Student relocation grant, coram nobis and the Noguchi suspension

Vol. 94, No. 15, April 16, 1982. 12 pages. View this issue

The front page carried news of the first annual grant from the Nisei Student Relocation Commemorative Fund, awarded to the American Friends Service Committee for its part in organizing the National Student Relocation Council, which helped relocate over 3,500 evacuee students during World War II. Minoru Yasui wrote on pages 2 and 5 about the coram nobis cases and the plan to take them to the Supreme Court, and Dr. Thomas Noguchi’s appeal of his suspension as L.A. County’s chief medical examiner-coroner drew community support, with John Saito’s account on page 5. Arthur Flemming’s warning to a Senate subcommittee about civil rights legislation also ran on the front page.

Inside are columns by John Tateishi, Sachi Seko, Bill Hosokawa and Mei Nakano, and Part 4 of Harry Honda’s report on the National JACL Board meeting. Dr. Michael Ego wrote on Nisei aging and retirement, and Charles Kubokawa filed a two-part account of his mission to Lima, Peru, the site of the 1983 PANACo. Chapter news came from Omaha, Reno, St. Louis, Gardena and Diablo Valley.

What’s in this issue

National

  • Nisei Student Relocation Fund Awards First Grant to AFSC, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Nisei Student Relocation Commemorative Fund awarded its first annual grant to the American Friends Service Committee, honoring the AFSC’s role in organizing the National Student Relocation Council that helped relocate over 3,500 evacuee students during WWII. An award ceremony will be held June 5 at the Friends Center in Philadelphia for former staff and Nisei beneficiaries.
  • Journalists Say Ignorance Is Source of U.S.-Japan Friction, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Journalists discussed America’s growing economic anxiety toward Japan, with some attributing tension to lingering WWII resentment and others blaming oversimplified media coverage of Japan’s economic rise. Panelists noted Japan now exports about $25 billion more than it imports from the U.S., especially in cars and electronics.
  • Flemming Warns of Regression in Civil Rights Legislation, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Outgoing U.S. Commission on Civil Rights chairman Arthur Flemming testified before a Senate subcommittee warning of a regressive movement against civil rights laws by Congress and the Justice Department. He criticized the Senate’s anti-busing amendment and the Justice Department’s stance on tax exemptions for discriminatory private schools.
  • Budget Cuts Hurt Nisei Retiree Plans, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Legislation to extend federal civil service retirement credit to those interned as minors during WWII may be blocked by the 1981 Budget Reconciliation Act, according to Rep. Mary Rose Oaker. Charles Kubokawa of Palo Alto has been advocating for this internment credit for those who worked in camps while under 18.
  • Noguchi Appeals Suspension; JA Leaders Rally to Support Him, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Suspended L.A. County Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner Thomas Noguchi appealed his 30-day suspension to the Civil Service Commission, calling the Board of Supervisors’ action arbitrary and improper. Japanese American community leaders gathered at a press conference to express support for Noguchi, with attorney Kenji Ito calling him incorruptible.
  • A/P Bar Assn. Calls for Asian to Sit in Ca. Supreme Court, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Asian/Pacific Bar of California announced it will ask Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. to appoint an Asian Pacific American to the California Supreme Court. President Dale Minami noted that while a black, a Latino, and a woman currently sit on the court, no Asian Pacific American has been appointed despite hints of upcoming vacancies.
  • My Recollections, by John Saito, page 5. John Saito, JACL PSWDC regional director, recounts the timeline of events surrounding Dr. Thomas Noguchi’s suspension, including meetings with Supervisor Mike Antonovich and the County Grand Jury’s report supporting Noguchi. He details the PSWDC Board’s decision to empower district leadership to take action supporting Noguchi.

