Redress and property losses, plus a San Jose building renovation

Vol. 93, No. 16, October 16, 1981. 8 pages. View this issue

The front page carried plans to renovate the Japanese Community Building in San Jose, home to the San Jose JACL chapter and the Yu-Ai Kai senior service, and the second part of Peter Imamura’s series on property losses during the World War II incarceration (often called internment). Imamura set Karl Bendetsen’s claim that Japanese Americans did not lose their property against former WRA director Dillon Myer’s account. Page 5 continues the story, and Bill Yoshino praised the Chicago JACL’s work on its redress hearings for the CWRIC.

Also inside: Harry Honda reported that National JACL ended fiscal year 1981 with an $18,500 surplus, and the House voted 389-24 to extend the Voting Rights Act. Ron Wakabayashi remembered his Jiichan in Little Tokyo hotels, Bill Hosokawa wrote on the Japanese origins of arthroscopic surgery, and Bill Marutani offered a primer on Alaskan Natives. A review looked at the play ‘The Truth of the Matter,’ and Chuck Kubokawa recounted leading a JACL tour group to Mexico City.

What’s in this issue

Community

• San Jose Nikkei Building to Undergo Renovation, by Phil Matsumura, page 1. The Japanese Community Building in San Jose, home to the San Jose JACL Chapter and Yu-Ai Kai senior service, will soon undergo renovation as community organizations formulate plans. The building has a long history including once housing Dr. Taisuke Kuwabara, the first Japanese physician to practice in San Jose.
• Hirano to Keynote Women’s Day Fete, page 3. Irene Hirano of the State Commission on the Status of Women will be the keynote speaker for the fifth annual Women’s Day event on Oct. 17 at Nakaoka Community Center in Gardena. The event will include an auctioneer and entertainment.
• Community Health Fair Set for West Covina, page 3. The East San Gabriel Valley Japanese Community Center will host a health fair Oct. 18 featuring demonstrations and exhibits. The event runs from 1 to 4pm at 1203 West Puente Ave.
• ‘Koreatown’ to Mark 2nd Year, page 3. Monterey County judge Harkjoon Paik will keynote the second anniversary dinner of ‘Koreatown,’ the English-language journal of the Korean American community, on Oct. 24 in Los Angeles. Founded by Sacramento Union writer K.W. Lee, the publication will be joined by notable speakers including Olympic gold medalist Sammy Lee.
• Centenary UMC to Observe 85th Year, page 3. Centenary United Methodist Church in Los Angeles celebrates its 85th anniversary Oct. 18 with a banquet at the New Otani Hotel. Resident Bishop Jack M. Tuell will address the morning worship service and banquet.
• Nisei Widows Seek Own Group Name, page 3. A social group of working Nisei widows and widowers that has been meeting over the past year is seeking to establish an appropriate group name. The group meets at a hotel location and organizers are accepting brunch reservations.
• Terminal Island Film Project, by John Saito, page 6. The JACL-Terminal Island Film Project, directed by USC professor Trevor Greenwood, is progressing with full funding secured through matching grants from the California Council for Humanities. A recent harbor excursion with about 70 former Terminal Island residents helped gather footage and interviews for the documentary film.
• Sansei Teaching Art at Old Dominion University, page 6. Jean Kondo Weigl, a San Francisco native with a Masters of Fine Arts from the University of Utah, is now teaching at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.
• San Jose JACL to Hold Board Election, page 6. San Jose JACL has scheduled board elections for 1982-83 on Oct. 30 at California First Bank, with a slate of nominees including Kathleen Hironaka, Mike Honda, and others. The newly elected members will serve alongside continuing board directors.
• S.F. Seniors Receive $500 from Police Assn., page 6. The Hamilton Senior Center in San Francisco received a $500 check from the Police Officers Association of San Francisco. Officer David Tambara presented the check to treasurer Tomiko Nakata during the Issei group’s weekly meeting.
• PC People: Organization and Religion, page 7. Ruby Chow, King County Councilwoman, was named to the National Association of Counties Task Force on Refugees, Aliens and Migrants. Rev. Russell Hamada was assigned by the Buddhist Churches of America to Los Angeles Hongwanji Betsuin after completing ministerial training in Kyoto.
• South Bay Keiro Fund Drive, page 7. The Seattle Keiro Nursing Home pledged $1,000 to the South Bay Keiro Fund Raising effort, helping push the total over $923,000. Chairperson Helen Kawagoe expressed hope of reaching the $1,000,000 goal by month’s end.

