Redress bill advances toward the House floor; JACL prepares for its 50th convention

Vol. 91, No. 1, July 4, 1980. 12 pages. View this issue

Redress was the main subject of this 12-page issue. The Pacific Citizen reported that the House Judiciary Committee voted 16-0 to send HR5499, the commission bill on wartime relocation, to the House floor, and that JACL’s National Committee for Redress asked chapters to submit written testimony by July 21 for the commission hearings. Cherry Tsutsumida’s column surveyed redress activity across the country, and the full amended text of S1647 ran on page 6. Also on the front page, Yamasaki settled his racial discrimination complaint against the Borden Co. M. M. Sumida examined the Korematsu decision in a two-part commentary.

The issue also looked ahead to the national convention in San Francisco, with a schedule of business sessions, a fashion show and a new book, “East to America.” Bill Hosokawa asked what path JACL should take, and the paper announced it would cut to 45 issues a year. Jin Konomi’s wartime memoir of Project Green appeared on page 8, and chapter news ran on page 10.

What’s in this issue

National

• Yamasaki vs. Borden Co. Case Resolved, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A 37-year Borden Co. employee, Yamasaki, settled his racial discrimination complaint after being demoted from sales manager to salesman two years earlier. The Ohio Civil Rights Commission had found probable cause in his complaint, and Yamasaki credited JACL’s Midwest Human Rights Committee for supporting him through the ordeal.
• Judiciary Approves HR5499 Floor Vote, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The House Judiciary Committee voted 16-0 to send the JACL-supported commission bill on wartime relocation, HR5499, to the House floor for action. Rep. Robert McClory, who had taken a Nisei from Poston camp into his home during WW2, expressed personal support alongside committee chairman Don Edwards.
• 45-Issue Format, by P.C. Staff, page 9. The Pacific Citizen announced it will reduce publication from 50 to 45 issues per year starting in July due to rising printing and mailing costs, without raising subscriber or advertiser rates. The revised deadline schedule for the summer alternating issues is provided.

JACL

• Commissioners Hearings Sought as S1647/HR5499 Moves Forward, by P.C. Staff, page 1. With S1647/HR5499 nearing passage, JACL’s National Committee for Redress asked chapters to submit written testimony to National Headquarters by July 21 for the upcoming commission hearings on wartime relocation. JACL leaders including Bill Yoshino and John Tateishi met with Rep. Robert Matsui to discuss the bill’s progress.
• ‘East to America’ to be Available at Convention, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The book “East to America” by Robert Wilson and Bill Hosokawa, a history of Japanese in the United States, will be available at the JACL National Convention in San Francisco. The 388-page book, published by William Morrow & Co., culminates the Japanese American Research Project chaired by Shig Wakamatsu since 1960.
• JACL Scholarship Program Totals $37,950 with 27 Awards, by P.C. Staff, page 1. National JACL’s scholarship program, started in 1946 with a $200 contribution in memory of Pvt. Ben Frank Masaoka, awarded $37,950 across 27 scholarships this year. Top awardee Jackie N. Nakamura received the $4,000 California First Bank scholarship and plans to attend Harvard-Radcliffe.
• By the Board: The Biggest Game in Town, by Cherry Tsutsumida, page 6. Tsutsumida’s column surveys redress activity nationwide, highlighting efforts by various JACL chapter leaders and officials including Ron Ikejiri, Chuck Kubokawa, and Min Yasui to build support for the redress legislation. She notes the Redress issue has awakened community consciousness for action unlike any other recent issue.
• Convention Delegates Slated for 44 Hrs. of Business & Forum, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The 50th JACL national convention schedule at San Francisco’s Jack Tar Hotel is detailed, covering sessions from July 28 through August 2 including constitutional revision, candidates’ forum, and workshops on redress and discrimination. J.D. Hokoyama stressed strict adherence to time schedules due to hotel room-turnover requirements.

