Census shows Asian-Pacific American population doubled, and redress looms

Vol. 92, No. 9, March 6, 1981. 12 pages. View this issue

The 1980 census was the main story. The Census Bureau reported a 128% increase in the Asian and Pacific Islander population, from 1.5 million to 3.5 million, the largest percentage increase among nonwhite groups. The front page also covered a court hearing set for Mrs. Mitsue Takahashi, a Nisei teacher in Livingston, and the planned Pan-American Nikkei Conference in Mexico City, reported by Harry Honda. Inside, redress dominated the commentary. Bill Hosokawa asked how funding would fare under President Reagan’s budget cuts, Ron Ikejri urged attendance at Commission planning meetings, and Peter Imamura and John Saito wrote about hostile calls from people opposed to redress.

Also inside: three 442nd Regimental Combat Team veterans faced hostile callers on a San Francisco radio show while promoting the ‘Go For Broke’ Exhibit, and senators Daniel Inouye and Spark Matsunaga were named to speak at its dedication. Dr. Clifford Uyeda criticized a new Charlie Chan film, and Hiroshi Wagatsuma’s essay on childhood in Japan ran across pages 6 and 8.

What’s in this issue

National

• Census Shows Asian-Pacific American Population Doubled, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The 1980 Census reported a 128% increase in the Asian and Pacific Islander population, rising from 1.5 million to 3.5 million, the largest percentage increase among nonwhite groups. Officials attributed the rise to immigration and definitional changes, while activists cited undercounting in prior census efforts and a related court case concerning release of confidential census data.
• Nisei Denied Malpractice Insurance Renewal, page 2. Dr. Arthur Sakamoto lost a court battle over the Colorado Medical Society’s investigation into his use of Laetrile on cancer patients, which led to the denial of his malpractice insurance renewal. The judge ruled the investigation into his practice was proper, though Sakamoto claimed it invaded patient privacy and damaged his reputation and referrals.
• Hibakusha Examined in Hawaii, page 11. Medical examinations for Hiroshima and Nagasaki survivors living in Hawaii were conducted as part of a long-term study on radiation exposure and aging effects on the immune system, led by Dr. Takashi Makinodan. Support came from Honolulu JACL, the American Friends Service Committee, and the University of Hawaii’s Ethnic Studies Program.

Community

• Court Hearing Set March 10 for Ousted Livingston Nisei Teacher, page 1. Mrs. Mitsue Takahashi’s appeal against her firing as a teacher will be heard before Merced Superior Court Judge after the Northern California-Western Nevada-Pacific JACL voted support for her fair trial. Testimony revealed inconsistencies in the charges against her, including misattributed incidents and confusion by school officials.
• Higuchi Tendered Surprise PSW Fete, page 1. Friends of Wiley Higuchi, a Hollywood JACL stalwart, held a surprise event honoring his service to the Pacific Southwest District Council. The brief item notes his longtime involvement with the chapter.
• Novel Eye Test Program Faces School Budget Cut, page 1. The Blackbird Vision Screening System, developed by public health nurse Kiyo Sato-Viacrucis, helps test preschoolers’ vision using bird flight patterns instead of letters, but faces elimination due to Sacramento City Unified School District budget cuts. The system has proven effective in detecting myopia, astigmatism, color blindness and other disorders in young children who cannot yet read the alphabet.
• Benihana Workers Succeed in First Unionizing Drive, page 2. Employees at Benihana of Tokyo restaurant in Concord, Ca, voted to affiliate with the Hotel, Motel and Restaurant union after a tip-sharing dispute sparked a waitress walkout. The vote was certified by the National Labor Relations Board, marking a pioneering unionization in Japanese restaurant chains alongside similar efforts in Los Angeles and New York’s Chinatown.
• Sumitomo to Add Pacific City Banks, page 2. Sumitomo Bank of California and Pacific City Bank of Huntington Beach announced a letter of intent to merge, with Sumitomo being California’s 10th largest banking institution. Pacific City Bank’s Orange County and Santa Ana branches will become part of the Sumitomo system.
• N.C. Nikkei to Honor J.D. Hokoyama, page 2. The Northern California Nikkei community will honor J.D. Hokoyama, former JACL Associate National Director, at a dinner in San Francisco’s Chinatown. Hokoyama was credited with developing JACL’s ‘Operation ’80s’ long-range plan and fostering cooperation with other Asian American organizations.
• KNBC Commended for Pulling ‘Chan’ Film Ads, page 3. JACL Pacific Southwest Governor Dennis Kunisaki praised KNBC Television for refusing to air commercials for ‘Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen,’ calling the film humiliating to Asian Americans. The article also corrects an earlier erroneous PC story that had misidentified KNBC as a station that ran the ads.
• UCLA Opens Lecture Series, page 3. UCLA College of Fine Arts and the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center launched a six-part lecture/performance series titled ‘Japan: Source of a Cultural Heritage,’ beginning with a talk by Dr. Hiroshi Wagatsuma and a Bugaku performance. The free series continues through April with topics on Japanese festivals, history, music, theater, and the Japanese American experience.
• Nisei Selected Honorary Mayor, page 3. Terminal Island-born James Yamamoto, vice president of Yamamoto Bros. ship chandlery, was named honorary mayor of Wilmington at the Chamber of Commerce’s installation of officers. He helped raise $5,300 for the Boys Club of Wilmington and the chamber.
• Nikkei Arrested for Robbery Connection, page 3. Five persons, including Gary Uno, 19, were arrested in West Covina in connection with a $300,000 jewelry robbery. The arrests followed a month-long police investigation into an armed home invasion.
• J.A. Democrats Elect Mitsuhata, page 3. The Japanese American Democratic Club elected Grace N. Mitsuhata, a 33-year-old lawyer, as its president for 1981. The club plans to educate members on political processes to encourage broader community involvement.
• Phila. Inaugural-EDC Quarterly Combined, page 10. A Philadelphia JACL event combined with an EDC quarterly meeting featured pianist Keiko Sato of Curtis Institute. Tickets were available at discounted rates for seniors and students.
• Pasadenan Heads New Church Project, page 11. Dave Nakagawa, former director of the Pasadena Boys Club, was appointed to direct and coordinate development of lay leaders for Japanese Presbyterian churches. He currently chairs the Laity Board of the National Japanese Presbyterian Conference.
• Gardena Area Awards and Business Briefs, page 11. Multiple community members were honored including a Culver City Lions Club award recipient for city service, Hokubei Mainichi Math Contest winners, and a Golden Gate Optimist Club youth award winner. Business notes include Kazu Sumiki’s appointment at Kenwood Electronics and Capitol Records’ Roy Kohara winning a Grammy for album package design.
• Hawaii Seen in Pivotal Role for 2000, page 11. University of Hawaii President Fujio Matsuda told the Senate Higher Education meeting that the university has an opportunity to educate ‘the new American,’ the Pacific-American, in the 21st century. He emphasized that the Pacific region, rather than the Atlantic, will be central to future American action.
• Press Row and Military Notes, page 11. Gene Oishi, former Baltimore Sun reporter, is resigning as press secretary to Maryland Gov. Harry Hughes to complete an autobiographical novel on the Japanese American experience. Bill Hosokawa’s Denver Post column won a Colorado Press Association award, while Rep. Norman Mineta named several students to national military academies.