Incarceration & Redress

• Bendetsen’s View of Evacuee Property Losses and WRA Director Myer’s at Odds, by Peter Imamura, page 1. Karl Bendetsen’s written statement to the CWRIC claimed Japanese Americans did not lose their properties during evacuation, a view that directly contradicts former WRA Director Dillon Myer’s account of significant property losses in his book Uprooted Americans. The article details the many factors that led to property losses, including delayed government protection and lack of coordination among federal agencies.
• CWRIC Still Open for Statements, page 2. The Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians continues accepting statements at its Washington office. A veteran who served in the 442nd and recalled the Battle of Ellwood submarine shelling had volunteered from Portland in 1941 and recently retired from the Army.
• Canadian Nikkei May Seek Redress From Their Gov’t, page 2. Japanese-Canadians, inspired by U.S. CWRIC hearings, may petition Canada’s Parliament for redress over their wartime internment experiences, which included being stripped of assets sold at fire-sale prices. Gordon Kadota of the National Association of Japanese-Canadians says they are studying the question of redress since 1976 but have been spurred by the American hearings.
• Chicago Redress Committee Effort Praised, by Bill Yoshino, page 4. The columnist details the extensive volunteer effort by the Chicago JACL chapter’s Committee for Redress in preparing for CWRIC hearings, including witness identification, preparation, fundraising, and public relations work led by various committee members. The collaborative effort resulted in smooth, professional hearings and strong community support for the redress issue.
• Bendetsen Continued: How Much Was Lost?, page 5. This continuation piece examines conflicting estimates of Japanese American property losses during WWII evacuation, citing attorney Frank Chuman’s testimony and various academic studies estimating losses between $1.25 billion and $8 billion in current dollars. The article concludes that the CWRIC must place the burden of proof on those responsible for implementing evacuation policies.

National

• Supreme Court to Decide on Illegal Alien ‘Rights’, page 1. The Supreme Court’s new term, marked by the seating of first female justice Sandra Day O’Connor, will address several major cases including legislative veto powers, alien rights to education and state jobs, university free speech disputes, and election law controversies. The cases could have wide-ranging implications for immigrants and civil rights nationwide.
• Voting Rights Bill Passes in House, page 1. The House voted 389-24 to extend the 1965 Voting Rights Act, with efforts to eliminate bilingual voting provisions failing, though a tougher battle is expected in the Senate. JACL joined 90 other organizations in the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, led by NAACP’s Roy Wilkins, to push for passage.
• Seoul to Host ’88 Summer Olympics, page 7. The International Olympic Committee awarded the 1988 summer games to Seoul by a vote of 52-27 over Japan’s Nagoya, with the 1988 winter games going to Calgary. Los Angeles will host the 1984 summer games while Sarajevo hosts the 1984 winter games.

JACL

• FY’81 National JACL Finances Ends in the Black $18,500, by Harry Honda, page 1. National JACL ended fiscal year 1981 with an $18,500 surplus, the first in several years, due to austerity measures by National Director Ron Wakabayashi. Dues will rise from $22.25 to $25.75 single and $46.50 family starting January 1982 to address ongoing budget concerns for FY82.83 biennium.3
• Other Board Highlights: San Francisco, page 2. The National JACL Board took numerous actions during its October meeting including approving nominations committee appointments, endowment fund emergency funding procedures for the Redress Committee, and a $5,000 loan guarantee for the 1982 national convention in Gardena Valley. Other actions included approving a four-day convention format and addressing staff pension plans and regional office budgets.
• JACL in 1990?, by Lillian Kimura, page 5. The chairperson of the National JACL Long Range Planning Committee reports on survey responses gathering input on JACL’s future direction, noting that respondents favor continued watchdog and advocacy roles. The deadline for survey submissions has been extended to October 30, 1981.
• Seattle JACL Gears for 60th Anniversary Fete Jan. 17, 1982, by Eira Nagaoka, page 6. Seattle JACL, one of the few chapters predating the national organization, will celebrate its 60th anniversary at its installation dinner in January 1982. The committee is gathering historical materials and memorabilia from past chapter presidents and members dating back to 1921.

