Vol. 96, No. 11, March 25, 1983. 8 pages. View this issue
The front page carried the fight over redress in the courts and in state government. Judge Marilyn Patel received the CWRIC report in the coram nobis cases and set an April 25 date for the government’s position, while attorneys Stone and Minami disagreed over timing. William Hohri and the National Council for Japanese American Redress filed a class-action suit seeking over $24 billion. The Washington State Senate voted to pay $5,000 each to 38 former state employees fired in 1942, and Min Yasui spoke at Columbia University about the political battles ahead.
Inside, page 4 closes the CWRIC report’s section on economic loss during the World War II incarceration (often called internment). Bill Marutani writes about karaoke and about the book Beginnings: Japanese Americans in San Jose. Other pages include a profile of Terry Uyeyama, a former Vietnam War POW, a JACL warning about another false redress form, and plans for the PANA conference in Lima, Peru.
What’s in this issue
Incarceration & Redress
- Coram Nobis Litigants File CWRIC Report in U.S. District Court, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Judge Marilyn Patel received the CWRIC report in connection with the coram nobis petitions and set an April 25 hearing date regarding government responses. Attorneys Stone and Minami disagreed over timing, with Minami urging quick resolution given the advanced age of petitioners like Korematsu.
- NCJAR Files Its Lawsuit for Reparations from U.S. Gov’t, by P.C. Staff, page 1. William Hohri and the National Council for Japanese American Redress filed a class-action lawsuit seeking over $24 billion in reparations for Japanese Americans excluded and interned during WWII. The suit charges the U.S. government with constitutional violations, suppression of loyalty evidence, and malicious interference with court access, while JACL issued a statement respecting but differentiating from this approach.
- Washington Senate Votes to Pay $5,000 to Nikkei Workers, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Washington State Senate passed a bill to pay $5,000 each to 38 former state employees fired in 1942 due to Japanese ancestry, despite opposition from 11 senators. Senators debated the fairness and symbolism of the payments, with the bill now headed to the House.
- Yasui Says Political Battles Ahead in Reparations Quest, page 1. Min Yasui spoke to over 150 people at Columbia University about the CWRIC report, the consolidation of coram nobis cases, and JACL’s redress strategy. He emphasized that significant congressional support would be needed to pass monetary reparations and warned of political battles ahead.
- Nikkei Comments on Washington Senate Redress Bill, page 8. Frank and Mae Kinomoto, former Seattle internees, shared their painful memories of wartime internment including loss of property, income, and freedom, in testimony that helped pass the Washington Senate redress bill. Despite their losses, the couple remains reticent about discussing their ordeal, reflecting their generation’s stoic approach to hardship.
Community
- Another False ‘Redress Form’ Issued, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL warned that an outdated internment verification form from 1977 is being circulated again, falsely implying immediate redress compensation. JACL Redress Director John Tateishi called it a ‘cruel hoax’ and urged people to ignore the form until official recommendations are issued.
- In Memory: LAPD Reserve Officer Stuart Taira, page 2. LAPD Reserve Officer Stuart Taira, 28, was buried with full honors after dying in a helicopter crash while surveying tornado damage in South Central L.A. Police Chief Darryl Gates praised Taira’s dedication and service during the funeral.
- AP Liaison Director to Retire from County, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Robert ‘Bob’ Hayamizu is retiring after 25 years with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services, where he directed the Asian-Pacific Community Relations Section. A retirement celebration is planned for March 31 at the Biltmore Hotel.
- Businessman Named to Oregon Transportation Commission, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Portland businessman Sam Naito was appointed by Gov. Vic Atiyeh to the Oregon Transportation Commission, succeeding Tom Walsh. Naito, a civic leader and co-owner of several Portland enterprises, is also a JACL member.
- ELA Shop Owner Killed, Robbed of $50, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Harry Hirabayashi, 65, was shot and killed during a robbery at his Boyle Heights dry cleaners shop, with police concerned about similar attacks on Asian American business owners in the area. Police believe the suspect made off with only about $50.
- Buddhist Churches Plan to Study More Social Issues, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Buddhist Churches of America’s 1983 National Council Meeting in San Francisco endorsed a new Social Issues Committee and approved budgets for BCA and the Institute of Buddhist Studies. The council also showed support for nuclear disarmament awareness through a special film presentation.
- Hanamatsuri Ochakai Fest at New Otani, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Los Angeles Buddhist Church Federation will host Hanamatsuri Ochakai at the Hotel New Otani on April 17, featuring a Japanese luncheon, tea ceremony demonstration, and confections. Proceeds will benefit the Little Tokyo Service Center’s community programs.
