Vol. 92, No. 10, March 13, 1981. 8 pages. View this issue
The front page carried two stories about veterans. Rep. Norman Y. Mineta introduced HR 1733, a bill that would presume a link between a veteran’s service at an atomic or nuclear test site and later illness from radiation. Over 2,000 people also gathered at the Presidio of San Francisco for the Army’s ‘Go For Broke’ exhibit honoring the 100th Infantry and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, with Sen. Dan Inouye and Sen. Spark Matsunaga speaking. Bill Hosokawa wrote about the dedication in his column on page 5.
Inside are several pieces on the wartime incarceration (often called internment). Sacramento held its second Day of Remembrance at Walerga Park, Pacific Northwest groups prepared for a visit from the redress commission, and a new film recalled Rohwer and Jerome. Peter Imamura wrote on crime fears in the community, Bill Marutani on voting in JACL, and plans for a National Japanese American Museum in Little Tokyo were announced.
What’s in this issue
Military & Veterans
- Mineta Bill to Seek Aid for GIs Exposed at U.S. Nuclear Tests, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Rep. Norman Y. Mineta introduced HR 1733 to establish a presumption of causality between veterans’ service at atomic or nuclear test sites and subsequent disability or disease from radiation exposure. The bill would cover veterans at the Nevada Test Site, Bikini Atoll, Eniwetok Atoll, and other Pacific test areas, with estimates of up to 400,000 affected veterans and civilians.
- Army Dedicates ‘Go for Broke’ Exhibit; Over 2,000 Attend, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Over 2,000 people gathered at the Presidio of San Francisco to dedicate the Army’s ‘Go For Broke’ Exhibit honoring the 100th Infantry and 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Sen. Dan Inouye and Sen. Spark Matsunaga spoke at the event, with Mike Masaoka serving as emcee at the ceremonies.
- ‘Go For Broke’ Exhibit: Army’s Salute to the 442nd, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Hosokawa’s column reflects on the dedication of the ‘Go For Broke’ exhibit at the Presidio Army Museum honoring the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, the most decorated unit of its size in U.S. military history. He emphasizes the broader story of Nisei soldiers who volunteered despite being denied their rights, understanding their service would prove their worthiness as Americans.
National
- Pan American Nikkei Conference July 22-29, by Harry Honda, page 1. The article details the planning for the first Pan-American Nikkei Conference in Mexico City, organized following the 1980 JACL international workshop. Organizers including Kubokawa are coordinating with Peruvian Nisei Luis Yamakawa and expect 500 people from 11 countries, with workshop panels on business, science, and manufacturing.
- Hibakusha Support Continues, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Committee of Atomic Bomb Survivors (CABS) continues efforts to advance legislation HR 1022 sponsored by Rep. George Danielson, with support from JACL chapters nationwide. Paul Tsuneishi reports on fundraising for the Survivor’s Film Project and medical assistance programs at the Wadsworth Medical Center in Los Angeles.
- JA Banker’s Role Unclear in Wells Fargo Scam, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Former Wells Fargo bank manager Gene Kawakami’s role in an alleged $21.3 million MAPS Inc. embezzlement scheme remains unclear despite bank executives’ explanations. Wells Fargo CEO Richard Cooley stated there was no evidence Kawakami joined former operations officer L. Ben Lewis in the alleged embezzlement.
- Reagan Won’t Ax U.S.-Japan Fund, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Secretary of State Alexander Haig obtained a promise from OMB Director David Stockman not to abolish the U.S.-Japan Friendship Fund despite planned budget cuts. The fund finances scholarly, cultural and artistic activities aimed at mutual understanding between the U.S. and Japan.
- Business Nippon Views Ties Under Reagan, by P.C. Staff, page 8. A Tokyo broadcast of Business Nippon discussed U.S.-Japan relations under the Reagan administration, featuring commentary from Nobuhiko Ushiba comparing the Nixon and Reagan administrations’ approaches. The discussion touched on concerns about Congress acting too quickly on trade and economic issues affecting bilateral relations.
Community
- BCA Names First U.S. Nisei Bishop, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Rev. Haruo Yamaoka of the Stockton Buddhist Church was elected bishop of the Buddhist Churches of America at the BCA national council meeting in Phoenix. A native of Fresno, he will be the first U.S.-born Nisei to serve as BCA bishop, succeeding Bishop Kenryu Takashi Tsuji.
- Tomonokai: Kinship for Widows/Widowers Meets, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Hana Masuda, widow of Dr. Minoru Masuda, started a Seattle support group called Tomonokai for widows and widowers that has grown to over 60 members. The group holds meetings at different churches, with educational forums, social activities, and buzz sessions addressing grief and coping with loneliness.
- J.A. National Museum Plans Announced, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Plans for the proposed National Japanese American Museum were announced for discussion at a public meeting, according to Bruce T. Kaji of Merit Savings and Loan Association. The museum would be located in a four-acre Merit Court Plaza development in Little Tokyo, master-planned by architect Minoru Yamasaki.
- Placer County Re-elects Al Nitta of Loomis, by Roy Yoshida, page 6. Al Nitta was re-elected and inducted as the 44th president of the Placer County JACL chapter at Akatsuki Restaurant, with National Legal Counsel Frank Iwama as installing officer. Sheriff Don J. Nunes, the youngest sheriff in the state, shared observations from his trips to Tokyo regarding Japanese legal systems and police-to-population ratios.
