Vol. 98, No. 5, February 10, 1984. 9 pages. View this issue
Redress and the memory of the wartime incarceration (often called internment) filled the front page. Communities across the country planned Day of Remembrance events, and a possible 60 Minutes segment was in the works. A U.S. judge vacated Minoru Yasui’s wartime conviction but declined to find government misconduct. Reps. Robert Matsui and Norman Mineta arranged a showing of a film about the 442nd Regimental Combat Team for Congress, hoping to win support for HR 4110. Minoru Yasui also wrote about the need for redress support east of the Rockies.
Elsewhere in these nine pages, Miki Himeno asked what comes next for JACL after redress, Irene Hirano called for delegates and candidates for the national convention in Hawaii, and Harry Kajihara described his first chapter installation dinners. Bill Marutani shared travel tips from Hong Kong, and Mabel Ota reported on California’s Senior Legislature.
What’s in this issue
Incarceration & Redress
- Day of Remembrance Activities Planned Nationwide, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Communities across the country are planning Day of Remembrance events in February to commemorate the mass expulsion of Japanese Americans from the West Coast during WWII. Events include candlelight programs, panel discussions, and a possible 60 Minutes segment on the topic.
- U.S. Judge Vacates Yasui Conviction, But Refuses to Find Government Misconduct, page 1. A U.S. district court judge vacated Minoru Yasui’s wartime conviction but declined to make a finding of government misconduct, saying it was not appropriate to do so 40 years after the original case. Yasui’s attorneys had hoped the court would rule that the government deliberately engaged in wrongdoing during the internment.
- Yasui Case Remains Significant Despite Ruling, page 9. Legal experts note that despite the court’s refusal to find government misconduct, the vacating of Yasui’s conviction remains a significant legal milestone. Other members of the Yasui legal team included Don Willner, Mary Mori, and Fern Eng, with no date yet set for Gordon Hirabayashi’s related case.
Military & Veterans
- Congress Views New Documentary About Nisei Troops, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Reps. Robert Matsui and Norman Mineta arranged for the film ‘Nisei Soldier,’ documenting the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, to be shown on the House of Representatives closed-circuit TV system. The congressmen hope the film will persuade colleagues to support HR 4110, the redress bill based on the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians’ recommendations.
Community
- Chicago Asians Meet With State Senator, page 1. Asian American community leaders met with Illinois State Senator to discuss major issues affecting their communities. The meeting addressed concerns that racism against Asians is not solely an Asian American issue but affects all Americans.
- Civic Groups Seek Whereabouts of GI, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Okinawan civic organizations are seeking an American believed to be living in Hawaii who helped build a monument honoring three Nisei soldiers who died in WWII on Okinawa. Officials want to invite him to a dedication ceremony in June.
- S.F. JACL to Hold ‘Night at the Races’, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The San Francisco JACL chapter is organizing a ‘Night at the Races’ fundraising event to support chapter programs. The event aims to raise funds for ongoing JACL community initiatives.
- A Letter to the Japanese Public, page 8. A forum discussion addressed differing perceptions between Japanese and Japanese Americans regarding loyalty and identity. Speaker Hallam Shorrock discussed the challenges foreign students face in Japan’s academic and job markets compared to other countries.
Commentary
- Health Care First Concern to Calif. Senior Legislature, by Mabel Ota, page 2. The California Senior Legislature, a nonpartisan group of senior delegates, drafted ten priority bills for the state including preventive health care, nursing home reform, and Alzheimer’s disease research funding. The group also selected four federal priority proposals including a National Health Care Plan and Medicare improvements.
- Redress Needs Help East of Rockies, by Minoru Yasui, page 3. Minoru Yasui argues that redress legislation needs stronger support from Congress members east of the Rockies, where JACL chapters are fewer and support less organized. He calls for more education and organizing efforts in southern and eastern states to build the votes needed to pass HR 4110.
- East Wind: The British Crown Colony, by Bill Marutani, page 3. Bill Marutani shares travel tips from his trip to Hong Kong, recommending hotels on the Kowloon side and praising the Star Ferry as the best bargain in the city. He also discusses tailor shops, transportation options, and the prevalence of luxury cars like Rolls Royces and Mercedes-Benzes in Hong Kong.
- By the Board: Orwell’s 1984 — Whither, JACL?, by Miki Himeno, page 6. Miki Himeno reflects on Orwell’s novel 1984 in relation to JACL’s future, questioning what will happen to the organization once redress efforts conclude. She argues JACL must look ahead to new challenges including US-Japan relations and community engagement beyond redress.
Arts & Entertainment
- Books From Hawaii: New Releases About Japanese American Experience, page 5. The University of Hawaii Press has released several new books on Japanese American history in Hawaii, including works by Ronald Takaki and John J. Stephan. Titles cover topics from pioneer immigrants to Japan’s wartime plans for Hawaii.
- Controversial Series About Nisei to Be Aired Soon in U.S., page 9. The Japanese television series ‘Sanga Moyu,’ depicting Nisei brothers during WWII, is set to air in the United States after controversy in Japan. The series follows two brothers portrayed by Koshiro Matsumoto and Toshiyuki Nishida.
JACL
- JACL Financial Aid for Students Available, page 6. JACL announces the availability of financial aid and scholarships for students through various chapter and national programs. Details on eligibility and application procedures are provided for interested students.
- Wanted: Delegates and Candidates, by Irene Hirano, page 7. Irene Hirano, chair of the Women’s Concerns Committee, calls for delegates and candidates to attend the upcoming JACL National Convention in Hawaii. She emphasizes the importance of women’s participation in convention leadership roles.
- By the Board: An Enjoyable Beginning, by Harry Kajihara, page 7. Harry Kajihara, incoming governor of the Pacific Southwest District, describes his enjoyable introduction to chapter installation dinners across the district. He highlights priorities including membership growth, redress fundraising efforts led by George Ogawa, and the PSW JACL Trust Fund’s charitable work.
National
- Japan’s Top Ten News Stories of 1983, page 9. A list of Japan’s major news stories of 1983 includes the exoneration of Sakae Menda after wrongful conviction, the suicide of LDP faction leader Ichiro Nakagawa, and devastating floods in Shimane and Yamaguchi prefectures. Other events included a volcanic eruption in northern Honshu and a state visit by West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl.
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