Community

  • Family Missing After Boat Wreck, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Wreckage of a 21-foot boat carrying a family of five was found near Farallon Island, but the occupants remain missing. The family, led by orthodontist Dr. Yoshi Shitanishi, had set sail March 20 for a fishing trip and included his wife, two children, and father-in-law.
  • Omaha Celebrates 35th Inaugural, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Omaha JACL held its 35th anniversary installation dinner at Mister C’s Steakhouse, with national JACL director Ron Wakabayashi as keynote speaker. Steve Hasegawa was installed as president, and awards were given to Dr. Peter Suzuki, Georgene Mardeson, and the Shiller family for their contributions.
  • Reno to Host Next NC-WNPDC Meet, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Reno JACL will host the next NC-WNPDC session at the El Dorado Hotel on May 15, with Nevada Secretary of State William Swackhamer as guest speaker. The event includes a luncheon banquet and various local attractions like Harrah’s Auto Collection and the Nevada Historical Society Museum.
  • 7-Up Takes Over Sponsorship of Festival Begun by St. Louis JACL, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The seventh annual Japanese Festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden, originally conceived by St. Louis JACL, will now be sponsored by The Seven-Up Company. The festival, expected to draw 50,000 visitors, will feature the San Francisco Taiko Drummers, candy sculptor Shun Ichiyanagi, and other cultural attractions.
  • DYC Orange County Workshop Set, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The PSWDYC/Orange County JACL careers workshop will be held May 1 at Garden Grove Community Center, featuring a speakers’ forum and discussion groups on various career fields. It is the first of three planned workshops leading up to the JACL national convention in August.
  • Mission to Lima, Peru—Site of ’83 PANACo, by Charles Kubokawa, page 7. Charles Kubokawa recounts his arrival in Lima, Peru, describing the warm welcome from local Nikkei community leaders and cultural observations about daily life, cuisine, and customs. He details his experiences visiting Estadio La Union, the center of the Japanese Peruvian community’s social and athletic activities.
  • Noguchi Sculpture Garden on ‘Calif.’ to Open in Costa Mesa, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Isamu Noguchi’s ‘California Scenario’, a new sculpture garden, will open for preview at South Coast Plaza Town Center in Costa Mesa May 11-14. The celebration includes a tea ceremony, music and dance programs, and a light and sound show sponsored by various arts organizations.
  • Diablo Valley JACL Enters Int’l Faire, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Diablo Valley JACL will participate in the International Faire and Competition at Las Lomas High School, sharing the Japanese American story through film screenings and displays about WWII internment and military service. The event will feature the film ‘The Fukuyama Story’ produced by B’nai B’rith.
  • Gardena Nisei Club Gives $4,000 to JCI, by P.C. Staff, page 9. The Gardena Valley Nisei Club donated $4,000 to the Japanese Cultural Institute during the club’s 25th silver anniversary installation dinner. The check was presented by club president Dr. Kumashiro to JCI president Robert Hori.
  • Mission to Lima, Peru (Continued), by Charles Kubokawa, page 10. Kubokawa continues his account of Lima, describing the expansive Estadio La Union facility built by the Nikkei community in the 1930s, which includes an Olympic pool, soccer fields, and a school. He notes attending major community functions that allowed Pan American Nikkei Association delegates to meet local leaders.
  • Rental Films on Japan Available from Consulate, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Films from the Japan Information Service of the Consulate General are available for free rental to organizations, clubs, and churches, with only return postage required. A catalogue of available films can be obtained from the San Francisco office.
  • Pageant Planning for 18th Annual Miss Sansei California, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Actress/dancer Helen Funai and comedian Johnny Yune met with reigning Miss Sansei California Joyce Horiuchi to plan the 18th annual pageant set for the Beverly Hilton Hotel on July 17. The meeting took place at Yamato Restaurant.
  • Ministerial Scholarship Seeks Funds, by P.C. Staff, page 12. The Justin Haruyama Ministerial Scholarship Fund, established in memory of the popular pastor of the Japanese American United Church in New York, is seeking donations and scholarship candidates. Scholarships of at least $500 will be offered to seminary students preparing to serve Japanese American churches.

JACL

  • Mits Kawamoto Bids for 2d Term, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Mits Kawamoto of Omaha JACL announced he is seeking a second term as national JACL vice president of planning and development. He cited wanting to see through projects started during his first term at the upcoming summer convention.
  • Nat’l JACL Board News/Notes, Part 4, by Harry Honda, page 4. This installment continues coverage of the February 26-28 National JACL Board meeting, detailing convention workshop schedules, chapter survey results on membership growth strategies, and committee reports including the Aging/Retirement Committee. The piece also covers budget updates and membership renewal trends discussed by board members.
  • Paul Igasaki Hired as Pro Bono Coordinator, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Paul M. Igasaki, a UC Davis Law graduate, was appointed pro bono coordinator for the American Bar Association in Chicago, where he will facilitate private attorney involvement in legal services for the poverty community. He previously worked as a Reginald Heber Smith Fellow and with Asian Legal Services Outreach in Sacramento.

