The 1941 Tokyo cables and redress, plus the Vincent Chin case

Vol. 96, No. 21, June 3, 1983. 8 pages. View this issue

The front page carried news of the 1941 Tokyo cables. A former U.S. intelligence officer, David Lowman, said Japanese diplomatic cables boasted of using ethnic Japanese for espionage, and that President Roosevelt and his advisers may have seen them before the World War II incarceration (often called internment). National JACL redress director John Tateishi said the cables had little bearing on the injustice done or on the research of the CWRIC. Page 2 follows with more on the cables. Also on page 1 were a redress pledge to the Chicago JACL and a dispute over the wording of the Amache memorial plaque.

Inside, Jim Shimoura wrote about the 1982 killing of Vincent Chin and the push for civil rights justice. Harry K. Honda reported on the Fresno chapter’s 60th anniversary banquet, with Min Yasui as speaker. Greg Marutani, Bill Hosokawa, Barry Saiki and John Saito wrote columns, and chapter pages list scholarship winners and graduates.

What’s in this issue

Incarceration & Redress

• NSA Historian Reveals 1941 Tokyo Cables Boasted ‘Utilization of Our’ Nisei-Issei, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A former U.S. intelligence officer, David Lowman, revealed Japanese diplomatic cables from 1941 that boasted the ‘utilization’ of ethnic Japanese for espionage, which President Roosevelt and advisers may have seen before internment. National JACL redress director John Tateishi said the cables have little bearing on the injustice of internment or the CWRIC’s research, and raised further questions about government actions against Japanese Americans.
• Prewar Civil Service Worker Donates to Chicago Redress, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Arthur T. Morimitsu, 70, a prewar California state civil service worker who was dismissed due to his race and the Evacuation, pledged his $1,250 state compensation payment to the Chicago JACL redress fund. Chapter president Jane Kaihatsu praised his generosity and his long-standing confidence in JACL’s redress campaign.
• Controversy Snags Amache WRA Memorial Text, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Amache Memorial Committee and the Granada City Council continue to dispute the wording of a memorial plaque planned for dedication over Labor Day, as Amache is the only WWII camp site without a permanent memorial. The current draft text describes the camp’s history, population, and the service of its soldiers, 31 of whom were killed in action.
• Cables Revelation Raises Questions on CWRIC Findings, by P.C. Staff, page 2. David Lowman argued the decoded 1941 Japanese diplomatic cables cast doubt on the CWRIC finding that war hysteria and race prejudice drove internment, though he said the cables didn’t justify over two years of detention. John Tateishi countered that no person of Japanese ancestry was ever convicted of espionage during WWII, and questioned why internees were released based on loyalty declarations if the government truly believed the espionage claims.

National

• U.S.-Japan Link for 21st Century Viewed, by Jay Hartwell, page 1. U.S. Ambassador to Japan Mike Mansfield told University of Hawaii graduates that the 21st century will be the Pacific century, dependent on strong U.S.-Japan relations built on mutual trust. He noted Japan’s significant purchases of American agricultural goods and investment in the U.S., while acknowledging concerns about trade barriers on both sides.
• Nikkei Charged With Shipping U.S. Stolen Cars to Japan, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A federal grand jury in Los Angeles indicted Japanese businessman Koichi Ishihara on 20 counts of foreign transportation of stolen autos, including luxury vehicles worth over $750,000. Investigators believe Ishihara leased cars, defaulted on payments, and shipped them to Japan for resale between 1979 and 1981.
• Guayule Rubber Test Plant to Be Built, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Gila River Indian Community awarded a $7 million contract to Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. to build a prototype guayule rubber processing plant on tribal grounds. Guayule rubber experiments were also conducted during WW2 at Manzanar, though not at Gila River despite it being a WRA campsite.
• Hayakawa Lands State Dept. Job, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Former Sen. S.I. Hayakawa has been named special adviser to Secretary of State George Shultz on Asian and Pacific relations. Hayakawa, 72, retired last year from the Senate where he chaired the East Asian and Pacific Subcommittee.

