Carter signs the commission bill, and JACL’s 1980 convention

Vol. 91, No. 4, August 15, 1980. 12 pages. View this issue

President Jimmy Carter signed the Wartime Relocation and Internment Commission bill, S.1647, into law on July 31, and the front page carried the story. The commission will study the wartime incarceration (often called internment) of Japanese Americans and Aleuts. JACL leaders including Clifford Uyeda and Redress Chairperson John Tateishi attended the signing. The paper printed the full text of Carter’s remarks on page 2. It also covered the JACL convention in San Francisco: Dr. James K. Tsujimura of Portland was elected National President, and delegates approved a budget that restores weekly publication of the Pacific Citizen. Sen. Daniel Inouye’s convention address is on page 3.

Also inside: Barry Saiki on the new Japan JACL chapter, Harry Honda’s convention column, and a piece by Kei Yoshida on preserving family crests. Other pages carry news of A. Wallace Tashima’s swearing-in as a federal judge, the Chol Soo Lee retrial, and the Nisei Week honorees in Little Tokyo.

What’s in this issue

Incarceration & Redress

• Carter Signs S.1647, Commission Bill, by P.C. Staff, page 1. President Carter signed the Wartime Relocation and Internment Commission bill into law on July 31 at the White House, with JACL leaders including President Clifford Uyeda and Redress Chairperson John Tateishi present. The commission will study the wartime incarceration of Japanese Americans and Aleuts, with members to be named within 90 days.’}, {
• Redress: Carter’s Remarks on Signing the Commission Bill, page 2. The full text of President Carter’s remarks at the signing of S.1647 details the history of the wartime internment of Japanese Americans and the removal of Aleut residents, noting that only Japanese Americans were interned despite the war involving Germany and Italy. Carter emphasized the commission’s role in assessing the episode and ensuring it is never repeated.

Community

• Gardena Valley JACL Repeats with Another Miss Nisei Week, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Hedy Ann Posey, 19, of Gardena was named 1980 Miss Nisei Week, presiding over festivities in Little Tokyo. She succeeded fellow Gardena Valley JACL member Jeanne Nakagama, marking the chapter’s fifth queen since the pageant began in 1935.
• S.F. Presidio Museum Plans Major 442nd Show, page 2. The Presidio Army Museum in San Francisco is planning a major exhibit on the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. The exhibit aims to educate future generations about the unit’s wartime history and decorations.
• Kubota Gardens Tabbed ‘Landmark’, page 2. Kubota Gardens in Seattle, a family project started in the 1920s by pioneer Issei landscape gardener Fujitaro Kubota, was designated a historical landmark by the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board. The 20-acre garden, now maintained by his sons Tak and Tom, has faced pressure from developers.
• ‘Issei Story’ Donations Sought, page 2. The JARP Committee is seeking the whereabouts of donors who gave $100 or more to the Issei Story Fund in the early 1960s, needing to locate just 10 out of 344 names. Surviving relatives of deceased donors will receive a copy of the book ‘East to America’ by Wilson and Hosokawa.
• Japan JACL Hears Ambassador Togo, page 6. Former Japanese Ambassador to Washington Fumihiko Togo addressed the Japan JACL Chapter in Tokyo after returning from over four years in the United States. The talk took place at a Tokyo hotel.
• Saiki: Reunions and Reflections in Japan, by Barry Saiki, page 6. Continuing his column, Barry Saiki describes chance reunions in Japan with fellow former Stocktonians and incarcerees, including Dr. Susumu Ito of Harvard and Naomi Kashiwabara, a former Rohwer Outpost reporter. He reflects on the wide postwar dispersion of Nisei from their hometowns.
• Salt Lake City JACLers Spruce Up Japanese Peace Garden, page 6. Salt Lake JACL chapter president George Nakamura and longtime member Mas Horiuchi spent several evenings in June and July cleaning and maintaining the Japanese Peace Garden at Jordan Municipal Park. Other volunteers also contributed time to the upkeep effort.
• Boise Valley JACL to Hold Annual Picnic, page 6. Boise Valley JACL will hold its annual picnic Aug. 24 at Julia Davis Park in Boise, with a potluck format organized by co-chair Seichi Hayashida. Attendees are encouraged to visit the Western Idaho State Fair afterward.
• East Los Angeles JACL Awards Scholarships, page 6. The East Los Angeles JACL chapter awarded scholarships to local students as part of its community programs. Chapter leaders including president Doug Mascle participated in the presentation.
• Aging Conference Forum in L.A. Sept. 6, page 7. Southland Nikkei community members will meet at a forum on Sept. 6 to provide input for the 1981 White House Conference on Aging, to be held at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center. Keynote speakers will include Leon Harper of L.A. County.
• Lillian Kimura to Be Honored at JASC Fuji Festival Dinner, page 9. The Japanese American Service Committee will honor Lillian Kimura at its Sept. 21 Fuji Festival dinner for her years of leadership, including serving as JASC board president from 1973 to 1979. Kimura is also active in several other civic and social service organizations and recently was promoted within the National YWCA.
• Ernie’s ‘Castle’ at FolkFest, by Homer Yasui, page 10. Portland JACL members built an elaborate booth nicknamed ‘Ernie’s Castle’ for the Portland FolkFest using detailed blueprints from architect Ernie Sargent. The humorous account recounts the volunteer crew’s efforts and over 530 man-hours of labor spent constructing the structure.
• Tsutakawa to Design Memorial, page 10. Seattle sculptor George Tsutakawa has been commissioned to design a memorial to the 7,000 Japanese Americans interned at Puyallup during World War II. The planned cylindrical sculpture will feature Japanese symbols for loyalty at the Western Washington Fairgrounds.
• Boise Valley JACL Hall Renewal Starts, page 10. The Boise Valley JACL Hall in Homedale, Idaho is undergoing remodeling under building chair George Kawai, including a new roof and updated electrical wiring. Chapter members are seeking fundraising suggestions to finance the project.
• Nisei Week Six Issei Pioneers Honored, page 12. Six Issei pioneers were honored at the 1980 Nisei Week Festival, including Eiho Kagiwada, Seijiro Inose, Hajime Matsumoto, Takayo Kato, and Tom Koichi Nerio, recognized for their longtime contributions to the Japanese American community. Several honorees were recipients of the Order of the Sacred Treasure from Japan.