- S.F. Mayor Feinstein to Address JADC, by P.C. Staff, page 3. San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein will speak at the Japanese American Democratic Club’s seventh annual dinner on April 16 at the Cathedral Hill Hotel. Reservations can be made through the club’s finance office.
- Sansei Divorce Rate May Be on the Rise, Say Social Workers, page 3. Social workers Ken Mitsuhata, Satoshi Hayashi, and Laura Shiozaki discuss the apparent rise in divorce among third-generation Japanese Americans as traditional family values give way to more individualistic Western attitudes. They note cultural stigma still exists but is lessening among younger generations.
- United AL to Begin Seattle-Japan Route, by P.C. Staff, page 3. United Air Lines announced a new Seattle-to-Japan service beginning April 2, with a celebration reception planned for March 29 at the Bonaventure Hotel. The airline invites Japanese American community and business leaders to attend.
- ELA JACL to Select Nisei Wk. Candidate, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The East Los Angeles JACL will select its representative for the 1983 Nisei Week Queen contest at its annual Emerald Dinner, featuring three candidates competing for the title. The chosen candidate will also preside over the VFW 9902 Cherry Blossom Festival in April.
- Pan Asian Seeks Queen Candidate, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Pan Asian JACL is seeking applicants for the 1983 Nisei Week Queen Pageant, with requirements including age range, Japanese ancestry percentage, and citizenship. The application deadline is April 11.
Commentary
- A Few More Editorials on Nikkei Internment, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Several Midwest and East Coast newspapers, including the Chicago Sun-Times, Milwaukee Journal, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and Hartford Courant, published editorials supporting the CWRIC’s findings on the injustice of Japanese American internment. Some editorials called for reparations while criticizing dissenters like John J. McCloy who defended wartime actions.
- Letters: Proposed Amendment, by Taro J. Kawakami, page 4. A reader who lost a relative at Manzanar proposes a constitutional amendment requiring two-thirds congressional approval before suspending citizens’ constitutional rights for more than 72 hours. He hopes such a measure would prevent future mass evacuations like the WWII internment.
- Karaoke: Japanese Portable Orchestras, by Bill Marutani, page 5. Bill Marutani explores the growing popularity of karaoke machines in Japan, explaining their appeal in bars and homes as an affordable alternative to live orchestras. He notes karaoke’s recent introduction to the U.S. market and speculates about its potential impact on American social entertainment.
- East Wind: Beginnings, by Bill Marutani, page 5. Marutani recounts a visit to a San Jose community event where elderly Issei used simultaneous translation headphones, and he received a book titled ‘Beginnings: Japanese Americans in San Jose.’ He reflects on the educated and accomplished backgrounds of several Issei profiled in the oral history book, challenging stereotypes of Issei as solely farmers with limited schooling.
Military & Veterans
- Ten Years Later, Life Goes On for a Former Vietnam War POW, page 2. Terry Uyeyama, a Nikkei former Air Force pilot held as a POW in North Vietnam for five years, reflects on his captivity and readjustment to civilian life a decade after his release. He discusses the confusion his Japanese ancestry caused among captors, his retirement from military service, and his effort to move past the intense public attention he received as a returning POW.
National
- NCJAR Continued, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Attorney Joyce Okinaka explained the differences between NCJAR’s monetary damages lawsuit and the coram nobis cases of Hirabayashi, Korematsu, and Yasui. Rep. Robert Matsui expressed concern about the timing of NCJAR’s suit relative to ongoing legislative redress efforts.
Obituaries
- Aiko Sakamoto, page 2. Aiko Sakamoto, former Pacific Citizen correspondent for the Long Beach-Harbor JACL chapter, passed away after a prolonged illness at St. Mary’s Hospital in Long Beach. She is survived by her husband, children, grandchildren, and siblings.
In-Depth
- CWRIC Report: Economic Loss (Conclusion), page 4. This continuation of the CWRIC report details the economic losses suffered by small business owners, white collar workers, and professionals during Japanese American internment, including hotel owners, doctors, and shop owners who lost livelihoods and property. The report also covers automobile sales, property disposal abuses by opportunists, and problems with oral contracts and caretakers during the forced evacuation.
JACL
- PANA Convention Set in Lima, Peru on July 13-17, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The 1983 Pan American Nikkei Association Conference will be held in Lima, Peru, featuring business sessions, a youth program, and the official signing of the PANA Constitution. The conference aims to strengthen ties between Nikkei communities across North and South America.
- Pasadena, Wilshire, Hllywd Installed, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Min Yasui gave a speech on redress and his coram nobis petition during a joint installation of the Pasadena, Wilshire, and Hollywood JACL chapters at the Velvet Turtle Restaurant. PSWDC Governor Cary Nishimoto emphasized redress as the top priority for 1983.
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