Honoring Shig Wakamatsu, and redress news ahead of the Gardena convention

Vol. 94, No. 24, June 18, 1982. 8 pages. View this issue

The front page opened with a fund to honor Shig Wakamatsu, with over 300 donors by early June, for his 35 years of service to JACL. The tribute was planned for the JACL Awards Luncheon in Gardena. The issue also followed redress closely. A bill to compensate Japanese Americans fired from California state jobs during World War II passed the Assembly 49-12, and JACL redress director John Tateishi met with NCRR representative Bert Nakano. Tateishi’s column laid out the Aug. 10 convention redress workshop, including coram nobis proceedings. A contest for National Vice President for Planning and Development drew platforms from Miki Himeno and Mits Kawamoto.

Inside are Bill Hosokawa’s review of Yoshiko Uchida’s memoir Desert Exile and Bill Marutani’s account of an award dinner for the American Friends Service Committee. Also reported: Lori Tomiko Sakauye’s graduation from West Point, results for Asian American candidates in the California primary, a proposed Little Tokyo library branch, and the naming of David Nakayama as JACL’s new National Youth Director.

What’s in this issue

JACL

  • Over 300 in First List of Donors to JACL-TSWC Fund, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The JACL Tribute to Shig Wakamatsu Committee reported that over 300 individuals and several chapters have contributed to a fund honoring Wakamatsu’s 35 years of JACL service, including his work on the Japanese American Research Project. The tribute will be held at the JACL Awards Luncheon on Aug. 11 in Gardena, with contributions still being accepted through the Chicago Midwest Office.
  • PSW Workshop/Caucus Set July 10, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Pacific Southwest District delegates will hold a pre-convention caucus and workshop July 10 at Little Tokyo Towers, covering chapter meeting conduct, membership recruitment and insurance programs. The agenda also includes convention issues, proxies and candidates.
  • ELA’s Himeno Challenges Incumbent Mits Kawamoto, page 1. Miki Himeno of East Los Angeles JACL is challenging incumbent Mitsuo Kawamoto of Omaha JACL for National Vice President for Planning and Development. Himeno’s platform includes five points focused on chapter education kits, JAYS societies on campuses, fund-raising committees, and voter registration efforts.
  • Mits Kawamoto Platform, page 4. Incumbent National Vice President Mits Kawamoto’s platform reaffirms JACL’s founding purposes while calling for greater understanding of younger Japanese Americans and robust public information programs. A 442nd veteran and landscape architect from Nebraska, Kawamoto has served JACL since 1954 and seeks continued focus on civil rights and community service.
  • JACL Welcomes New National Youth Director, by P.C. Staff, page 6. David Nakayama, a Berkeley native, has been named JACL’s new National Youth Director, succeeding Bruce Shimizu. Nakayama hopes to develop youth leadership programs and encourage greater youth involvement with JACL at local, district and national levels.

National

  • Canadian Anti-Import TV Ads Ended, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A Barrie, Ontario television station agreed to stop airing commercials that showed foreign import cars being blown up, after a complaint from the National Advertising Standards Council. The producer had also used children in the ads, raising additional concerns, and has since created new patriotic-themed commercials featuring a Canadian flag.
  • Few Asian Americans Victorious in Calif. Primary, by Peter Imamura, page 1. In the June 8 California primary, attorney Rose Matsui Ochi lost her bid for the Democratic nomination in the 30th Congressional District, and Oxnard Mayor Tsujio Kato lost his Republican primary race. However, Secretary of State March Fong Eu won her Democratic nomination easily, and Reps. Robert Matsui and Norman Mineta ran unopposed.
  • Census: Asians Most Educated, Most Employed, 50% Own Home, by P.C. Staff, page 1. 1980 Census figures show that 51.5% of Asian American householders own their homes, ranking second nationally behind whites. Michigan had the highest percentage of Asian American homeownership, followed by Hawaii, with California finishing fourth.
  • 24 JAs Pass Calif. Spring Bar Exam, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Twenty-four Japanese Americans, including 15 women, were among 1,492 applicants who passed the 1982 California Bar Examination and were admitted to the bar on June 16. The article lists the names and hometowns of the new Nikkei attorneys.
  • Ford Motor Co. Offers Lifetime Work, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Ford Motor Co. and the UAW announced a program guaranteeing lifetime jobs to 80 percent of nearly 8,000 workers at plants in Livonia, Michigan, and Chicago, modeled after Japanese employment practices. The plan was part of a new contract involving $1 billion in wage and benefit concessions over 30 months.
  • Kawakami Sentenced in Fraud Case, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Gene Kawakami, former manager of a Wells Fargo branch in Los Angeles, was sentenced to 60 days in jail and fined $3,000 for falsifying loan documents related to a $175,000 misapplication of funds. His case stemmed from an investigation into embezzlement by former boxing promoter Harold Rossfields Smith and other bank employees.
  • Reedy: Understanding Needed in Trade, by P.C. Staff, page 8. George Reedy, former press secretary to President Lyndon Johnson, said U.S. firms struggle in foreign markets due to a lack of understanding of what sells abroad, unlike German and Japanese companies. He argued that American businesses wrongly blame tariffs and trade barriers instead of addressing their own market research shortcomings.

