Redress, senior housing and a new JACL redress chair

Vol. 92, No. 12, March 27, 1981. 8 pages. View this issue

Redress ran through this issue. Following John Tateishi’s resignation, Minoru Yasui of Denver was named to chair the JACL National Committee for Redress. The paper also covered Joan Bernstein’s acceptance of an invitation to speak at the Tri-District Conference in Los Angeles, and a testimonial banquet planned to honor Tateishi. Dale Minami and Russell Matsumoto set out a legal case against the World War II evacuation, and a church board granted $7,500 toward a redress lawsuit. The front page led with Nikkei senior housing projects in California and Utah, one of which met opposition at a city council hearing.

The issue also carried the Issei chorus at the dedication of the Go For Broke exhibit, with singers who were mothers of 100th/442nd soldiers. Bill Hosokawa profiled shipping businessman Kay Sugahara, and a Whittier College conference on the camps was announced. A proposal for a sculpture marking Camp Harmony in Washington State rounds out the issue.

What’s in this issue

Community

• Nikkei Senior Housing Still Developing, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Several Japanese American senior housing projects are in various stages of development across California and Utah, supported by local JACL chapters. While Salt Lake City and Watsonville Valley projects moved forward, the San Fernando Valley Japanese Cultural Institute’s project faced a setback after community opposition at a city council hearing.
• Issei Chorus a Hit at ‘GFB’ Exhibit Debut, page 1. A Watsonville Issei choral group performed ‘God Bless America,’ memorized phonetically in kana, at the dedication of the ‘Go For Broke’ Exhibit at the Presidio of San Francisco. Many of the singers were Gold Star Mothers who had sons serving in the 100th/442nd during World War II.
• New Hearing Date Set for Takahashi, page 1. Merced County Superior Court Judge George G. Murray is scheduled to hear arguments that a tenured teacher of some 20 years was not given a fair hearing prior to a 2-1 decision to fire her.
• BCA to Inaugurate New Bishop Yamaoka, page 1. Formal ceremonies marking the inauguration of Rev. Haruo Yamaoka as bishop of the Buddhist Churches of America will be held April 25 in San Francisco. The Fresno-born priest is the first native-born American appointed to the position, succeeding retiring Bishop Kenryu T. Tsuji.
• Mrs. Hom to Seek Rep. McCloskey’s Seat, page 1. Gloria Sun Hom, a Mission College economics department head and mother of three, announced her candidacy for the 12th Congressional District seat held by Rep. McCloskey. She previously fell short in a state senate race by a narrow margin.
• More Seek Hayakawa’s Seat, page 2. Republican banker Michael Shingleton announced his candidacy for Senate, aiming to unseat Sen. S.I. Hayakawa in the next Republican primary. Shingleton, who supports Reagan’s economic policies, joins other aspirants including Rep. Barry Goldwater Jr. and Rep. Robert Dornan in challenging Hayakawa.
• N.C. JACCC Wins $29,800 Private Grant, page 2. A San Francisco Foundation grant of $29,800 was approved for the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California to help coordinate planning for the Nihonmachi site on Sutter Street. The funds will assist in assessing organizational community needs and drawing up a master plan.
• Placer County, Sacramento JACL Plan Clean-Up April 5, page 2. A joint Placer County JACL/Sacramento JACL cleanup of the Okei Grave and Wakamatsu Colony Memorial is scheduled for Sunday, April 26. The project has been an annual affair since the site was dedicated as a state landmark in 1969.
• JADC Dinner Keynotes, page 2. Rep. Robert Matsui will be the main speaker at the fifth annual dinner of the San Francisco Japanese American Democratic Club. The dinner’s topic will be ‘Democrats Face the Reagan Years.’
• Nisei to Tout Tourist Spots, page 2. Joanne Hirasaki serves as director of tourism for the San Jose Chamber of Commerce, working to attract Japanese tourist dollars to the city. Since the position was created in 1978, Japanese tour packages increasingly include San Jose destinations like Eastridge Shopping Mall and Winchester Mystery House.
• Nikkei Heads Calif. Procurement Office, page 2. California General Services Director David Janssen named Sumson S. Suzuki to head the department’s Small and Minority Business Procurement Assistance Division. Suzuki has 17 years of purchasing experience with the state and has been involved in small and minority business programs since 1973.
• Farewell Set for Stockton Minister, page 2. Rev. Haruo Yamaoka of the Buddhist Churches of America will be honored at a farewell banquet at the Stockton church social hall before leaving for his new duties as bishop in San Francisco. Dr. Ken Fujii and Pete Yagi are chairing the farewell service.
• Whittier College Conference on WW2 Camp Life Set Apr. 3-4, page 3. A two-day conference titled ‘The American Concentration Camp: a Contemporary Perspective’ will be held at Whittier College featuring speakers including Dr. Harry Kitano, Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, and Ralph Lazo. The conference explores sociological perspectives on the camps and is free and open to the public.
• Brother’s Keeper, by John Saito, page 6. A Pacific Southwest column recounts an incident where a homeless, intoxicated man collapsed on the sidewalk outside the JACCC building in the rain, and PC staff members helped him until police arrived. The author reflects on the indifference of passersby who stepped around the man without helping.
• Mayor Isenberg to Address Sac’to, page 6. Mayor Phil Isenberg of Sacramento will be the main speaker at the Sacramento JACL inaugural on March 28. New chapter president Keith Yamanaka is a Honolulu native and 1977 graduate of UC Berkeley’s Boalt Hall law school.
• San Jose JACL Bridge Nite, page 6. The eighth annual San Jose JACL Bridge Nite will be held April 11, chaired by Mrs. Aiko Nakahara, with partners arranged for those attending alone. Mrs. Swanee McKay will direct the duplicate tournament assisted by several volunteers.
• West Los Angeles JACL Chartered Bus to Disneyland, page 6. West Los Angeles JACL chartered a bus for Disneyland’s Festival Japan on March 28, organized by Toy Kanegai. The one-day trip includes a Disneyland coupon book and entry ticket for $8 for seniors and $13 for others.
• Seabrook JACL Spring Calendar, page 6. Seabrook JACL has a busy spring schedule including an installation-graduates recognition dinner combined with the Eastern District Council meeting, and participation in community events. The chapter’s senior citizens night program in December included guests such as Mrs. Fusa Kobayashi and Rev. Mamoru Eto, who turned 98.
• No. Jersey Area Forum, page 6. New York and Eastern District JACL are co-sponsoring an Equal Employment Opportunity forum on April 11 at Union College with the Pac/Asian Coalition and Organization of Chinese Americans. EDC legal counsel Dennis Morikawa will be the keynote speaker.

