Redress, Day of Remembrance and a civil rights study of anti-Asian racism

Vol. 98, No. 10, March 16, 1984. 12 pages. View this issue

Redress ran through this issue. The front page carried the Seattle City Council’s vote to compensate three Nisei employees who lost their jobs during World War II, and a New York Day of Remembrance event where Teru Kanazawa reported on growing Asian American support for redress. Page 5 followed with Day of Remembrance observances nationwide. Also on the front page, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights decided to study whether a new racism is directed against Asian Americans. Inside, Harry Honda reported on a Denver testimonial dinner for Minoru Yasui and his coram nobis appeal, and Ronald Ikejiri interviewed K. Patrick Okura.

Other pages cover Bill Marutani, Henry Sakai and Bill Hosokawa in the commentary section, a Go For Broke photo exhibit headed to Chicago, Loni Ding’s film about the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and 100th Battalion, and Little Tokyo Life, which profiled Bob Okazaki. JACL chapter news fills pages 7 to 11, including a call for nominations for Japanese American of the Biennium.

What’s in this issue

National

• Gov’t to Study Racism Against Asians, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights decided to study whether a new racism is directed against Asian Americans, especially immigrants, following a call by Commissioner John H. Bunzel of Stanford University. The commission’s staff will advise in May whether formal hearings are necessary.
• Hearings Set for Hawaiian Claims, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Sen. Spark Matsunaga will chair four days of hearings on the Native Hawaiian Study Commission’s report during the Senate’s Easter recess. The claims center on the U.S. role in the 1893 overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy, and the study commission delivered its final report in June 1983.
• Racist Remark Hurts Game Director, by P.C. Staff, page 1. California fish and game director Howard “Don” Carper agreed to resign after making a racist remark about sinking a boatload of Vietnamese refugees accused of gill-net fishing. Carper initially denied the remark but later admitted making it, saying he had not meant to be insulting.
• More Asians Attracted to Science, by P.C. Staff, page 1. National Science Foundation statistics show Asians are overrepresented in science and engineering relative to their share of the U.S. population. Rand Corp. researcher Sue Berryman attributed this partly to strong early math and science training among Asian high school students.
• U.S. Attorney’s Letter May Aid Chin’s Attackers, page 1. Justice Department attorneys revealed the existence of a letter that could become a major defense weapon for Ronald Ebens and Michael Nitz, charged in the racially motivated killing of Vincent Chin. The federal trial, originally set for March 13, has been pushed back to June 5 amid numerous defense motions and a denied change of venue request.
• Justice Dept. Challenges Law That Sets Aside Jobs for Blacks, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The U.S. Justice Department challenged a Dade County, Fla. law setting aside construction contracts for Black-owned businesses, calling it unconstitutional. The case could affect similar affirmative action programs in many cities, including Detroit’s set-aside program.
• Ariyoshi Heads Western Governors, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Hawaii Gov. George Ariyoshi was named chair of a new Western governors group formed from a merger of two prior organizations, representing 16 states and 3 territories. Colorado Gov. Richard Lamm was named vice chair, with the organization headquartered in Denver.
• Lawsuit Alleges Reckless N-Test Exposure Downed Fishing Vessel, by P.C. Staff, page 12. Newly declassified Pentagon documents reveal that exposure of the Japanese tuna boat Fukuryu #5 to radioactive fallout from a 1954 U.S. hydrogen bomb test at Bikini atoll was due mainly to gross negligence, contradicting earlier U.S. claims. About half of the 40 fishermen and crew died from radiation exposure after the vessel was found within the U.S.-designated danger zone.

Incarceration & Redress

• Seattle to Compensate Employees, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Three Nisei employees of the City of Seattle who lost their jobs during WWII because of their ancestry will be compensated $5,000 each. The Seattle City Council voted March 5 to pay Thomas Kobayashi, Sumiko Haji and Ruth Kazama, with the measure introduced by finance committee chair Dolores Sibonga.
• Asian Communities Continue to Organize Redress Support, by Teru Kanazawa, page 1. Nearly 120 people attended a Day of Remembrance event in New York sponsored by Concerned Japanese Americans, highlighting growing Asian American solidarity with Japanese American redress efforts. Numerous Asian American organizations sent statements of support, and speakers emphasized organizing rather than merely reminiscing.
• Day of Remembrance Observances Held Nationwide, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Day of Remembrance events continued the story from the front page, featuring performances and speeches in New York, while a California observance in San Jose drew nearly 200 people for a poetry reading and candlelight procession. Rep. Norman Mineta and other speakers emphasized the need to educate the public about the internment to support redress legislation.
• Interview with a ‘Disguised Irishman’, by Ronald Ikejiri, page 7. K. Patrick Okura recounts being accused by columnist Drew Pearson of installing Japanese saboteurs while working for the Los Angeles Civil Service Commission during WWII, leading to pressure to resign which he refused. Okura discusses the city’s eventual reparations to displaced employees and plans to donate part of his settlement to the national redress program.