Incarceration & Redress

  • ‘Coram Nobis’ to the Supreme Court, by Minoru Yasui, page 2. JACL Redress Committee chair Minoru Yasui details the history and legal strategy behind using coram nobis proceedings to overturn the WWII Supreme Court decisions upholding Japanese American internment. Peter Irons’ research uncovered evidence that Justice Department lawyers withheld loyalty documentation in 1942, leading Gordon Hirabayashi, Fred Korematsu, and Yasui himself to pursue legal challenges.
  • Yasui Continues: CWRIC Extension and Legal Strategy, by Minoru Yasui, page 5. This continuation of Yasui’s coram nobis article discusses plans to bring the case before the U.S. Supreme Court within 2-3 years and efforts to assist CWRIC in establishing an official historical record. Yasui emphasizes the importance of CWRIC’s extended research through December 1982 to ensure comprehensive final recommendations.

Commentary

  • Chance Meetings, by John Tateishi, page 2. John Tateishi reflects on a layover in Salt Lake City and reminisces about the four years of redress work since 1978, acknowledging progress made despite frustrations. He emphasizes that the people he met during this journey changed his life more than the events themselves.
  • If You Feel Life Has Passed You By…, by Sachi Seko, page 4. Sachi Seko writes about a conversation with Nisei friends who felt life had passed them by due to caring for aging Issei parents. She reflects on the discontent felt by successful people in mid-life and urges readers to seize new dreams before life passes them by.
  • On Being True to the Code, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Bill Hosokawa examines why Senator Dan Inouye defended Senator Harrison Williams during the ABSCAM scandal, citing Inouye’s allegiance to the ‘Old Senate’ tradition of internal discipline and collegiality. He notes Inouye was speaking for an era of Senate behavior that has given way to public accountability standards amid changing times.
  • Nuclear Freeze, by Mei Nakano, page 5. Mei Nakano argues for support of the Bilateral Nuclear Weapons Freeze Initiative, drawing on the horror of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to underscore the urgency of halting the nuclear arms race. She contends that Japanese Americans should be especially sensitive to this issue and should push for the resolution’s passage in California and before Congress.
  • The Thousanders’ Corner, by Frank Sakamoto, page 9. Frank Sakamoto profiles Eddie Jonokuchi, a Century Club member credited with building up the Milwaukee JACL chapter through membership drives and fundraising events. Jonokuchi is also leading a campaign to get Wisconsin’s state legislature to pass a resolution supporting the redress bill.
  • An Opinion on Defense, by Barry Saiki, page 10. Barry Saiki argues that national defense strength depends on more than weapons and money, emphasizing the importance of troop quality, morale, and training. He advocates for a return to selective service to improve military readiness and raise public awareness of shared civic responsibility.

In-Depth

  • JACL and Retirement: The Nisei Experience, by Michael E. Ego, Ph.D., page 7. Dr. Michael Ego, chair of the National JACL Aging and Retirement Committee, presents research findings on Nisei aging and retirement patterns, challenging common misconceptions about aging while highlighting the scarcity of Nisei-specific research. He outlines goals for the committee including more scholarly research, support groups for widowed and terminally-ill persons, and the need for a dedicated staff position.

Arts & Entertainment

  • Author Akemi Kikumura Writes of Immigrant Mother’s Travail, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Author Akemi Kikumura spoke at Fresno State University about her book ‘Through Harsh Winters’, chronicling her mother’s immigration experience and her own journey of self-discovery. She reflected on childhood experiences of discrimination and how her daughter’s generation responds differently to prejudice than she did.

Obituaries

  • Noguchi Continued: Community Rallies and Ex-TV Host Lends Support, by P.C. Staff, page 12. Continuing coverage of the Noguchi case describes additional community support including from former NBC-TV host John Barbour, who compared Noguchi to Ralph Nader and defended his conduct regarding celebrity deaths. A group called CARP (Concerned Americans for Responsible Progress) was formed to support Noguchi, with a testimonial dinner scheduled for April 19.

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