Incarceration & Redress

  • JA State Employee Compensation Bill Passes California Assembly, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A bill to compensate Japanese Americans fired from California state jobs during WWII due to their ancestry passed the Assembly 49-12, offering a $5,000 settlement to affected former employees. Assemblyman Patrick Johnston, the bill’s author, said the legislation would help atone for a historic campaign of racial discrimination, and the bill now moves to the state Senate.
  • JACL, NCRR Meet to Discuss Redress Plan, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL redress director John Tateishi and NCRR representative Bert Nakano met to discuss strategies for redress efforts as the CWRIC nears completion of its final report. Both sides agreed on the importance of community-wide cooperation between NCRR and the JACL National Committee for Redress.

Military & Veterans

  • Nisei Vets Reunion Dinners Sold Out, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Nisei Veterans Reunion scheduled for Aug. 5-8 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Los Angeles has sold out its welcome dinner and farewell banquet. A waiting list is being maintained for those without confirmed reservations.
  • First Japanese American Woman Graduates From West Point, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Lori Tomiko Sakauye became the first Japanese American woman to graduate from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, ranking in the top 30 percent of her class. She will attend parachute jump school and a basic course at MIS before reporting to Fort Bragg.
  • Pacifist Floyd Schmoe Awarded Japan Order of Sacred Treasure, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Quaker peace activist Floyd Schmoe, 86, was awarded Japan’s 4th Class Order of the Sacred Treasure for his postwar relief work in Hiroshima and Nagasaki and his assistance to Japanese Americans during the 1942 evacuation from Seattle. Schmoe expressed gratitude to the Seattle JACL for helping secure the honor.
  • Honolulu JACLer Decorated, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Mark Murakami, Honolulu JACL vice president for legislative affairs, was decorated by the Japanese government with the Fifth Order of the Sacred Treasure for his contributions to Japanese-American relations. He testified at CWRIC hearings in Seattle about his internment at Minidoka while a law student.

Commentary

  • Redress Phase 4: Aug. 10 Workshop, by John Tateishi, page 2. JACL redress director John Tateishi outlines plans for the Aug. 10 convention Redress workshop, where Min Yasui will question Mike Masaoka about JACL’s 1942 decisions and the organization will discuss basic concepts for redress legislation. Additional meetings are planned for attorneys regarding coram nobis proceedings and the new Legislative Education Committee board.
  • Statutory Remedy, by Eji Suyama, page 4. A letter writer responds critically to a Bill Hosokawa column, arguing that monetary compensation for wartime incarceration is justified and supported by legal scholars at CWRIC hearings. The writer recounts personal experience with discrimination and the 442nd RCT, advocating for a statutory remedy to prevent future abuses of emergency powers.
  • Measure Up!, by Harry Shirachi, page 4. A letter from the Salinas Valley JACL chapter criticizes other chapters for failing to contribute their fair share to the Redress fund-raising effort, noting only 10 of 34 NCWNP District Council chapters met their quota. The writer urges all chapters to fulfill their obligations to the collective redress campaign.
  • A Bouquet, by Peggy Tanaka, page 4. A reader from Lakewood, Ca., thanks the Pacific Citizen for years of quality editorship, praising its cartoonists and features. She notes her past membership in several JACL chapters and her appreciation for the National JACL Credit Union.
  • AFSC Remembered, by Bill Marutani, page 5. Bill Marutani describes a heartfelt award dinner honoring the American Friends Service Committee with the first grant from the Nisei Student Relocation Commemorative Fund, recognizing AFSC’s wartime support for Nisei students seeking to leave incarceration camps for college. Several Quakers and Nisei who were involved in the student relocation program were present at the Philadelphia event.

