Enomoto’s refusal to leave his post, and the redress commission bill

Vol. 90, No. 90, April 25, 1980. 8 pages. View this issue

Jerry Enomoto, California’s director of corrections, refused to step down after Gov. Brown named Ruth Rushen to replace him, and the dispute ran across the front page and page 5. Enomoto sought legal action and received support from congressmen and JACL leaders. Page 4 carried John Tateishi’s explanation of the JACL-sponsored bills S.1647 and HR4499, which would create a presidential commission to examine the World War II incarceration (often called internment) of Japanese Americans. Columns by Clifford Uyeda, Robert Kwan and Bill Hosokawa, on Dillon Myer, also ran.

Also in this issue: Dr. Jim Tsujimura of Portland was nominated for national JACL president, and Sen. Daniel Inouye outlined a plan to rescue the hostages in Tehran. Page 3 listed 25 more California sites tied to Japanese American history, and page 6 gave a San Francisco update on the 50th Anniversary JACL convention planned for July 28 to August 1.

What’s in this issue

National

• Enomoto Defies Gov. Brown, Won’t Quit!, by P.C. Staff, page 1. California corrections director Jerry Enomoto refused to vacate his post after Gov. Brown attempted to replace him with Ruth Rushen, claiming improper legal procedure in his removal. Enomoto sought legal action with the help of attorneys and received support from numerous congressmen and JACL leaders.
• Sen. Inouye Sketches Strong Plan to Rescue U.S. Hostages, page 1. Sen. Daniel Inouye proposed a bold plan involving unarmed commercial jetliners carrying Marines to rescue American hostages held in Tehran, while addressing the Honolulu Press Club and Rotary Club. He also discussed draft registration for both men and women if the draft were reinstated.
• JACL Named to Civil Rights Board, page 2. Ronald K. Ikejiri, Washington JACL representative, was named to the executive committee of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights. Other appointments noted include Judge Barbara Tam Thompson to an Orange County charter commission and Kazio Watanabe confirmed to Washington’s State Liquor Control Board.
• Transpacific Balloon Crossing Seen, page 8. A private Japanese group is planning a transpacific balloon crossing sometime in the 1980s, inspired by the 1978 Atlantic balloon crossing. The project, founded by the late Sekisho Kondo who developed WWII balloon bombs, aims to use jet stream currents similar to the historic bombs that reached the U.S. West Coast.
• Japan’s Nationality Law Amendments Proposed, page 8. Diet member Takako Doi proposed amendments to Japan’s Nationality Law to guarantee equal rights for both sexes in transmitting nationality to children, addressing discrimination against Japanese women married to foreign nationals. The current law creates stateless children in cases like those born to Japanese women and U.S. Marines in Okinawa, and the bill’s passage prospects were described as “fifty-fifty.”

JACL

• Tsujimura Nominated for National JACL Presidency, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Dr. Jim Tsujimura of Portland was nominated for National JACL president, with Floyd Shimomura also nominated for a second term as vice-president for public affairs. Other candidates for national office including Lillian Kimura, Tom Shimasaki, Lily Okura, and Dr. Yosh Nakashima were also mentioned.

Community

• New Nisei Councilman Elected in Sebastopol, Marin County, page 1. Two Japanese Americans were elected to city councils in Northern California, with Yoshio Fujiwara re-elected in Fremont and Eddie M. Nomura winning his first term in Sebastopol. Both candidates have long histories of involvement in JACL and local community organizations.
• Voters Elect First Mayor for 2 Years, page 1. Robert Ouye, a sheriff deputy and Marina city councilman since 1975, won the city’s first directly-elected mayoral post. George Takahashi led the field of city council candidates in an election with 38.2% voter turnout.
• Hizzoner ‘Home’ in Hawaii, page 2. Chuck Hazama, mayor of Rochester, Minnesota, led a tour group of Minnesotans to Hawaii, his home state, continuing a tradition he started in 1972. He described his busy schedule balancing mayoral duties with his YMCA executive director role and his approach to delegating authority.
• Woman Missing 60 Days Found Slain in Home Garage, page 2. An all-points bulletin was issued for Dr. David Asahara in connection with the death of his wife Kaoru, whose body was found hidden in their Sacramento home garage. Police believe Asahara was involved in her death and are searching for him in the San Francisco Bay Area.
• Haru Matsuri Set for Japanese Garden in Fresno, page 3. A Haru Matsuri festival was scheduled for April 26 at the Japanese Garden in Fresno as part of the Japanese-American Project. The event included a Kamon exhibit by Kei Yoshida.
• Japan Gala Starts in Albuquerque, page 3. “Japan in Albuquerque” launched as a celebration and study of Japanese culture running through May 31, with the New Mexico JACL among the sponsors. Events included demonstrations, exhibits, and lectures throughout the city at libraries, galleries, and the university.
• ‘Inochi-Tasuke’ Appreciation Shown, page 3. Millionaire Rocky Aoki, whose life was saved after a boating accident near the Golden Gate, donated nearly $50,000 worth of medical equipment to the Presidio hospital in appreciation. The item was reported in Herb Caen’s San Francisco Chronicle column.
• Chicago Credit Union Hits New High, Assets Nearing $700,000, page 6. The Chicago JACL credit union reported increased assets and interest rates, with a report by Pat Okura on the Senate hearing on the redress bill. New board members were elected including Richard Hikawa, Thomas Masuda, and others.
• Redress Topic at Joint Boston Meeting, page 6. An all-afternoon forum on Japanese American WWII incarceration was scheduled for May 4 in Cambridge, co-sponsored by New England JACL and American Friends Service Committee. Panelists included Rep. Robert Drinan and Harvard Law student Neil Gotanda, with a screening of the CBS documentary ‘Nisei: The Pride and Shame.’
• French Camp JACL Plans 31st Annual Community Picnic, page 6. French Camp JACL announced its 31st annual community picnic at Micke Grove on April 27, with door prizes and scholarship opportunities for high school seniors. Scholarship chairman Albert Pagnucci announced applications were open for French Camp JACL members and a Manteca East Union High School senior.
• Four Vying for Miss Gardena Title, page 6. Miss Gardena Valley JACL was to be selected at a dinner dance on April 26 at the Holiday Inn, with four contestants vying for the title. The candidates included Dori Dohi, Hedy Posey, a Hamamoto daughter, and Traci Mato.
• No Hill Too Steep: San Francisco Update, by John T. Yasumoto, page 6. Yasumoto, chairman of the 1980 National JACL Convention Board, describes the San Francisco Chapter’s preparations for the 50th Anniversary Convention scheduled for July 28 to August 1. He introduces the various committee chairpersons responsible for facilities, public relations, fundraising, and other convention functions.