- Sansei Girl Saves Boyfriend, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Despite a broken wrist and rib, 17-year-old Vicki Sakuma crawled up a 100-foot canyon wall to summon help after her car tumbled off a rain-slicked road in the San Gabriel Mountains. Both she and her boyfriend Greg Desnuke were taken to hospitals for treatment following the Feb. 27 accident.
JACL
- JACL Named in Chiz Satow Estate, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The estate of the late Chizuko U. Satow bequeathed $5,544.80 to JACL, announced by Tom Shimasaki, chairman of the national JACL ways and means committee. She was remembered as the wife of late National JACL Director Mas Satow, who served from 1946-72.
- Lowry Addresses Seattle Installation, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Congressman Mike Lowry spoke at the Seattle JACL Installation and Awards Banquet, reaffirming his commitment to redress compensation for interned Japanese Americans. Lloyd Hara was installed as chapter president, succeeding Chuck Kato, with awards presented to several Issei and Nisei community leaders including Mrs. Kiyo Motoda, the first Issei woman so honored.
Incarceration & Redress
- Rohwer, Jerome Experiences Recalled in New Half-Hour Film, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A half-hour videotape titled ‘A Place Called Rohwer’ produced by E. Jay Friedlander of the University of Arkansas is scheduled for broadcast on state educational TV in mid-April. The documentary uses photographs by Carl Mydans and features narration by Sam Yada and Rev. Joseph Boone Hunter recounting camp experiences.
- Pacific Northwest D.C. Gears for Visit of Redress Commission, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Pacific Northwest redress activities have intensified following appointments to the Commission on the Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians, with Sen. Hugh B. Mitchell meeting with Seattle JACL and the Community Committee on Redress/Reparations. Portland JACL is sponsoring an education forum featuring Dr. Gordon Hirabayashi, Rep. Norman Mineta, and Dr. Arthur Flemming.
- Sacramentans Remember Walerga, by Thelma Burnside, page 6. The second ‘Day of Remembrance’ was held at the new Walerga Park in Sacramento, commemorating the site of the old Walerga Camp Assembly Center where Japanese Americans were held after Executive Order 9066. Speakers included Bob Newell, Carney Ouye, Paul Igasaki, and Mary Tsukamoto, who shared personal reflections on internment and resilience.
Commentary
- State of Siege, by Peter Imamura, page 3. The column addresses rising crime fears in the Japanese American community following murders of Robert Sakane and Joe Miyoshi, and examines various community responses including vigilante groups, survivalists, and the KKK’s offer of assistance. The author highlights the Seinan Center’s neighborhood watch program as a more constructive approach to crime prevention.
- Chiaroscuro: Reagan and EEOC, by Lloyd Hara, page 4. The column examines the Reagan administration’s transition team recommendations to curtail EEOC activism on affirmative action, including making it harder to prove discrimination and reducing enforcement budgets. The author argues JACL members should be concerned about potential rollbacks affecting Japanese American employment opportunities.
- Letter: KKK Burning and Firearms Concerns, by Hashime Saito, page 4. A letter to the editor from Tucson expresses alarm about KKK activity near Phoenix and concerns about deadly semi-automatic weapons being stockpiled. The writer warns Nikkei to be vigilant against potential future persecution and discusses geopolitical concerns about Japan’s rearmament.
- East Wind: One Person, One Vote (Or: Might Makes Right), by Bill Marutani, page 5. Marutani’s column argues against proposals for ‘one person, one vote’ representation in JACL, contending it would allow California chapters to dominate and marginalize other districts’ concerns. He warns that adopting such a simplistic voting scheme could lead to the demise of JACL as a national organization representing all Nikkei.
- Washington Profile: An Interview with Robert S. Ingersoll, by Ronald K. Ikejiri, page 5. Former U.S. Ambassador to Japan Robert S. Ingersoll discusses U.S.-Japan economic relations and trade recommendations in an interview conducted by Alan Schlosser of the Japan Economic Institute. Ingersoll addresses market openness, energy cooperation, agricultural trade, and the need for Japan to take greater international responsibility.
Arts & Entertainment
- Books on Review: Learning from Shogun, by Jin Konomi, page 4. A review of ‘Learning from Shogun: Japanese History and Western Fantasy,’ a symposium of essays edited by Henry Smith examining the historical and thematic content of James Clavell’s novel. The reviewer praises the scholarship while maintaining that Shogun itself contains significant historical inaccuracies and anachronisms.
Sports
- Nisei Jockey Breaks Longest Losing Streak, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Veteran jockey Roy Yaka, riding for 27 years, broke his longest losing streak of 124 races when he won aboard Caremar at Golden Gate Fields on Feb. 24. The 50-year-old jockey’s win was his first since September, having struggled to get mounts after sustaining injuries in a four-horse spill.
- Wrestler Mark Watanuki Helps Brighton High School Win Fourth Straight State Title, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Wrestler Mark Watanuki helped Brighton High School in Salt Lake City win its fourth consecutive state wrestling championship. The 105-lb. Watanuki completed a successful 26-1 season and was champion of his weight class.
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