Community

• Nikkei From 13 Nations Due at PANA Convention, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Representatives from 13 countries will convene in Lima, Peru, July 14-17 for the second Panamerican Nikkei Association Convention, which promotes confraternity among Nikkei in North and South America. The convention is expected to ratify a new charter drafted by JACL’s U.S. contingent.
• Hughes to Speak to Seabrook/EDC, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Rep. William J. Hughes will speak before the Seabrook Chapter JACL at its annual installation and graduates recognition dinner on June 18. The event will be held at 7 p.m.
• Nisei Killed in L.A. Bus Accident, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Misao Mitsuhashi, 54, died May 23 after being pinned beneath a 10-ton bus that swerved out of control after hitting a deep pothole at a bus stop. Two other women at the stop were treated for multiple bruises.
• Helmsman Sulu Gets Stuck in Enterprise, by P.C. Staff, page 3. George Takei, who played Mr. Sulu on ‘Star Trek’, was a special guest aboard the real USS Enterprise when it ran aground in San Francisco Bay and was stuck for five days. Takei rode a helicopter to board the carrier near the Golden Gate.
• Tree in Memory of PC Ad Man Planted, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A Kaffirboom Coral tree was planted and dedicated near the L.A. Police Academy in memory of Charles K. Kamayatsu by the Citizens Committee to Save Elysian Park. Kamayatsu was the Pacific Citizen advertising manager at the time of his death in 1980.
• Over 600 Fete Wimp Hiroto, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Over 600 people attended a testimonial dinner for Wimp Hiroto at the Bonaventure Hotel, drawing politicians, business leaders, and community members. KNBC news anchor Tritia Toyota emceed while comedian Pat Morita handled after-dinner entertainment including remarks by Vincent Okamoto and Judge Robert Takasugi.
• Price Raised on ‘East West Flavors’, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Due to publishing costs, the price of the West Los Angeles JACL Auxiliary cookbook ‘East West Flavors’ has been raised to $7 for Cook Book #1 and $9 for Cook Book #2, plus California sales tax.
• White River Valley Chapter Honors Graduates, by Edith Watanabe, page 5. White River Valley Chapter JACL honored graduates Gail Tsujikawa, Garth Hiranaka, and Karen Satow at the Jade Palace Restaurant in Tacoma, with Harvey Watanabe as emcee. Garth Hiranaka received a $100 scholarship, and Karen Seriguchi, PNW regional director, addressed the graduates and parents.
• Fashion Show in September Is Planned, by Stella Kishi, page 5. A fashion show planned for September will be co-chaired by Toy Kanegai and Eiko Iwata, featuring fashions from Japan and China. A trip to Hollywood Bowl is also planned for August.
• Scholarship Fund-Raiser Set, by Roy Yoshida, page 8. Placer County JACL will hold its annual beef teriyaki dinner to boost its chapter scholarship program, awarding three $200 scholarships to Nikkei graduates and Okei Memorial Achievement Awards to outstanding students at Gold Trail Elementary School. The chapter also administers a California First Bank-Roseville scholarship.
• 39 WLA Scholarship Winners Named, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The 20th annual West Los Angeles JACL Scholarship dinner will honor five high school seniors receiving chapter and auxiliary scholarships: Kurt Eto, Edith Kaneshiro, Grace Maki, Kazuhiko Sano, and Ann Takata. The dinner will also celebrate the 20th anniversary of the chapter’s scholarship program with past recipients attending.

Arts & Entertainment

• Japan Film Wins at Cannes Festival, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Shohei Imamura won the Golden Palm Award at the Cannes Film Festival for his film ‘Ballad of Narayama’, an upset over the favored Nagisa Oshima film. The winning film is based on an ancient peasant practice of sending elderly villagers to the mountains to die.
• Japan Foundation Helps Out Kabuki at Nippon Gekijo, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Grand Opening Kabuki performance at the Nichibei Gekijo theater in the JACCC is expected to break even, with costs for stars Kankuro and Kotaro Nakamura borne by the Japan Foundation. General manager Cora Mirikitani said the enthusiastic reception has the troupe interested in making the theatre a regular annual stop, though economic realities may prevent this.
• EWP’s ‘Angelina’ Opens City Tour, by P.C. Staff, page 3. East West Players is touring ‘Angelina’, a romantic comedy about two young lovers trying to win the blessing of a strict traditionalist father, performed in Tagalog to serve immigrant and bilingual Pilipino communities. The tour is funded in part by a grant from the Cultural Affairs Department, City of Los Angeles.

Sports

• Sansei Wins LPGA Title, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Lenore Muraoka of Honolulu won her first LPGA title at the Suffolk Classic, shooting a 4-under-par 212 over 54 holes. She sank a 12-foot birdie at the 18th hole on Sunday for a three-stroke victory and $22,000 first prize.