Community

• California Korean Groups Unite into Statewide Advocate Association, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Seven major Korean organizations in California formed the United Korean Community of California after six months of preparation, electing Min Hi Rhee as president and Myung Kyu Kang as secretary general. The new federation aims to coordinate immigrant communities and serve as an advocate for the state’s quarter-million Korean Americans.
• Hawaii JACL Being Organized, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Earl Nishimura called an organizational meeting for a new JACL chapter in Honolulu, assisted by Kay Kaneko, sister of the late Edison Uno. Several prominent local figures expressed support for forming the chapter.
• ‘Civic Involvement’ Keeps Businesswoman Running, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Echo Y. Goto, a longtime South Los Angeles flower shop owner, received a commendation from LA County Supervisor Kenneth Hahn for her decades of community service to both the Japanese American and black communities. A single mother who raised three successful daughters, she survived the 1965 Watts unrest because of close ties with black neighbors and has served on numerous boards and chambers.
• Two Families Give $5,000 to JACL, by P.C. Staff, page 10. The Okubo and Yamada families of Stockton donated $5,000 to National JACL in gratitude for support during their decade-long lawsuit against the Hilton Corp. following a 1970 attack at the JACL Convention that killed Evelynn Okubo and injured Carol Ranko Yamada.
• Community Forum on Nikkei Aging Set, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Seattle JACL will hold a community forum on July 12 to develop recommendations for the White House Conference on Aging, covering topics including economic security, social services, housing, and health. Don Kazama is coordinating the event at Nisei Veterans Hall.
• EDC Slates Weekend on J.A. Awareness in Phila., by P.C. Staff, page 10. The JACL Eastern District Council will sponsor a Japanese American Awareness Conference September 6-7 at Krisheim Center in Philadelphia, following up on a successful 1978 New York JACL event. The conference will include workshops, an original play, and a session on Redress, limited to 75 attendees.
• George Takei to Keynote Gala JAYS Conference Dinner, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Actor George Takei will headline the Saturday night dinner-dance of the Japanese American Youths national conference in Sacramento, alongside KPIX newscaster Wendy Tokuda. Takei, an active JACLer and author, will speak on “The Future of Japanese Americans.”
• Sonoma County ‘Cha-ya’ Help Asked, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Enmanji Temple and Sonoma County JACL will operate their Japanese food concession at the Sonoma County Fair and are seeking volunteers. The chapter also held its 26th annual chicken teriyaki barbecue and a picnic honoring recent high school graduates.
• Chapter Pulse: San Gabriel Valley and San Jose Scholarships, by P.C. Staff, page 10. San Gabriel Valley JACL honored scholarship winners from 14 area high schools at a potluck supper, with awards including the $300 David Ito Memorial. San Jose JACL presented its top $300 scholarship to Jackie Nakamura of Camden High, along with ten other awards at a dinner at Wesley United Methodist Church.
• Open House, by John J. Saito, page 10. The Pacific Southwest District Council held a successful potluck open house at its regional office with abundant food and a warm, festive atmosphere. Attendees included PC staff and neighboring office workers, with the party lasting past midnight.
• Aging Issue Threatens Health Scheme, by P.C. Staff, page 12. Japan’s rapidly aging society, with those over 65 projected to reach 19% of the population in 40 years, is straining the national health plan which has accumulated a massive deficit. The article notes that despite the strain, a high percentage of elderly Japanese continue working compared to the US and Western Europe.
• Sue Embrey Picked for UN Mid-Decade Conference on Women, by P.C. Staff, page 12. Sue Kunitomi Embrey of the Los Angeles City Commission on the Status of Women was selected as a delegate to the United Nations Mid-Decade Conference for Women. The conference is expected to focus on various issues affecting women internationally.
• Government Appointments and Community Notes, by P.C. Staff, page 12. Lindy Fumio Kumagai was appointed to the State Board of Medical Quality Assurance by the Governor, overseeing physician conduct statewide; he is a UC Davis professor and chief of endocrinology. A brief note also mentions a popular Japanese croquet-style game gaining popularity among elderly Japanese, with rule disputes being settled by national associations.

Obituaries

• Carey McWilliams, 74, Defended Nisei During WW2 from Inside California, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Carey McWilliams, author, lawyer and longtime editor of The Nation, died of cancer in New York at age 74. As California’s Commissioner of Immigration and Housing in the late 1930s, he became an advocate for Japanese Americans, writing the influential book “Prejudice, Japanese Americans: Symbol of Racial Intolerance.”