National

• Spark Backs Day for Vietnam Veterans, page 1. Sen. Spark Matsunaga (D-Hawaii) is co-sponsoring a resolution designating April 26, 1981 as ‘National Recognition Day for Veterans of the Vietnam Era.’ He cited that over 480,000 Vietnam veterans are unemployed and most lack GI Bill eligibility.
• Fish Diet Reduces Chance of Stroke, Heart Attacks, page 6. Researchers studying populations from Japan to Greenland found a connection between fish consumption and reduced incidence of stroke and heart attacks. A Japanese study found that residents of fishing villages had higher levels of EPA (a fatty acid) compared to other populations.

JACL

• Redress Commission Chair Accepts Tri-District Invitation, page 1. Joan Bernstein, chairperson of the U.S. Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians, accepted an invitation to headline a redress panel at the JACL Tri-District Conference in Los Angeles on April 4. The conference will also feature a ‘Yuki-Yaki’ roast of actor Yuki Shimoda to benefit the PSWDC redress campaign.
• Min Yasui Named to JACL Redress Chair, page 1. Following John Tateishi’s resignation, Minoru Yasui of Denver was appointed by National President Jim Tsujimura to chair the National Committee for Redress. Yasui has served on JACL’s Redress Committee since 1978 and is described as having a singular commitment to the issue.
• DC Testimonial for Tateishi Slated, page 1. A testimonial banquet honoring John Tateishi for his leadership in the JACL redress campaign will be held May 16, sponsored by the No. Calif-W. Nev.-Pacific JACL District Council. Rep. Norman Mineta, co-author of the House bill establishing the redress commission, will be the main speaker.
• 1000 Club Fund-Raising, by Frank F. Sakamoto, page 6. National 1000 Club chairman discusses a new fundraising proposal from Tom Arima to build an Endowment Fund by collecting $5 from each of approximately 2,000 members. He also mentions a proposed insurance program and promotes the October 1981 Japan trip with an International Wing-Ding event.
• Milwaukee Chapter Installs Allan Hida, page 6. The Milwaukee JACL inaugural was held January 25, electing Allan Hida to a second term as chapter president, installed by Shig Wakamatsu of Chicago. Awards included the Paul Revere Bowl to Sat Nakahira and certificates of appreciation to Paul Kusuda and Sei Pramenko for community contributions.

Incarceration & Redress

• N.Y. JACL Plans ‘Mock’ Redress Hearing, page 1. The New York JACL will conduct a mock redress hearing on April 25 at Columbia School of Journalism in preparation for a probable hearing by the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians. The idea came from a similar mock hearing held during the national JACL convention in San Francisco last summer.
• A Case Against WW2 Evacuation, by Dale Minami, Russell Matsumoto, page 5. Bay Area Attorneys for Redress outline their legal argument that the WWII detention and evacuation of Japanese Americans constituted illegal racial discrimination violating the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments. The piece cites discriminatory statements by General DeWitt and documents showing the policy targeted only Japanese, not German or Italian populations similarly.
• $7,500 Promised for Redress Lawsuit, page 6. The United Church Board for Homeland Ministries granted $7,500 to the Redress Legal Fund of the National Council for Japanese American Redress, which seeks $75,000 to underwrite a class action lawsuit against the United States for internment compensation. Legal preparation will begin once $30,000 is raised.
• Sculpture Proposed for ‘Camp Harmony’, page 7. Legislation was introduced in the Washington State Legislature to fund a sculpture commemorating the 7,000 Japanese Americans interned at the Western Washington Fairgrounds during WWII. Puyallup Valley and Seattle JACL chapters have proposed sculptor George Tsutakawa, himself a former internee at the camp, to create the work.