JACL

• Tsujimura to Lead JACL in This Biennium, by Harry Honda, page 1. Dr. James K. Tsujimura of Portland was elected JACL National President at the 1980 convention in San Francisco, held amid a hotel workers strike that forced a venue change. The convention also featured Senate passage of the redress commission bill, remarks from Sen. Inouye and Reps. Mineta and Matsui, and recognition of past conventions and award recipients.
• $60,000 Restored to PC Budget as Dues to Go Up $5.25 Next Year, page 3. JACL delegates approved a new biennium budget that restores weekly publication of the Pacific Citizen by adding $60,000, raising national dues from $16.50 to $22.25 for FY1981 and to $25.75 for FY1982. The convention also addressed the Karl Nobuyuki matter and various committee reports including redress fundraising progress.
• Tateishi Named ‘Biennium JACLer’, Spokane JACL Wins Top Inagaki Prize, page 3. John Tateishi was awarded the JACLer of the Biennium medallion for his leadership chairing the National Committee for Redress, while Spokane JACL won the George Inagaki Memorial Award as chapter of the biennium. Other honorees included Japanese Americans of the Biennium Minoru Masuda, George Nakashima, and Dr. Harvey Itano.
• Comments from the Midwest First Convention, by John Tani, page 9. Chicago JACL president John Tani reflects on attending his first national JACL convention, highlighting the generational contrasts between Issei, Nisei, and Sansei delegates and praising the strong participation of Midwest District women and younger members. He also notes some regional parochialism but overall optimism about Sansei taking on JACL leadership roles.
• Rep. Yates, Tateishi to Aid in Fund-Raiser, page 9. The Chicago JACL scheduled a redress fund-raising reception on Aug. 15 featuring Rep. Sidney Yates and John Tateishi, chairman of the National Committee for Redress. Yates was an early co-sponsor of the commission bill and a vocal supporter during House debate.

Military & Veterans

• Inouye’s Remarks to JACL, by Sen. Daniel Inouye, page 3. In his address to the JACL Convention Sayonara Dinner, Sen. Daniel Inouye recalled his own wartime experience training near the Rohwer camp and praised the passage of the commission bill as a victory decades in the making. He urged continued vigilance to ensure that the violation of constitutional rights suffered by Japanese Americans is never repeated for any group.