Community

• Nakano Wins City Seat—1st Minority, by P.C. Staff, page 1. George Sakaye Nakano became the first ethnic minority to win a seat on the Torrance, Calif. City Council, finishing second in a field of 11 candidates. Nakano, an elementary school assistant principal and Torrance JACL chapter president, polled 4,859 votes in a low-turnout election.
• Yanehiro to Receive Humanitarian Award, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Jan Yanehiro, co-host of KPIX-TV’s “Evening Magazine,” was selected by the United Nations Association of San Francisco to receive an Eleanor D. Roosevelt Humanitarian Award for her efforts against racial discrimination. The award will be presented at a fund-raising dinner commemorating the UN’s International Day for Elimination of Racism.
• Saito Designs Stamps, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Four new 20-cent commemorative postage stamps featuring orchids were designed by botanical artist Manabu Saito of Stillwell, N.J. and issued in Miami. Saito will appear at a Bay Area gallery to sign his work.
• Groups May Apply for S.F. Nikkei Center, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California has released pre-application forms for community organizations seeking space in its new center, scheduled to open in September 1985 in San Francisco’s Japantown. A major capital fund drive led by Yori Wada has raised close to $1 million for construction.
• Orange County Issei Pioneers to Be Honored in Fund-Raiser, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Orange County’s pioneer Japanese families will be honored at a Special Issei Tribute Dinner Dance on March 31 at the South Coast Plaza Hotel, emceed by News 4LA anchorwoman Tritia Toyota. The event, sponsored by the Bowers Museum Foundation Japanese American Council, will also raise funds to record and preserve local Japanese American history.
• San Jose to Hold Bridge Tournament, by P.C. Staff, page 7. San Jose JACL’s annual bridge tournament will be held March 17 at Wesley United Methodist Church, offering social and duplicate bridge sections. Partners will be provided for players who need them, with a $3.50 entry fee.
• Marutani Addresses Florin JACL, by Bill Kashiwagi, page 9. Florin Chapter JACL held its installation and recognition dinner, honoring longtime members including Amy Sekiguchi and Catherine Taketa with 20-year service pins. Guest speaker Judge William Marutani spoke on the significance of the redress issue to Nikkei communities.
• Trees to Be Planted in Memory of JACL Members, by P.C. Staff, page 10. A memorial tree planting ceremony will honor former Hollywood JACL president Muriel Merrell in Elysian Park on March 24, continuing a tradition started for her late friend Charles Kamayatsu. Six deceased longtime JACL members from Nisei Pioneers will also be honored with memorial trees.
• Carson Members to Eat and Be Merry, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Carson JACL will host a steak dinner and “Las Vegas Fun Nite” at Gardena Buddhist Church social hall on March 17, with tickets priced at $12 for dinner plus game scrips. Ken Harada is handling ticket information.

Obituaries

• KCET Program Manager Dies at 35, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Steven J. Tatsukawa, KCET’s manager of program development, died of heart failure at age 35. A UCLA graduate native of Los Angeles, he had worked on acclaimed productions including a drama about Japanese American WWII internment called “Journey Home.”

In-Depth

• Documenting a ‘Lost’ Chinese Group Underway, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Sociologist Edna Bonacich of UC Riverside leads a team of undergraduates documenting Riverside’s early Chinese community, which left few written records despite arriving in the 1860s. The project reflects a broader historical trend toward documenting the lives of ordinary people rather than just the powerful.
• Meet Bob Okazaki, by Harry Honda, page 12. This installment of Little Tokyo Life profiles Bob Okazaki, former Rafu Nichibei editor who lived near the historic site of L.A.’s first film studio and spent the Poston internment before returning to Hollywood work. Okazaki’s own historical account recounts pioneering Japanese American cameraman Henry Kotani’s rise in early Hollywood filmmaking before moving to Japan to help establish Shochiku studios.

Military & Veterans

• Midwest to View 442/MIS Photo Exhibit, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The first Midwest showing of the Go For Broke/MIS Nisei veterans photo exhibit will be held April 9-29 at Chicago’s Daley Center Plaza, sponsored primarily by Chicago Nisei Post 1183. The exhibit, which previously drew thousands in San Francisco and Los Angeles, will later travel to several other Midwest cities before returning to Chicago in August.
• Min Yasui Tabbed ‘A Fellow of History’, by Harry Honda, page 9. A testimonial dinner for Minoru Yasui and his wife True drew about 400 people to Denver’s Regency Hotel, raising funds for Yasui’s coram nobis appeal, with Rep. Bob Matsui as principal speaker praising Yasui’s wartime legal challenge and postwar civic contributions. Colorado Gov. Richard Lamm and Denver Mayor Federico Pena proclaimed March 3

Arts & Entertainment

• ‘Nisei Soldier’ to Screen in L.A., by P.C. Staff, page 3. “Nisei Soldier: Standard Bearer for an Exiled People,” a documentary film by Loni Ding about the 100th Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team, will screen in Southern California for the first time on April 28 at Japan America Theatre. The benefit screening for Visual Communications features rare footage and interviews with surviving veterans, and was previously shown to Congress to support redress legislation.
• Nikkei Literary Anthology Available, by P.C. Staff, page 6. “Fusion ’83,” a Japanese American literary anthology produced by San Francisco State University’s Asian American Studies Department, is now on sale, featuring works by numerous Nikkei writers. Project director Jim Okutsu said the anthology aims to resurrect out-of-print Nikkei writings and showcase contemporary Japanese American writers.