Military & Veterans

• MIS Vets Gear for 40th Ann’y Reunion, page 1. Plans for a 40th anniversary MISLS reunion were announced for Sunday, Nov. 1 at the Presidio of San Francisco Officers Club, led by general chairman Tad Hirota. Instructors and members of the first MIS class will be honored.

Obituaries

• Kumajiro Murakami Turns 100, page 2. Kumajiro Murakami, an Issei from a rice farmer’s family, celebrated his 100th birthday after emigrating to Hawaii at 17 to work on a sugar plantation and later settling in Watsonville. He attributes his longevity to avoiding excessive excitement and worry.

Arts & Entertainment

• ‘Hito Hata’ Makes Boston Area Debut, page 2. The film ‘Hito Hata’ will be shown on Sunday, April 5 at Harvard University’s Science Center Auditorium, as announced by the New England Asian American Resources Workshop. Tickets are $5 for the general public and $3 for students.
• PBS to Air ‘Another View’, page 3. PBS will present ‘American Perspective: Another View,’ a multicultural documentary series hosted by actor Keye Luke, airing Thursdays beginning April 9. The series will focus on different ethnic groups, the handicapped, and women, including episodes on Chinese American and Hawaiian families.

Commentary

• Peter Imamura Column on Japanese Tourism, by Peter Imamura, page 3. The author discusses the growing influx of Japanese tourists to Hawaii and California, noting how media-projected images of lifestyle attract visitors despite concerns about crime. He observes that despite negative incidents, the United States maintains a high-status image among Japanese tourists who continue to flock to both states.
• Cliffs Corner: Being Heard, by Dr. Clifford Uyeda, page 4. The author recalls a 1969 controversy within the Japanese American community over the title ‘The Quiet Americans’ used to describe Nisei in Bill Hosokawa’s book. He reflects on the deeper issue of whether differing opinions within the community could truly be heard by the establishment.
• Super Weakness of the Super Minority, by Roy H. Doi, page 4. A UC-Davis faculty member argues that many Nikkei students suffer from an inability to speak well and project confidence in interviews and professional settings, a skill often lacking in their Nisei and Sansei parents as well. He urges JACL to foster a program improving oral communication skills among Nikkei of all ages as a major project for the 1980s.
• Letterbox: Chapter Anniversary, by Ruby T. Dobana, page 4. The Stockton JACL president praises the Pacific Citizen’s coverage of Stockton JACL’s history in the February 27th issue as superb. She hopes other chapters will follow suit in documenting their anniversaries.
• Letterbox: Questions on Redress Accountability Article, by Eiji Suyama, page 4. A reader from Maine raises questions about an earlier article on redress accountability, seeking clarification on legal points regarding the Korematsu and Endo cases and the role of military necessity claims. He suggests inviting non-lawyers and students to assist in redress-related legal research.
• East Wind: Ten-Shiru, Chi-Shiru, Hito-Shiru, by Bill Marutani, page 5. The columnist reflects on moral lessons passed down from Issei parents, including frugality, the value of hard work for success, and honesty in dealings with others. He notes the Japanese saying ‘truth will out’ and reflects on how these values might benefit modern American society.
• Spartan Beat: ‘Shogun’ Still Headliner in Japan, by Mas Manbo, page 8. A Tokyo column discusses the ongoing popularity of ‘Shogun’ in Japan following actress Yoko Shimada’s Golden Globe win, including tie-in tours and merchandise. The piece also covers unrelated topics including the closing of the Nichigeki Theater and controversy over Japanese sex tourism to Southeast Asia.

In-Depth

• Kay Sugahara: The Nisei Onassis, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. From the Frying Pan column profiles Kay Sugahara, a Los Angeles-born Nisei orphan who built a vast shipping and business empire called the Fairfield Group. His holdings include a tanker fleet, refrigerated cargo ships, California orchards, and oil and gas exploration businesses.
• JACLer Recalls Audience with Emperor of Japan, by Tokuyoshi ‘Corky’ Kawasaki, page 7. Portland JACLer Corky Kawasaki recounts his personal experience receiving a medal from the Japanese government and attending an audience with Emperor Hirohito at the Imperial Palace. He describes the formal awards ceremony and the emperor’s gracious words of appreciation to the honorees for their service.

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