Redress hearings in Washington and a JACL convention ahead in Hawaii

Vol. 99, No. 3, July 20, 1984. 12 pages. View this issue

The front page covered the June 27 House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing on redress legislation. Nisei Farmers League president Harry Kubo testified against individual payments, while JACL leaders Floyd Shimomura, John Tateishi and Minoru Yasui rebutted anti-redress arguments, and Yasui’s testimony continued on page 5. The paper also reported that the Democratic Party’s final platform draft included redress for Nikkei interned during World War II, and that Sen. Ted Stevens announced an Aug. 16 Senate hearing in Los Angeles on S 2116, the redress bill sponsored by Sen. Spark Matsunaga.

Much of the rest looked ahead to the JACL national convention in Honolulu, with Miki Himeno’s invitation, Karleen Chinen’s packing advice, an exhibits preview, Ronald Takaki’s talk on plantation life, and profiles of the two candidates for vice president for public affairs. Also inside: Doug Urata’s review of Pat Morita in The Karate Kid, which notes Miyagi’s internment at Manzanar, and Hank Sakai’s appeal to readers for funds to replace the paper’s aging typesetting equipment.

What’s in this issue

Incarceration & Redress

• Nisei Leader Testifies Against Individual Redress Payments, page 1. At a June 27 House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing, Nisei Farmers League president Harry Kubo opposed individual per capita redress payments, arguing they would be administratively difficult and could feel like a disgrace to Issei and Nisei. JACL leaders Floyd Shimomura, John Tateishi, and Minoru Yasui also testified, rebutting anti-redress arguments and describing personal tragedies caused by the internment.
• Compensation in Final Draft of Party Platform, page 1. The Democratic Party’s final platform draft includes a provision for redress for Nikkei interned during WW2, according to Tom Hsieh of the Asian/Pacific Caucus. Congressmen Norman Mineta and Robert Matsui hailed the move, though opposition is expected from some regions before the full convention ratifies the platform.
• Subcommittee to Ponder Provisions of S 2116, page 1. Sen. Ted Stevens announced a Senate Subcommittee hearing on redress bill S 2116 will be held Aug. 16 in Los Angeles to explore appropriate government response to the internment. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Spark Matsunaga, now has 20 co-sponsors and would implement CWRIC recommendations.
• Hearings: Yasui Rebuts Anti-Redress Arguments, page 5. Continuing coverage of the House hearing, Minoru Yasui addressed loyalty questionnaires, renunciation of citizenship, and the inadequacy of the 1948 Evacuation Claims Act in his testimony. He argued that monetary redress is necessary to make real the government’s commitment to equality and tied the issue to U.S. credibility on human rights abroad.

Community

• Mayor’s Work for A-Bomb Victims Is Commended, page 2. Seattle’s Hiroshima Club awarded mayor Charles Royer a certificate of appreciation for promoting U.S.-Japan relations and supporting American hibakusha medical examination programs. Royer had written to Japan’s health minister requesting continued medical aid for American atomic bomb survivors after the medical team’s 1983 Seattle visit.
• Louisiana Asians to Celebrate Heritage, page 3. The Asian/Pacific American Society will celebrate World’s Fair Day on Aug. 5 in New Orleans, featuring performances and heritage activities. Chair Frank Hara said the event aims to strengthen the community’s place through unity while honoring Asian heritage.
• To Our Readers and Contributors, by Hank Sakai, page 5. PC Board chair Hank Sakai explains that recent issues were printed smaller due to aging typesetting equipment that is nearing failure and expensive to repair. He asks readers to contribute funds to purchase new equipment and support the paper’s planned move to larger quarters in 1985.
• Seabrook JACL Celebrates 40 Years of Nikkei in New Jersey, by Ellen Nakamura, page 6. The Seabrook Chapter JACL held a commemorative dinner marking 40 years since Charles F. Seabrook brought over 2,500 Japanese Americans to his frozen-food business during WW2. The event featured speeches, entertainment, scholarship awards, and recognition of Irene Kaneshiki and Chester Nakai with JACL silver pins.
• Thousand Club Members to Tour Japan After Convention, page 7. Following the Honolulu convention, Thousand Club members organized by Ed Yamamoto will tour Japan, arriving in Tokyo Aug. 18 and returning Aug. 26-27. Japan Chapter will co-sponsor a dinner featuring speaker Dr. Haruyoshi Chikamori discussing Joseph Heco, the first Japanese American citizen.
• Chapter News Briefs, page 7. Multiple JACL chapters reported activities including Berkeley’s travel tips talk, Detroit’s community picnic, Gardena Valley’s rummage sale, Greater Los Angeles Singles’ dinner dance, Milwaukee’s annual picnic, Selanoco’s fundraiser, San Jose’s scholarship awards totaling $2,100, and White River Valley’s scholarship banquet. New York Chapter held a book reception for John Tateishi’s ‘And Justice for All.’
• People, page 11. Brief items cover community members’ achievements: Carol Kawanami was chosen as a city alternate on a regional government council, Vernon Yoshioka was reappointed to a San Diego city board, and Dana Yuko Tsuboi was selected as Seattle’s Cherry Blossom Festival Queen. Also noted were Nisei attorneys serving on a judicial evaluation committee and Yuki Kamayatsu’s selection to the L.A. County grand jury.
• Retirement Home Receives $25,000, page 12. Friends of the Japanese Retirement Home presented a $25,000 check to JRH board president John Fukushima at the organization’s annual picnic attended by 450 people. The funds represented the first part of a recent fundraiser led by campaign chair Art Yoshimura.