JACL

• Pan American Nikkei Conference Set for July 22-29, by Harry Honda, page 1. JACL has approved sending a delegation to the first Pan-American Nikkei Conference to be held in Mexico City, following interest generated at the 1980 National JACL convention workshop. The PC editor has been asked to cover the historic event, which grew from discussions among Nikkei leaders from Mexico, Canada, Japan, and the U.S.
• Inaugural Speech, by K. Patrick Okura, page 10. Okura, newly installed as Washington D.C. JACL chapter head, reflects on his long JACL history including serving as National President during the civil rights era and participating in the March on Washington. He emphasizes the chapter’s importance in the upcoming Commission hearings and the need to address issues facing aging Nisei.
• Jim Ishii Installed Pasadena JACL Head, page 10. Jim Ishii, a semi-retired landscape gardener, was installed as Pasadena JACL president, succeeding four-term president Miyo Senzaki. Guest speaker Harry Honda discussed upcoming Pacific Citizen improvements, while Regional Director John Saito swore in the officers.

Military & Veterans

• Nisei Vets Harassed on S.F. Radio Talk Show, page 1. Three 442nd Regimental Combat Team veterans appearing on KCBS radio to promote the ‘Go For Broke’ Exhibit faced antagonistic, anti-Nisei phone calls questioning their loyalty. Project coordinator Tom Kawaguchi expressed regret that such hostility persists despite official findings of no Japanese American subversion during WWII.
• Senators Named for ‘Go for Broke!’ Exhibit, page 12. Senators Daniel Inouye and Spark Matsunaga will address the largest mainland reunion of Japanese American veterans at the dedication of the ‘Go for Broke’ Exhibit at the Presidio Army Museum. Inouye will speak near the building where Gen. John L. DeWitt issued orders to intern Japanese Americans in 1942, with Mike Masaoka serving as master of ceremonies.