Commentary

• Ye Editor’s Desk: No Hill…, by Harry Honda, page 4. Harry Honda reflects on the unique and precedent-setting aspects of the 1980 JACL convention, including the last-minute venue change due to a hotel strike, new international chapter delegates from Japan and Hawaii, and procedural firsts such as card-based voting and an early budget presentation. He also notes the presence of several Nisei judges and the unusually fast-paced business sessions.
• To JACL Old-Timers: Remembering Georgiana Sibley, by T. Scott Miyakawa, page 4. T. Scott Miyakawa pays tribute to Georgiana Sibley, a longtime National JACL Sponsor who recently passed away, recalling her and her husband Harper Sibley’s early support of JACL during the dark days after Pearl Harbor. The piece includes a historical list of original National JACL Sponsors from the 1940s.
• Letters: Short Notes, by Echo Goto, Roy Iwaki, Mrs. Kiyo Koide, page 4. Three brief letters to the editor address a correction about a mother’s residence, a comment on bigotry referencing Archie Bunker, and thanks for an article about the writer’s late husband Joe Koide.
• ‘Direct’ Involvement the Key, by John Tateishi, page 4. John Tateishi, chairman of the National Committee for Redress, responds to a senator’s complaint about sponsorship credit for the commission bill, clarifying that his statements were about direct JACL involvement rather than formal bill sponsorship. He references correspondence with Senator Hayakawa regarding the legislative history of S.1647 and HR5499.
• Convention Post-Script, page 4. A letter writer who attended part of the convention praises the JACL staff for successfully managing the last-minute venue change to the Plaza Airport Inn. The writer also defends treasurer George Kodama against criticism over the budget, noting the difficulty volunteers face in managing all financial details.
• Nisei in Japan: JACL Chapter Underway in Japan, by Barry Saiki, page 5. Barry Saiki describes the growth of the new Japan JACL Chapter, which had 63 paid members by the end of May and hosted a social buffet at the New Otani’s Trader Vic’s restaurant. He recounts reunions with old friends and fellow former incarcerees now living in or visiting Japan.
• From Happy Valley: Cuff Notes on the Convention, by Sachi Seko, page 5. Sachi Seko offers anecdotal observations from the JACL convention, including the financial strain the hotel strike placed on breakfast arrangements, praise for speeches by Senator Inouye and Representatives Mineta and Matsui, and a look back at past JACL national presidents gathered at a private reception. She also notes the amusing story of Mits Kawamoto sharing a $25,000 raffle prize among five friends.
• Guest Editorial: Asian-American Lessons, by Honolulu Advertiser, page 5. A reprinted editorial from the Honolulu Advertiser discusses the recent founding of a JACL chapter in Hawaii, noting the differences between Hawaii’s Asian American community and the Mainland’s civil rights activism. It suggests the new chapter could help unify Hawaii’s various Asian ethnic groups politically, similar to Mainland trends.
• When Grandmother Was 53, page 5. A reflective personal essay recalls the author’s grandmother on the occasion of turning 53, the same age her grandmother was when the author knew her. The piece explores themes of memory, cultural transmission, and the quiet wisdom passed between generations of women.
• East Wind: A God-Given Gift, by Bill Marutani, page 5. Bill Marutani reflects on the rare skill of eloquent writing and speaking, praising Mike Masaoka’s recent testimony before a House subcommittee on the commission bill as a demonstration of masterful articulation. He recounts being moved by Masaoka’s speech at a Philadelphia Chapter installation dinner.
• A Marvelous Personality, But…, by Nobuyuki Nakajima, page 9. Nobuyuki Nakajima recounts a personal story about a respected educator friend whose comment supporting wartime policy during a Vietnam War discussion revealed an unsettling undercurrent resembling Nazi rhetoric. He reflects on how deep-seated racial bias can exist within otherwise admirable people.

National

• A. Wallace Tashima Sworn in as New Federal District Judge, page 7. A. Wallace Tashima was sworn in as a U.S. district judge on August 1 in Los Angeles, after serving as vice president and general attorney for Amstar Corporation and as a state deputy attorney general. Tashima, who spent three years in the Poston WRA camp during WWII, is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School.
• Chol Soo Lee on Trial Again, page 7. The San Francisco District Attorney’s Office formally recharged Chol Soo Lee, 27, with murder stemming from a 1973 Chinatown killing, despite an appellate ruling that voided his original conviction due to suppressed evidence. Trial has tentatively been set for Sept. 15, and Asian and Korean community representatives have protested the retrial.
• D.A. Won’t Fight Rule Favoring Iranians, page 7. A federal judge dismissed cases against protesters, ruling in favor of Iranians’ right to demonstrate. The brief item notes the legal outcome without extensive detail.
• Missouri Auto Dealer Hollers for Help!, page 9. A Chevrolet dealer in Columbia, Missouri ran a full-page newspaper ad titled ‘JAPSCAM’ urging readers to pressure Congress and President Carter over Japan’s trade barriers against U.S. automobiles. The ad compared tariff and import quota practices of various countries and criticized Japan’s non-tariff barriers on American cars.

In-Depth

• The Japanese-American Kamon, by Kei Yoshida, page 8. Kei Yoshida discusses the importance of preserving family crests (Kamon) and surnames for Japanese Americans, describing her nine-year effort to promote awareness among Sansei and Yonsei who often cannot read their own family names in Japanese characters. She advocates casting Kamons in bronze as permanent historical records for future generations.

Sports

• Spartan Beat: Chubby Teenager an Instant Star, by Mes Monbo, page 12. Nobuyuki Kagawa, a chubby 18-year-old rookie catcher nicknamed ‘Dokaben,’ became an instant sensation in Japan’s Pacific League after hitting home runs in his first major league and All-Star appearances. The article compares him to veteran catcher Katsuya Nomura and notes Johnny Bench’s recent home run record in the U.S.

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