Obituaries

• Toshio Mori, Author, Dies at 66, page 2. Toshio Mori of San Leandro, an author of nearly 400 stories and a flower grower, died of a stroke on April 12. He is survived by his wife Hisayo, son Steven, and brother Masao, and had contributed short stories to the Pacific Citizen in the late 1940s.

Incarceration & Redress

• 25 More Sites Historic to Cal. Nikkei Selected, page 3. Twenty-five properties were submitted to California’s Office of Historic Preservation as historic sites associated with Japanese American history, including Angel Island detention barracks, segregated schools, cemeteries, and community halls. The sites document economic ventures, discrimination, and community life of Japanese Americans throughout the state.
• Walerga Park Donation Cited by Sacramento Bd. of Sup., page 8. The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors commended California First Bank for a $1,000 donation to the Walerga Park Development Fund, located on the former Walerga Assembly Center site used in Japanese American evacuation. The application to designate Walerga and 11 other sites as historic ‘temporary detention centers’ was pending state review.

Commentary

• Disagreements, by Clifford Uyeda, page 4. JACL President Clifford Uyeda discusses how disagreements, though difficult, strengthen the organization’s decision-making process during Executive Committee and National Board meetings. He argues that agreements without the test of disagreement lack the depth needed to represent JACL’s constituents.
• Asian vs. Oriental: A Difference That Counts, by Robert Kwan, page 4. Kwan examines why the shift from ‘Oriental’ to ‘Asian American’ terminology matters, tracing its origins to the civil rights movement and explaining how ‘Oriental’ implied foreignness and otherness. He notes the term’s association with negative stereotypes of passivity, citing historical examples from discriminatory laws and media portrayals.
• Commission Bill, by John Tateishi, page 4. Tateishi explains the purpose of the JACL-sponsored redress bills S.1647 and HR4499, which seek to establish a presidential commission to investigate the WWII incarceration of Japanese Americans. He describes the commission’s role in determining whether a wrong was committed and recommending appropriate remedies.
• S.I. Has Struck Again, by M. Yamanaka-Iseke, page 4. A letter to the editor criticizes Sen. S.I. Hayakawa for suggesting internment-like measures against Iranians during the hostage crisis, drawing parallels to WWII Japanese American internment rhetoric. The writer invokes Martin Niemoeller’s famous quote warning against complicity in persecution.
• Sliding, Skidding Toward Home, by Sachi Seko, page 4. Seko reminisces about her son Alan’s little league baseball career and the mentors like Wally Doi and Hito Okada who helped him develop his skills. She reflects on how these memories now resurface as her grandson Nicholas practices baseball at home.
• If You Remember Dillon Myer, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Hosokawa profiles Dillon Myer, the WRA director who ran the Japanese American relocation camps during WWII with compassion despite public criticism, clarifying that Myer and WRA were not responsible for the Evacuation itself. Now nearly 89, Myer lives a quiet life in Washington D.C. and welcomes notes from those who remember him.
• Cite the Issues, by Ron Ikejiri, page 5. Ikejiri outlines current priorities for the Washington JACL Office including Redress, Asian/Pacific community liaison, and political involvement, inviting member feedback. He also seeks input for the 1980 Census Advisory Committee regarding the count of Asian and Pacific American populations.
• Will to Work Affects U.S. Auto Production, by Barry T. Saiki, page 8. Saiki analyzes why the American auto industry lost ground to Japanese manufacturers, citing a survey of U.S. automotive engineers pointing to better workmanship and attention to quality in Japanese production. He argues the issue lies not with American technology but with declining work ethics and management-labor relations.

Military & Veterans

• Enomoto Dispute Continued, page 5. Continuing coverage details the legal battle over Enomoto’s removal, including statements from attorney Loren McMaster citing state penal code provisions protecting the corrections director from political removal. Assemblyman Floyd Mori and others praised Enomoto’s record on affirmative action and integration within the department.

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