National

• State Justice Dept. Assigns Liaisons to Asian Communities, page 2. California Attorney General John Van de Kamp appointed four Dept. of Justice members to represent his office in working with Asian American communities. The appointees were Ida Tsujikawa Zodrow, John Sugiyama, Ronald Ito, and Lillian Lim Quon.
• 5 to Attend GOP Convention, page 2. Among 176 California delegates to the Republican national convention in Dallas are five Japanese Americans including S.I. Hayakawa and Steven Nakashima, all part of the Reagan-Bush campaign. Nakashima was also selected to the national platform committee.
• Charlie Chan Film Protested, page 2. An exhibit of Chinese porcelain at the Cincinnati Art Museum paired with a showing of ‘Charlie Chan in Shanghai’ drew protest from Asian Pacific American Advocates of California. APAAC president Allan Seid wrote that the film choice showed insensitivity to Asian culture.
• Education Council Appointed, page 2. California State Superintendent Bill Honig announced formation of a Council on Asian/Pacific Affairs to address policies affecting Asian/Pacific students. A long list of appointees was named to the council.
• ADA Had Recommended Mink, page 2. Before Walter Mondale chose Geraldine Ferraro as running mate, Americans for Democratic Action had recommended former congresswoman Patsy Mink of Hawaii for vice president. Mink said she was not actively seeking the nomination but would have accepted if chosen.
• Student Suffers Racial Attack, page 2. A 17-year-old Chinese youth was beaten by three Caucasian minors at Huntington School in San Marino in a racially motivated attack involving slurs and weapons. The victim suffered a broken nose and other injuries, and his parents requested assault charges be filed.
• Millions Read Ethnic Media, page 2. A Stanford study found combined circulation of minority-geared media in the Bay Area reaches as high as 2.3 million, exceeding the region’s 1.5 million minority population. The study identified 49 different Black, Latino and Asian news organizations, mostly targeted to Asian or Pacific Islanders.
• Nishimoto Seated on Municipal Court, page 11. Cary H. Nishimoto, 38, was appointed judge of the Los Angeles municipal court by Gov. George Deukmejian after a career as a trial deputy and private attorney. Nishimoto previously served as JACL Pacific Southwest legal counsel and district governor.
• Abe Wins Radio Journalism Awards, page 11. Seattle KIRO Newsradio reporter Frank Abe won five journalism awards for his work on Indian treaties, hibakusha, Wah Mee murders, and other minority affairs reporting. The honors included a Unity Award and multiple Sigma Delta Chi Excellence in Journalism awards.

Arts & Entertainment

• Yamauchi’s Play Hasn’t Lost Its ‘Soul’, by J.K. Yamamoto, page 3. Wakako Yamauchi’s award-winning play ‘And the Soul Shall Dance’ returns in a Cal State LA production depicting two farm families in Depression-era Imperial Valley. The reviewer praises the strong performances, especially Jerry Tondo and Patty Yasutake as the Okas, and notes the play’s enduring emotional impact.
• Flipped Over Morita, by Doug Urata, page 9. Pat Morita earns new respect for his dignified portrayal of Miyagi, a Japanese American war veteran and karate mentor, in ‘The Karate Kid.’ The reviewer notes the film subtly references Miyagi’s WWII service and internment at Manzanar, challenging stereotypes about Asian American men.