Commentary

• Roll Up Your Sleeves, by Peter Imamura, page 3. The columnist discusses the uphill battle facing JACL’s Redress efforts, citing hostile phone calls and anti-Nisei sentiment during a radio broadcast promoting the ‘Go for Broke’ Exhibit. He argues that educating youth about Japanese American incarceration is crucial, drawing parallels to contemporary hate group activity.
• Charlie Chan, by Dr. Clifford Uyeda, page 4. Uyeda criticizes the new ‘Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen’ film as a pathologic anachronism reviving offensive Asian stereotypes from a bygone era. He describes having read the script and finding it worse than the original Charlie Chan movies, condemning the producers for ignoring Chinese community concerns.
• A Call for Help, by Ron Ikejiri, page 4. Ikejiri highlights the rarity of bills becoming law, noting that the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians Act was among the few successes, thanks to key Congressional supporters. He urges community members to attend Commission planning meetings and support the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for redress.
• On Redress, by Elmer S. Tazuma, page 4. A letter to the editor arguing that the wartime incarceration was an exercise in futility that benefited no one, with internees receiving a ‘paid vacation’ while losing homes and businesses. The writer contends that government officials exploited the situation for personal gain and questions when the country will learn freedom is for all people.
• A Kibei Look at WW2/Evacuation, by Sachi Seko, page 4. Seko reviews James Oda’s book ‘Heroic Struggles of Japanese Americans,’ which emphasizes the Nisei soldier as a positive contributor to Japanese American rights in contrast to wartime ‘dissidents.’ Oda, a Kibei who volunteered for the MISLS from Manzanar, offers an illuminating perspective on Kibei loyalty and their fight for a free, democratic Japan.
• Funding of Redress Faces Competition, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Hosokawa examines how President Reagan’s budget-cutting agenda threatens JACL’s redress funding goals, as the $3 billion request would compete with other federal programs amid tight fiscal conditions. He questions whether JACL will need to shift focus from monetary compensation toward public education about human rights violations.
• Foreign Names and Words, by Bill Marutani, page 5. Marutani discusses the challenges of pronouncing Japanese names and words correctly, using examples like ‘Subaru’ and ‘sukiyaki’ that are commonly mispronounced in America. He also reflects on his own struggles learning Spanish, concluding with more tolerance for others’ mispronunciations.
• John Tateishi: A Tribute, page 5. A tribute piece honors John Tateishi’s nearly three-year tenure as JACL’s Redress Chair, crediting him with helping achieve the historic passage of the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians Act. The author, a former NCWN District colleague, praises Tateishi’s dedication and sacrifice for the cause.
• U.S.-Japan Relations in 1981, by Barry Saiki, page 5. Saiki analyzes the economic relationship between the U.S. and Japan under the new Reagan administration, noting Japan’s reliance on American trade and its emergence as a manufacturing competitor. He contrasts Japanese lifetime employment and productivity gains with American union-driven wage structures and declining productivity.
• Full Disclosure, by John Saito, page 8. Saito recounts a hostile phone call from a woman opposed to redress payments who questioned Japanese American loyalty despite praising the 442nd RCT’s bravery. He argues that full disclosure of wartime injustices is needed and urges donations to support testimony preparation for the upcoming Commission hearings.

Arts & Entertainment

• Shakuhachi Concert, page 3. Radio station KPFK will broadcast a shakuhachi concert by Kazu Matsui, known for performances on NBC’s ‘Shogun’ series and with Ravi Shankar. Tickets for the free broadcast concert are available by request.
• ‘Behind Enemy Lines’ Opens in Boston, page 10. A three-act play, ‘Behind Enemy Lines,’ was staged as a New England JACL benefit in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The playwright’s background includes degrees from multiple universities and prior work co-authoring a radio drama.

Incarceration & Redress

• Teacher, by Nichi Bei Times, page 4. Continuing coverage of Mrs. Takahashi’s case details additional charges against her that were undermined by cross-examination, including a janitor’s false obscenity claim and disputed disciplinary transfer incidents. Testimony revealed her class had a high number of unruly students referred to the principal, which was used against her despite contextual factors.

In-Depth

• Pan American Nikkei Conference July 22-29 (Continued), by Harry Honda, page 4. The continuation details the international panel at the 1980 JACL convention, featuring Barry Saiki discussing three waves of Nisei immigration to Japan and George Imai describing the Canadian Nikkei experience. Imai noted Canada’s lack of a bill of rights and that the War Measures Act used for Canadian evacuation remains on the books.
• 35 Years Ago, page 5. A historical digest of events from early 1946 includes the deactivation of the all-Nisei 232nd Combat Engineers, denial of permission for a Nisei veteran to bring his Canadian bride home, and the ninth biennial JACL convention in Denver where Hito Okada was elected national president. Other items cover Issei citizenship efforts and legal challenges to racial restrictive covenants.
• Childhood in Japan, by Hiroshi Wagatsuma, Ph.D., page 6. Wagatsuma’s extensive essay explores traditional Japanese beliefs about childhood spirits (kami), ritual parent-child relationships, and ceremonies marking developmental milestones like shichi-go-san. The piece also examines contemporary Japanese childhood, comparing American and Japanese mother-infant interaction patterns and their differing emphases on vocal communication versus physical closeness.
• Shitsuke: Japanese Child Discipline Continued, by Hiroshi Wagatsuma, Ph.D., page 8. The continuation of Wagatsuma’s essay examines the concept of ‘shitsuke’ (disciplining/training) in Japanese culture, emphasizing self-learning through imitation rather than verbal instruction. The piece also explores gender roles in disciplining children, finding that mothers play an increasingly dominant role compared to traditional stern-father models, particularly in urban, educated households.

Sports

• Hawaii’s Tanabe Leads in Career RBIs, page 11. University of Hawaii catcher Collin Tanabe leads the Rainbow baseball team in career RBIs with 151 and tied for second on the all-time homerun list. A walk-on player, Tanabe led the team to the finals of the College World Series the previous year.

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