Commentary

• Women Unite! The Time Is Now!, page 2. A letter urging JACL women members to mobilize and contribute financially to support redress efforts, noting that John Tateishi has sacrificed his career to fight for justice. The writer calls on women to donate the cost of a pair of shoes or new item toward the redress fund.
• Our Asian Community’s Brilliant Future Among Us, page 3. A guest editorial reprinted from the Los Angeles Herald Examiner argues for more sensible immigration limits to allow for better integration and resource allocation for Asian immigrants already in the U.S. The piece calls for greater private sector involvement including corporate diversity training and job opportunities to help Asian Americans succeed.
• Issei Image, by Ron Wakabayashi, page 4. The columnist reflects on his childhood memories visiting his Jiichan in Little Tokyo hotels, recalling the quirky habits, home remedies, and simple pleasures of Issei elders. He notes that after cleaning out rooms of deceased Issei, he realized they weren’t the perfect pioneers he had imagined, prompting his father’s admonition to keep quiet about such revelations.
• Where Were You?, by Dennis M. Kunisaki, page 4. A letter to the editor defends JACL’s wartime leadership against critics like Frank Chin and James Omura, arguing that young JACL leaders in their 20s had no political or economic base to resist government orders. The writer questions what critics would have done if faced with the same threats during the evacuation.
• Relocating HQ, page 4. A letter questions the wisdom of proposals to move JACL National Headquarters, noting that the Washington representative position is already being considered for conversion to a retainer basis due to lack of activity. The writer argues that if there isn’t enough work for one person, there likely won’t be enough for the entire headquarters staff.
• Hayakawa’s Hogwash, page 4. An editorial reprinted from the Milwaukee Journal criticizes Senator S.I. Hayakawa’s remarks at CWRIC hearings claiming Japanese American internment was for their own protection and that former internees lived ‘trouble-free’ lives in camps. The piece argues this contradicts basic justice principles since victims rather than potential perpetrators were locked up, and calls out Hayakawa’s suggestion of a mere apology resolution as inadequate compensation.
• Re: Watanabe, Inoway, Clavell, Tsuru, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. The columnist discusses the Japanese origins of arthroscopic surgery technology now used on football players, crediting Drs. Kenji Takagi and Masaki Watanabe for pioneering the technique in Japan. He also updates readers on a reader search for descendants of WWI Navy cook Jack Inoway and discusses James Clavell’s new book ‘The Children’s Story.’
• A Quick Primer: Alaskan Natives, by Bill Marutani, page 5. The columnist provides a historical overview of Alaska’s native peoples, including the Aleut, Tlingit, and other groups, detailing their exploitation by Russian fur traders and subsequent treatment as ‘wards of the state’ under U.S. rule. The piece discusses land claims settlements and ongoing struggles for equity among Aleut communities.

Arts & Entertainment

• ‘The Truth of the Matter’, by P.L., page 3. A theater review of the sold-out play exploring the internment experience through three former camp internees and a spiritual Issei Gardener who helps them confront painful truths about their past. The reviewer praises the powerful performances, especially Nobu McCarthy’s portrayal of a vulnerable Nisei mother.
• Sansei Talent to Be Featured at JACCC, page 3. The Japanese American Cultural and Community Center will present ‘Sansei Donburi: Autumn Events at the Gallery Coffeehouse,’ a series of events showcasing Sansei talent including taiko, jazz, cultural arts demonstrations, and theater. The calendar spans from mid-October through November with diverse performances and presentations.
• PC People: Entertainment, page 7. Costume designer Willa Kim of New York received an Emmy for her work on the Tony Award-winning musical ‘Sophisticated Ladies.’ Kim, sister of retired Col. Young O. Kim of the 100th Infantry, discussed the evolution of theatrical costuming in an interview with the New York Times.

Military & Veterans

• PC People: Military, page 7. Philadelphia JACLer Arthur T. Lou was elected Pennsylvania state camp president of the Patriotic Order Sons of America and was commissioned an honorary major general in the Confederate High Command for his fundraising efforts for a Tennessee monument at Gettysburg. Navy Intelligence Specialist John M. Ishikawa received the Navy Achievement Medal for his service analyzing Soviet operations in the Indian Ocean during the Iranian crisis.

In-Depth

• A Tour Leader’s Lament, by Chuck Kubokawa, page 8. The National IR Committee chairman recounts the numerous logistical challenges he faced leading a JACL tour group to Mexico City, from forgotten passports to lost luggage and middle-of-the-night phone calls. Despite the chaos, he reports the trip was overall successful and memorable for participants, who made lasting friendships with Panamerican Nikkei delegates.

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