Commentary

• The Monterey Peninsula, by Bill Marutani, page 4. Columnist Bill Marutani recounts a trip through the Monterey Peninsula area for Kinen-hi memorial dedication ceremonies at the Salinas Assembly Center, including stops in Watsonville and Fort Ord. He praises the contributions of Japanese American women leaders he encountered, including Violet de Cristoforo, Yoko Umeda, and Mary Tsukamoto, and criticizes JACL for not promoting women into national leadership roles.
• Misinformation, by Henry Sakai, page 4. PC Board Chair Henry Sakai criticizes media and community misinformation conflating municipal reparations to fired Japanese American employees with internment compensation, noting the two are legally distinct issues. He singles out a TV reporter and a Rafu Shimpo article for failing to clarify that the reparations were for job termination, not internment itself.
• Winnipeg Redress Confab, by Victor Ogura, page 4. A report on the National Association of Japanese Canadians and National Redress Committee conference in Winnipeg emphasizes cooperation and unity in the electoral and redress process. The Canadian movement seeks official acknowledgment of wartime injustice, compensation for incarceration losses, and revision of the Canadian War Measures Act.
• Japan After 30 Years, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Columnist Bill Hosokawa reflects on how dramatically Japan has changed since his 1950 visit, noting a prime minister’s office poll showing many Japanese hold a gloomy view of their future despite economic prosperity. He draws parallels to American concerns about declining productivity and discusses Japanese efforts to balance permissiveness with public morals regarding pornography laws.
• Membership and Redress Top Priorities, by Harry Kajihara, page 10. PSWD Governor Harry Kajihara reports on a well-attended quarterly district meeting that discussed membership recruitment strategies and approved a new membership contest offering $3 per membership increase. The district also continues its quarterly redress pledge payment procedure to ensure National JACL funding commitments are met.

JACL

• What’s Happening with Youth?, by David Nakayama, page 5. National JACL Youth Director David Nakayama surveys youth programming across JACL chapters nationwide, citing examples like Washington D.C.’s youth retreat, Chicago JAYS workshops, and Sonoma JAYS fundraising for redress. He notes these grassroots activities answer frequent questions about JACL’s youth engagement.
• Health Fairs, by Lia Shigemura, page 5. The 1984 Minority Health Fair program, funded by a Chevron U.S.A. grant, has received enthusiastic response with nine JACL chapters already receiving assistance from National JACL. Chapters are encouraged to hold health fairs throughout 1984 in partnership with other Asian and Japanese American organizations.
• Mt. Plains Covers Big Area, by Harry Honda, page 7. The Mountain Plains District Council, chaired by Gov. Ron Shibata, convened in Denver with delegates traveling hundreds of miles across its 12-state jurisdiction. The council approved appointments, discussed redress legislation progress with Rep. Robert Matsui, John Tateishi, and Min Yasui, and heard about Yasui’s coram nobis appeal.
• Penn. JACLers Speak to Teachers, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Philadelphia JACL chapter members participated in a session on “The Concentration Camps of America” at a teachers federation conference, covering JACL history, the internment experience, and pending redress legislation. The session led to a resolution recommending the teachers federation support redress bills HR 4110 and S2116.
• JACL Crew Tapes Nisei Aging Video, by P.C. Staff, page 7. National JACL’s Aging and Retirement Committee completed four days of videotaping for a project on Nisei pre-retirement and retirement issues, featuring actor George Takei and written/directed by Emiko Omori. The video is intended as a discussion-starter for chapter, community, and church events.
• Placer County Installation Hears Shimomura on U.S.-Japan Relations, by Roy Yoshida, page 7. Ken Tokutomi was installed as the 46th and second Sansei president of Placer County JACL, pledging to emphasize youth activities and political participation. Guest speaker Floyd Shimomura discussed his trip to Japan as National JACL president, including a meeting with Prime Minister Nakasone and efforts to counter misconceptions about Nikkei divided loyalty.
• N. Calif. District Fulfills Pledges 100%-Plus, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Regional director George Kondo reported that all 34 chapters in the Northern California/Western Nevada/Pacific district collectively met their 1982-84 redress pledge, with several chapters already paying their 1983-84 commitments. The district also held a workshop on answering community questions about internment and redress.
• Irons to Speak Mar. 22 at Harvard, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Peter Irons, author of “Justice at War,” will speak at Harvard’s Gutman Library on March 22, sponsored by the New England Chapter JACL and Harvard Asian American Association. The lecture is free and open to the public.
• Nominations Wanted!, by Lily Okura, page 11. JACL is seeking nominations for Japanese American of the Biennium awards, with an April 13 deadline, listing past Gold and Silver Medallion recipients dating back to 1950. Nominations can come from chapters, districts, or individual members across six award categories including arts, business, education, medicine, politics, and sports.

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