Commentary

• The Nikkei to the North, by P.C. Staff, page 4. A column reflects on the lesser-known experiences of Japanese Canadians, who faced occupational restrictions, denial of voting rights until 1949, and the 1942 removal of 22,881 persons from British Columbia with only 24 hours notice. The author notes Japanese Canadians refused to serve in British uniforms, insisting on Canadian uniforms, and mentions ongoing redress efforts by the National Assn. of Japanese Canadians.
• To Fred Hirasuna, by Henry S. Sakai, page 4. A letter writer responds to Fred Hirasuna’s earlier letter, inviting farmers to write about topics like agri-business impacts and U.S.-Japan farm trade relations. The writer defends his earlier characterization of certain statements as having racist connotations while calling for greater awareness and sensitivity.
• The Other Cheek, by Hashime Saito, page 4. A letter writer responds to criticism of redress arguments mentioning individuals living in poverty, arguing this is not shameful since these survivors are doing something right. The writer closes with an ironic remark about Japanese people not being as they used to be.
• Asian Americans Seek Justice for Vincent Chin, by Jim Shimoura, page 4. The author details the 1982 killing of Vincent Chin, a Chinese American mistaken for Japanese and beaten to death by two autoworkers amid anti-Japanese economic sentiment, who received only probation and fines after a plea bargain. The piece describes the formation of American Citizens for Justice (ACJ), supported by Detroit JACL and National JACL, to seek federal civil rights prosecution and overturn the lenient sentences.
• Who’s Who, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Columnist Bill Hosokawa highlights numerous accomplished Nisei and Sansei professionals listed in Who’s Who in America, including pharmacy dean Dr. Tom Miya and various scientists, academics, and professionals. He notes many Nisei have distinguished themselves outside the ethnic community without receiving recognition in the Japanese American press.
• An Ounce of Prevention, by John Saito, page 8. The author reflects on increasing racist acts against Asian Americans and a conversation with Kashu Mainichi’s ‘Horse’ Yoshinaga, who surprisingly advocated for everyone to support JACL. He argues that JACL needs resources to fulfill its mission as a civil rights organization, comparing a small investment now to preventing a costlier loss later, like an oil filter preventing engine damage.

JACL

• Mountain-Plains Meets June 3-4, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Judge William M. Marutani, a CWRIC member, will be the principal speaker at the Mountain-Plains JACL dinner in Denver, discussing the commission’s February 1983 report on wartime relocation. The district meeting agenda includes JACL youth programs, state reports, and a redress workshop led by Min Yasui.
• Jr. JACL Olympics June 5 at Chabot, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The 31st annual JACL Jr. Olympics will be held at Chabot College, sponsored by the Northern California, Western Nevada/Pacific District Council, with over 300 young athletes participating. Winners will receive medals and division outstanding athletes will receive sports bags, with all athletes receiving souvenir towels.
• Question of Priority, by Greg Marutani, page 6. The author shares his views from the Tri-District Conference in Reno, describing a session on U.S./Japan relations where attendees debated JACL’s involvement in trade relations issues. He expresses concern about whether JACL has adequately handled civil rights work to justify expanding into trade relations, suggesting JACL partner with experienced organizations like the Japan Society instead.
• Fresno Celebrates 60th Anniversary, by Harry K. Honda, page 6. The Fresno American Loyalty League-JACL chapter celebrated its 60th anniversary with a banquet attracting nearly 380 people, including three surviving charter members from the 1923 founding. Guest speaker Min Yasui discussed redress efforts and the coram nobis cases, while chapter stalwarts Dr. Izumi Taniguchi and wife Barbara were made honorary life members.

In-Depth

• Origami: The Art of Making Friends, by Barry Saiki, page 5. Columnist Barry Saiki describes his passion for origami, particularly folding animals from tinfoil and paper, which he uses to connect with people from dozens of countries during his international travels. He recounts memorable encounters in Bangkok, New Delhi, and elsewhere where his origami creations served as an icebreaker and even helped him get a seat on an overbooked flight.

Military & Veterans

• Nishiyama Visits Chicago, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Sen Nishiyama of SONY Corp. Tokyo met with Chicago JACL leaders for an informal discussion on U.S.-Japan relations during a visit for a seminar at Northwestern University. Nishiyama shared his background as a Nisei living in Japan for nearly 50 years and offered advice on how JACL could serve as a resource for better U.S.-Japan understanding.

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