Newspapers speak out on redress, plus the Panamerican Nikkei Conference

Vol. 93, No. 6, August 7, 1981. 8 pages. View this issue

Editorials from across the country on redress led the front page. The New York Times, New York Daily News, Christian Science Monitor, Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, Dallas Times Herald and Denver Post all weighed in on the hearings, from strong support for monetary redress to doubts about compensation. Inside, Rep. Norman Y. Mineta wrote that the Korematsu decision remains a “loaded weapon,” and Floyd Shimomura gave one Sansei’s view of the Washington hearings, including testimony from Gordon Hirabayashi and Minoru Yasui. The front page also reported that Japanese Americans ranked third among Asian American groups in the 1980 Census.

Harry K. Honda covered the first Panamerican Nikkei Conference in Mexico City, which drew about 700 people. Columns by Bill Hosokawa, Bill Marutani and Ron Wakabayashi ran on page 5, and letters on page 4 took up non-citizen JACL membership and Executive Order 9066. Little Tokyo readers will find a Japanese American Cultural and Community Center survey on a planned recreation facility.

What’s in this issue

Incarceration & Redress

• Editorials Nationwide Speak Out on Reparations, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Major newspapers including the New York Times, New York Daily News, Christian Science Monitor, Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, Dallas Times Herald and Denver Post published editorials reacting to the redress hearings, with opinions ranging from strong support for monetary redress to skepticism about compensation. The article summarizes each paper’s stance, citing arguments about racism, constitutional rights, wartime necessity and the cost of reparations.
• Mexico Hosts 700 Nikkei at Pan-American Conference (Continued), by Harry K. Honda, page 4. The continuing account of the Panamerican Nikkei Conference describes the papers presented by Nikkei professionals and highlights from the convention, including a special home visit called an ‘ochazuke party, Mexican style.’ JACLers reflected on the strengthened bonds across national boundaries and expressed hope for future gatherings in other countries.

Obituaries

• Scotty Miyakawa, 75, Dies, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Dr. T. Scott Miyakawa, a longtime academic and co-editor of ‘East Across the Pacific,’ died in Boston at age 75. He was honored for his work on the JACL Japanese history project and taught sociology for decades at Boston University and the University of Massachusetts at Boston.
• Bishop Walsh, 90, JACL Sponsor Dies, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Bishop James E. Walsh, one of the few U.S. churchmen to publicly protest the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII, died at age 90 in Maryknoll, New York. He was honored as a National JACL Sponsor after his release from 12 years in a Shanghai prison where he had been held on espionage charges.
• Edward M. Matsuda, 79, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Edward M. Matsuda, president of the Southern California Japanese Chamber of Commerce and former JACL L.A. Downtown Chapter president, died of a heart attack while returning from a fishing trip. He was a prominent community leader who chaired the 1972 Nisei Week Festival and received Japan’s Sacred Treasure 4th Class award.
• Fred Toshio Kaneshiro, 59, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Fred Toshio Kaneshiro, longtime proprietor of the Columbia Inn Restaurant in Honolulu, died of cancer at age 59. He was known as a major contributor to charities and a promoter of baseball in Hawaii and Los Angeles.

National

• Chinese, Filipinos Top Japanese in ’80 U.S. Census, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The 1980 U.S. Census showed Japanese Americans fell to third place among Asian American groups, behind Chinese and Filipino populations, despite a 19% increase to 700,747 people. The Census Bureau also reported a dramatic quadrupling of the Korean American population and noted California’s heavy concentration of Asian residents.
• Mayor Sato Backs Hayakawa ‘English Only’ Amendment, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Long Beach Mayor Eunice Sato endorsed Senator S.I. Hayakawa’s proposal to make English the official language of the U.S. and his 1982 re-election bid. Hayakawa criticized bilingual education and ballots and took aim at Mexican-American leader Mario Obledo’s opposition to the amendment.
• KNXT-TV in L.A. Supports Redress, by P.C. Staff, page 5. CBS-TV station KNXT broadcast an editorial supporting redress for Japanese Americans, with commentator Phyllis Kirk Bush stating that the nation can never repay internees for their loss of freedom but should vow it never happens again. The brief item notes the editorial’s broadcast and message.
• Washington Wrap-Up: 1982 Budget Block Grants, by Ron Ikejiri, page 8. Ron Ikejiri reports on Congressional conference committee negotiations over President Reagan’s proposed block grants consolidating federal health and education programs into lump-sum state payments. The piece outlines compromises reached, including required public hearings and continued federal program operation for up to a year, reflecting Congressional hesitation to fully cede authority to states.