Community

  • Santa Clara County Asian Lawyers to Meet, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The first organizational meeting of the Asian Pacific Bar of the County of Santa Clara will be held June 26 at the Sumitomo Bank Building in San Jose. Speakers include Judge Taketsugu Takei and Dale Minami, president of the Asian Pacific Bar of California.
  • EWP Offers Summer Workshop in Theater, by P.C. Staff, page 3. East West Players is offering a five-week summer theater workshop from July 27 to Aug. 31, providing training in acting, voice, dance, directing and production techniques. The program is open to anyone 16 or older, with a registration deadline of June 25.
  • Voters Cast Ballot at JACCC Center, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Voters in the greater Little Tokyo area were directed to the JACCC Building to cast ballots on June 8, marking the first time in nearly 20 years that a voting booth was set up inside Little Tokyo. Previous polling locations had been at the New Otani Hotel area.
  • ‘Tokyo Journal’ Now Available, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A new monthly newspaper from Japan called “Tokyo Journal” is now available by subscription, featuring articles on current issues, lifestyles and entertainment in Japan. It can be obtained through the U.S.-Japan Cross Culture Center in Los Angeles.
  • Theater Manager for JACCC Appointed, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Cora Mirikitani, former executive director of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, has been appointed general manager of the JACCC theater, to be named “Nichibei Gekijo.” Mirikitani expressed enthusiasm for creating opportunities for local artists while continuing to present traditional performances from Japan.
  • Little Tokyo Library Branch Proposed, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Friends of the Little Tokyo Public Library revealed plans to establish a Los Angeles City Library branch in Little Tokyo, which would offer both Japanese and English materials. The branch would be supported by the city library system and the Metropolitan Cooperative Library System of Southern California.
  • Political Roster Published by UCLA, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The UCLA Asian American Studies Center has published the “National Asian American Roster: 1982,” listing Asian American elected officials, political appointees and judges across more than 20 states. The roster also includes political clubs, bar associations and organizational representatives, available for $5 from the Center.
  • San Gabriel Scholars Win Awards, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The San Gabriel Valley JACL announced its 1982 scholarship recipients, including National JACL Scholarship nominees and chapter scholarship winners from several local high schools. The awards recognize academic achievement and community involvement among Nikkei students.
  • Chicago JASC to Hold 35th Awards Night, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Japanese American Service Committee in Chicago will hold its 35th anniversary awards night on June 26, honoring individuals and groups who supported JASC in its formative years. Honorees include co-founders Kohachiro Sugimoto and Harry K. Mayeda, along with the American Friends Service Committee.
  • Florin JACL Sets Redress Workshop, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Florin JACL will hold a redress workshop June 30 at the Florin Buddhist Annex Hall, led by chapter redress chairperson Mary Tsukamoto with assistance from District Council Redress Chairperson Ben Takeshita. The event aims to inform members about ongoing redress efforts.
  • Blood Bank Drive in Chicago June 21, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Japanese American Service Committee’s twice-annual blood drive will be held June 21 at JASC Headquarters in Chicago, with professional staff from Michael Reese Blood Center assisting. Last year’s drive collected 279 pints for the JASC blood assurance program.
  • Delano Nisei Reunion Slated for Sept. 6, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Plans are underway for the seventh Nisei Reunion in Delano, California, for former residents and spouses, to be held Sept. 6 at St. Mary’s School Auditorium. Organizers are seeking addresses of former residents to notify them of the event.
  • 7 San Jose Scholarship Winners Named, by Phil Matsumura, page 6. The San Jose JACL announced seven scholarship recipients at a Sumitomo Bank reception, including Ellen Higuchi, who won the $600 San Jose JACL Award, and six other students receiving various memorial scholarships. The winners were recognized for academic achievement and extracurricular involvement across local high schools.

In-Depth

  • ‘Desert Exile’—A Moving Story Skillfully Told, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Bill Hosokawa reviews Yoshiko Uchida’s memoir “Desert Exile,” which recounts her family’s experience before and during WWII incarceration, including her father’s FBI detention and the family’s time at Tanforan and Topaz. Hosokawa praises the book’s intimate, first-person account of the hardships and quiet dignity of the Uchida family’s wartime exile.

Obituaries

  • Wallace Nobuo Ban, 60, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Wallace Nobuo Ban, a retired real estate businessman from Garden Grove, died June 7 of heart failure. He was a member of Concerned Americans for Responsible Progress and is survived by his wife and several siblings.
  • Toru Omori, 6, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Toru Omori died May 21 at Hood River Hospital in Oregon; he was a native of Seattle, a charter member of the Odell Fire Dept., and a Mid-Columbia JACL member. He is survived by his wife, daughter and siblings.
  • Hisashi Ohta, 81, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Hisashi Ohta, a Los Angeles resident and Tokyo native regarded as one of Japan’s living treasures as a sumi-e artist, died June 5. He taught sumi-e at UCLA Extension and is survived by his wife and two sons.

Sports

  • San Mateo JYO Retires Jr. Olympics Perpetual Award, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The 30th annual NC-WNPDC Junior Olympics drew some 360 young athletes to Chabot College, with San Mateo JYO winning the overall team championship for the third time and retiring the perpetual trophy. Michelle Fanner of Contra Costa was named outstanding athlete after setting records in three events.

Arts & Entertainment

  • Sansei Finds Success in Personal Computer Market, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Rick Inatome, 28-year-old president of Inacomp computer firm in Troy, Michigan, built a company from a $35,000 investment in 1976 into a business with $9 million in revenue, with plans to franchise nationwide. Inatome credits his Sansei background and early experiences with discrimination for shaping his competitive drive and work ethic.

Thank you for exploring the Pacific Citizen archive. The title, introduction and contents on this page were written by an AI model from scans of the printed issue, so they may contain mistakes. If you spot one, we would be grateful if you let us know.

More from Issue archive