Commentary

• ‘Racism’ in Korematsu: Battle of the Home Front Continues, by M. M. Sumida, page 3. This piece examines the 1944 Korematsu Supreme Court decision that upheld the WW2 internment of Japanese Americans as constitutional despite lacking due process. The author argues the ruling perpetuates racism and should be corrected through legislation, citing dissenting opinions from Justices Jackson and Roberts.
• National Committees, by Dr. Clifford Uyeda, page 4. JACL National President Clifford Uyeda’s column praises the more than thirty National Committees as the most productive part of the organization, crediting committee chairpersons as key to success. He thanks outgoing committee chairs for their dedicated work during the biennium.
• JACL’s Foundation: Citizenship, by Fred Y. Hirasuna, page 4. A letter to the editor argues against removing the citizenship requirement for full JACL membership, stating permanent residents have the choice to naturalize. The writer urges convention delegates to reject proposals to eliminate the citizenship requirement.
• 41 Wonderful Years Together, by Sachi Seko, page 4. This personal tribute reflects on the author’s two-year friendship with Min Masuda, a distinguished educator and civil rights leader who died of cancer in Seattle. The piece recounts their final phone conversation before his death and the enduring impact of their bond.
• Kamo-no-Chomei and Yoshida Kenko, by Robert H. Kono, page 4. This column compares two Japanese literary recluses, Kamo-no-Chomei and Yoshida Kenko, authors of Hojoki and Tsurezure Gusa respectively. It examines how each writer responded to the political and religious upheavals of their respective eras in Japanese history.
• Toshio Mori’s Son Replies, by Steven Y. Mori, page 4. The son of late author Toshio Mori writes to correct details about his father’s unfinished “Nisei novel,” clarifying that his father’s first published novel, “Woman from Hiroshima,” was actually an Issei story. He describes plans to publish his father’s remaining manuscripts, including one about brothers divided by the wartime loyalty oath.
• At Least Three Paths Face JACL, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Hosokawa’s column examines JACL’s organizational troubles, including a national director’s resignation, reduced Pacific Citizen publication schedule, and declining membership, suggesting the organization faces a critical juncture. He outlines three possible paths forward: limping along as before, retreating to a more modest program, or expanding activities with imaginative new leadership.
• Candle-Lighters, by Bill Marutani, page 5. Marutani’s East Wind column honors Marion Glaesar, a dedicated “hakujin” JACL member who helped resettle Issei and Nisei at Seabrook Farms in New Jersey after WW2 and assisted many Issei in attaining citizenship. The column also recognizes other non-Japanese JACL members who have served the organization faithfully on the East Coast.
• Slaughter of Dolphins a Worldwide Problem, Not Just Iki Fishermen, by Clifford I. Uyeda, page 5. Uyeda recounts a conversation with activist Dexter Cate, who was deported from Japan after serving three months in prison for freeing 300 dolphins destined for slaughter by Iki fishermen. The column explores the broader global problem of dolphin killing, including American tuna fishing practices that kill thousands of dolphins annually.
• Sumida: Korematsu Dissent Continued, by M. M. Sumida, page 11. This continuation of the Korematsu analysis quotes Justice Jackson’s warning that unconstitutional military orders validated by courts become a ‘loaded weapon’ for future authorities, and Justice Roberts’ dissent condemning the conviction of a citizen for refusing imprisonment based solely on ancestry. The author argues the case should have been reopened for judicial review after the war ended.

Incarceration & Redress

• S1647: The Amended Text of Bill, by P.C. Staff, page 6. This article reproduces the full amended legislative text of S1647, the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians Act. The bill establishes a seven-member commission to review Executive Order 9066’s impact and recommend remedies, with hearings to be held in multiple cities nationwide.

Arts & Entertainment

• TV Show Host Jan Yanehiro Commentator at JACL Fashion Show, by P.C. Staff, page 7. KPIX Evening Magazine host Jan Yanehiro will serve as guest commentator at the national JACL fashion show luncheon in San Francisco, featuring fashions by designer Yuki Torii. Yanehiro, a Honolulu native and journalism graduate, rose from secretary to co-host of a top-rated Bay Area TV program and remains active with San Francisco JACL.
• Mitsu Yashima Art Show Set for Hq., by P.C. Staff, page 7. Artist Mitsu Yashima’s works spanning 40 years will be exhibited at JACL Headquarters in San Francisco with an opening program July 5. Yashima, a graduate of Bunka Gakuin College in Japan, has taught art to senior citizens in San Francisco.

In-Depth

• Remembrances of Joe Koide, by Jin Konomi, page 8. This lengthy wartime memoir continues the account of Project Green, a WW2 psychological warfare unit of Japanese American linguists, detailing broadcasts from San Francisco studios and the tense bureaucratic battles the unit’s leader Joe Koide fought on its behalf. The piece describes the unit’s work creating anti-Japanese propaganda broadcasts and Koide’s fierce advocacy for his team against military authority.
• ‘Project Green’ Member Drafts Voluminous Proposal for the Military Occupation of Japan, by Jin Konomi, page 8. Journalist Yoneo Sakai drafted an extensive document titled “Proposals for the Military Occupation of Japan” overnight following Japan’s surrender announcement, outlining a plan for democratic transition under Allied occupation. The proposal was championed by OSS officer Col. Herbert but ultimately failed to be adopted by the State Department, marking the end of Project Green.

Thank you for exploring the Pacific Citizen archive. The title, introduction and contents on this page were written by an AI model from scans of the printed issue, so they may contain mistakes. If you spot one, we would be grateful if you let us know.