Commentary

• Minimizing Perils of Traveling, by Bill Marutani, page 4. In his East Wind column, Bill Marutani shares practical travel safety tips including hotel fire safety precautions, luggage tagging cautions against theft, airport seating strategies, and warnings about misleading car rental advertisements. He recounts personal experiences with rental car scams.
• Planning for Retirement, by Ron Wakabayashi, page 4. In his Musubi column, Ron Wakabayashi previews the JACL-sponsored video ‘A Tale of Nisei Retirement,’ featuring George Takei, which will premiere at the national convention’s aging and retirement workshop. He credits filmmaker Emiko Omori for completing the project after original creator Henry Ushijima’s death, calling the final product a success.
• ‘Violence Against Asian Americans’ Topic of Convention Workshop, page 4. The JACL ethnic concerns committee will sponsor a workshop on anti-Asian violence at the national convention, featuring panelists John Saito, Chuck Kubokawa, Harry Kitano, and Franklin Odo. The workshop will focus on strategies for responding to racism and building support networks.
• Memories of Boyhood China-Meshi, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. In his Frying Pan column, Bill Hosokawa reminisces about a vintage menu from Seattle’s Gyokko-ken Cafe in prewar Japantown, recalling cheap prices for Chinese dishes and the phonetic Japanese-English hybrid terms used. He thanks readers Takashi Hori and Norio Mitsuoka for sharing the nostalgic memento.
• Who’s To Tell JACL Story?, by Dr. Frank F. Sakamoto, page 5. Thousand Club chair Frank Sakamoto laments that Illinois congressman Dan Rostenkowski received only one letter supporting redress legislation from his Japanese American constituents, urging more people to write their representatives. He calls on Thousand Club members to actively recruit JACL members and sell the organization’s mission.
• New England Chapter JACL, by Minoru Yasui, page 9. In his Redress Phase Five column, Minoru Yasui highlights the small but politically significant New England JACL chapter led by Kei Kaneda, noting the region’s influential senators and congressional representatives. He describes meeting various chapter members and their enthusiasm for supporting the redress campaign.
• Aloha Hawaii: Let’s Be There!, by Miki Himeno, page 9. In her By the Board column, Miki Himeno encourages JACL members to attend the historic first convention held outside the continental U.S., in Hawaii. She highlights strong local support, varied activities including veterans’ ceremonies and golf outings, and urges members to register before it’s too late.

JACL

• Casual Clothes de Rigueur, by Karleen Chinen, page 6. Convention goers are advised to pack light, casual clothing for the Hawaii JACL convention, including one suit for men and one evening dress for women for the Sayonara Banquet. Aloha wear, including muumuus and aloha shirts, is recommended, along with swimsuits for Waikiki Beach.
• Mayeda, Kubokawa Run for Vice President/Public Affairs, page 7. Dr. Kazutoshi Mayeda and incumbent Charles Kubokawa are competing for JACL vice president for public affairs, with both candidates presenting platforms emphasizing redress, coalition-building, and organizational growth. Mayeda is a genetics professor from Detroit, while Kubokawa is a NASA community relations director who has held various JACL leadership roles.
• Convention-Goers Can View Exhibits, page 8. The national JACL convention will feature an exhibit room from Aug. 14-16 with displays from sponsors including California Blue Shield, Chevron, and various JACL chapters. Exhibits will include photo displays of WWII evacuation and camp life, books, and videotapes about the Japanese American experience.
• Kubokawa Continued: Candidate Platform and Background, page 10. Continuing coverage of Charles Kubokawa’s candidacy for JACL vice president for public affairs, detailing his career as NASA’s community relations director and extensive community service record. The article outlines his JACL history including chapter presidency, district governorship, and national committee appointments.

In-Depth

• Takaki to Speak on Hawaii’s Early Plantation Life, by Ronald Takaki, page 8. Historian Ronald Takaki discusses his book ‘Pau Hana: Plantation Life and Labor in Hawaii’ and will present slides at the JACL convention. The book, inspired by his family’s plantation history, chronicles the diverse immigrant laborers who shaped Hawaii’s multicultural identity.
• Sal Uptown’s Uppermost, by Harry Honda, page 12. In his Little Tokyo Life column, Harry Honda profiles Rev. John Misao Yamazaki’s 100th birthday and his century-spanning ministry at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, which served the Uptown Japanese American community since 1913. The piece traces the history of the Uptown neighborhood’s Issei residents and the church’s evolution through WWII internment and beyond.

Obituaries

• Longtime JACLer Nomura Dies at 74, page 11. Howard H. Nomura, a pharmacist and longtime JACL leader who was interned at Heart Mountain during WW2, died June 26 in St. Paul, Minnesota at age 74. He served as chapter president in both Portland and the Twin Cities and was active in JACL credit union leadership for 28 years.

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