil rights concerns to engage in international issues such as Mideast diplomacy. He urges Japanese Americans to broaden their concerns to Asian issues such as Vietnamese boat people, Cambodia, and the Philippines.
• Resettle Japan’s Retirees in U.S., by Nobuyuki Nakajima, page 5. The author proposes building retirement communities in the U.S. for Japanese retirees, which would bring yen into the U.S. and enrich American communities with their experience and social harmony. He argues the non-economic benefits of their cultural contributions are even more significant.
• Culture Is…, by Kimi Tambara, page 6. Tambara explores how language and cultural background shape communication, including body language and non-verbal behavior. She illustrates the point with anecdotes from her parents’ riddles and differences between Japanese and American patterns.
• Forebodings on Shintoism, by Barry T. Seiki, page 8. Seiki examines Japanese controversy over government support for Shinto shrines, particularly the Yasukuni Shrine that honors war dead. He notes its prewar use by militarists to build support for imperialist wars, while the general public today follows Shinto rites mainly out of tradition.

Military & Veterans

• Washington D.C. Scholarships Awarded on Redress Essay Theme, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Washington D.C. JACL awarded scholarships to Cheryl Ann Watanabe, Wendy Aiko Chiogioji and Wendy Hideko Marumoto based on essays about social injustice during WWII. The awards ceremony also premiered the film Emi, part of the Pearls television series.

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