Community

• Mexico Hosts 700 Nikkei at Pan-American Conference, by Harry K. Honda, page 1. The first Panamerican Nikkei Conference held in Mexico City July 24-26 drew roughly 700 participants from across the Americas, including delegates from Canada, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia and Argentina, celebrating a historic first gathering of Western Hemisphere Nikkei. Convention organizers and JACL leaders praised the hospitality and new continental bonds formed, with presentations from Nikkei professionals and visiting Japanese dignitaries.
• JACCC to Survey Rec Center Possibility, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Japanese American Cultural and Community Center is surveying Little Tokyo workers and nearby residents about their preferences for a planned gymnasium-type facility as part of its Phase III construction. Volunteers are being sought to conduct the survey in Japanese.
• APART to Elect Officers Aug. 20, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Asian Pacific American Round Table, an organization modeled on the Anti-Defamation League, will hold elections for its officers on Aug. 20 at Kaiser Hospital Auditorium in Los Angeles. Contact information for more details was provided.
• Mayor Ouye to Resign, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Marina, California Mayor Robert Ouye, 47, announced plans to resign due to poor health, including high blood pressure. Ouye was a charter city council member and became the city’s first popularly elected mayor in 1980.
• ‘Yukimi’ Anniversary in San Diego Slated, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Japanese Coordinating Council of San Diego is sponsoring a 25th anniversary celebration of the Yukimi stone lantern gifted by Yokohama to San Diego. The event will be held Sept. 26 at the Holiday Inn Embarcadero.
• Japanese Consulate to Speak at JUICE Meeting, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Masaharu Ito, Japanese Consul for Visa and Legal Affairs, will speak at the Japanese United Information Community Exchange meeting Aug. 10 at Union Church in Los Angeles. East West Players members Janet Matsui and Jerry Tondo will also speak.
• Market Sought for Aircraft Safety Seat, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Sequoia JACLer Charles C. Kubokawa of NASA’s Ames Research Center designed an aircraft safety seat that could reportedly save 60 percent of lives lost in crashes, but has struggled to find a commercial buyer. The seat, known as the ‘Kubokawa seat,’ features advanced crash-absorption technology that withstands much higher forces than standard aircraft seats.
• NCWNPDC/Oakland Session Aug. 16, by P.C. Staff, page 8. JACL’s Northern California-Western Nevada-Pacific District Council will hold its third quarterly meeting Aug. 16 at the Emeryville Holiday Inn, hosted by Oakland JACL. New agenda items include Chapter-Scrapbook and Arigato awards, according to Governor Yosh Nakashima.

Commentary

• Court Points ‘Loaded Weapon’ of Korematsu to All, by Rep. Norman Y. Mineta, page 2. In a keynote address to the Peninsula Redress Committee, Rep. Norman Mineta warned that the Korematsu decision remains a ‘loaded weapon’ that could be used again against any group if left unchallenged. He called on the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians to alert Americans to the dangers of abridging constitutional rights.
• From the Author’s Desk (Part I), page 3. The writer argues that redress cannot be won merely by debating the constitutionality of the evacuation, but must also highlight the Nisei soldiers’ combat record while their families were interned. The piece also notes that the redress campaign was originally launched by Paul Tsuneishi, Phil Shigekuni, Sue Embrey and others in 1975.
• Washington Hearings—One Sansei’s View, by Floyd Shimomura, page 4. JACL board member Floyd Shimomura recounts his pride at witnessing the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians hearings in Washington, D.C., describing testimony from Senators Inouye and Matsunaga, former officials, and Japanese American witnesses. He details key moments including testimony from Gordon Hirabayashi, Minoru Yasui, and General Mark Clark on the heroism of Nisei soldiers.
• Letters to the Editor: Non-Citizens, by Gordon Hirabayashi, page 4. Gordon Hirabayashi writes in response to a prior column about non-citizen JACL membership, recommending that full membership eligibility be extended to both citizens and permanent residents of the United States. He argues permanent residents should not be excluded from full participation, while certain leadership positions could still be reserved for citizens.
• Letters to the Editor: Bill of Attainder, by E.J. Isuyama, page 4. A letter writer plays devil’s advocate regarding the legal argument that Executive Order 9066 constituted a Bill of Attainder, raising questions about specificity and judicial review in the wartime cases. The letter examines Supreme Court precedent including the Milligan case and argues that ‘war powers’ remains the central unresolved legal issue in the WWII cases.
• Letters to the Editor: Pre-war JACL Leaders, by Yuji Ichioka, page 4. Yuji Ichioka responds to a previous letter by James Oda, denying that he ever claimed JACL compiled an intelligence file on the Japanese community. He clarifies that his speech only quoted Togo Tanaka, James Sakamoto, and Mike Masaoka regarding JACL leadership’s relationship with American intelligence agencies, leaving interpretation to the audience.
• From the Frying Pan: Nisei Who Carry on Family Enterprises, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Bill Hosokawa reflects on a brief news item about the Mizono family’s tofu-noodle business, Azumaya Inc., and imagines the rich history behind family enterprises founded by Issei pioneers. He also recalls the story of Mas Kawaguchi’s father, who ran a kamaboko business in Denver during WWII before Mas built it into Fishking Processors.
• East Wind: Only Game in Town, by Bill Marutani, page 5. Bill Marutani argues that despite criticism from various factions, JACL remains ‘the only game in town’ as the sole national organization with the structure and track record to promote and preserve the welfare of Nikkei and Asian Americans. He calls on members to support leadership in making necessary changes while remaining open to constructive challenges.
• Musubi: Camp Memories, by Ron Wakabayashi, page 5. Ron Wakabayashi writes about the pervasive presence of camp testimony within the Japanese American community as the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians gathers stories. He describes a mock hearing in the Bay Area where Nisei practiced emotional testimony, noting how little is truly known even now about what happened in the camps.

In-Depth

• Inside the Gilded Ghetto, page 3. The first in an 11-part Los Angeles Herald Examiner editorial series examines the diverse and rapidly growing Asian Pacific community in Los Angeles, noting it grew 140 percent since 1970 yet remains largely misunderstood behind stereotypes. The series will explore immigrant experiences, cultural diversity, and the successes and failures of Asian Pacific Americans pursuing the American Dream.

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