Day of Remembrance, redress and the JACL staff profiled

Vol. 100, No. 9, March 8, 1985. 16 pages. View this issue

Remembering the World War II incarceration (often called internment) ran through this issue. The front page reported on a San Francisco Day of Remembrance marking the 43rd anniversary of Executive Order 9066, where California Supreme Court Chief Justice Rose Bird spoke to an overflow crowd of 250, and Chizu Iiyama’s account continued on page 16. Berkeley’s city council backed redress for city employees fired in 1942, and Seattle made its final payment to three former city employees. Pat Morita, interviewed by J.K. Yamamoto, spoke about his Oscar-nominated role in “The Karate Kid.”

Pages 7 through 10 hold a series of staff profiles by Yosh Nakashima, from National Director Ron Wakabayashi and John Tateishi to regional directors in each district. Other pages carry a Poston reunion with Hopi neighbors, columns by Bill Hosokawa, Harry Honda and Clifford Uyeda, and a Denver exhibit of Ansel Adams’ Manzanar photographs.

What’s in this issue

Arts & Entertainment

• Morita Pleased With ‘Karate Kid’ Role, by J.K. Yamamoto, page 1. Pat Morita discusses his Oscar-nominated role as Miyagi in ‘The Karate Kid’ during a UCLA campus appearance, describing how he drew on memories of his father and WW2 internment experience to prepare for the part. He also recounts the studio’s attempt to cut the scene depicting Miyagi’s internment, which was ultimately preserved due to the efforts of the director and producer.
• Adams’ Exhibit to Open in Denver, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Ansel Adams’ photographic exhibit ‘Born Free and Equal,’ depicting the Manzanar WRA camp, will be displayed at the Denver Art Museum from March 16 to May 12. The exhibit includes images of internees such as Roy M. Takeno, former editor of the Manzanar Free Press, who now lives in Denver.
• Shodo Exhibit Opens at JACCC Gallery, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A one-man exhibition of Japanese calligraphy master Tainan Sasaki’s work opened at the Doizaki Gallery in Little Tokyo before a crowd of about 300. The exhibit includes a piece titled ‘Reicho’ that will be presented to President Reagan, and former Ambassador James Hodgson spoke at the opening about his appreciation for shodo.

Incarceration & Redress

• State Justice Remembers EO 9066, by Chizu Iiyama, page 1. An overflow crowd of 250 attended a Day of Remembrance program in San Francisco commemorating the 43rd anniversary of Executive Order 9066, featuring California Supreme Court Chief Justice Rose Bird as keynote speaker. Bird shared a poem about Fred Korematsu’s case and discussed the state of human rights, while other speakers including Ernest Iiyama addressed the dangers of scapegoating minorities today.
• Berkeley Grants Redress to Japanese American City Employees Fired in 1942, by Tad Hirota, page 3. The Berkeley city council voted unanimously to designate Feb. 19 as a Day of Remembrance, support national redress efforts, and direct the city manager to develop procedures for compensating former city employees fired due to wartime incarceration. Mayor Gus Newport spoke in support of the resolution, acknowledging the injustice done to Japanese Americans during the war.
• Poston Reunion Draws Hopis, Former Internees, by Gimi Garcia, Parker (Ariz.) Pioneer, page 6. Almost 300 former Japanese American internees gathered at the Poston Community Baptist Church for a ‘Poston Homecoming’ reunion, reconnecting with the Hopi community that later occupied the camp barracks. Speakers including Rev. Dr. Jitsuo Morikawa reflected on the positive values and resilience developed during internment, and attendees toured the original camp sites including buildings still standing at Camp One.
• City Makes Final Payment to WW2 Nisei Employees, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Seattle made the second of two compensation payments totaling $5,000 to three former city employees dismissed during WW2 due to their Japanese ancestry. The recipients have been generous donors to Nikkei community organizations, with much of their compensation going toward redress efforts and community institutions.
• Bird Continued: Community Support at Day of Remembrance, by Chizu Iiyama, page 16. Additional speakers at the San Francisco Day of Remembrance program included Assemblyman Elihu Root Harris, who discussed his fight for a Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, and Venustiano Olguin, who drew parallels between the WW2 internment and current treatment of Latino immigrants. The program concluded with a candlelight ceremony representing each relocation center, accompanied by shakuhachi music.

National

• Democratic National Committee Chair Questions Need for Asian/Pacific Caucus, by J.K. Yamamoto, page 1. New DNC chair Paul Kirk has declared caucuses within the party ‘political nonsense’ and plans to eliminate them, threatening the Asian Pacific Caucus formed in 1983. Caucus chair Tom Hsieh and a report by Asian Pacific Democrats argue that minorities are not a ‘special interest’ and warn the party could lose Asian support to Republicans if it does not address their concerns.
• A-bomb Survivor, by Ken Nakano, page 5. A letter from Seattle JACL’s International Relations Committee chair seeks help locating a Nisei atomic bomb orphan, Kazumi Sadamasa, for a documentary being made by a Hiroshima TV station on the 40th anniversary of the bombing. Sadamasa lost his parents and sister in the bombing and later returned to the Seattle area.

Community

• Denver, S.F. to Host Aging Conferences, by Betty Kozasa, page 2. Two national conferences on aging will be held in the coming weeks: the Western Gerontological Society’s 31st annual conference in Denver focusing on ‘Power and Justice in Aging,’ and the National Council on the Aging’s 35th conference in San Francisco. Speakers include Rep. Patricia Schroeder and Norman Cousins, with JACL’s aging and retirement committee video also being shown.
• Hair Salon Name Draws Protests, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Local Japanese Americans continue to protest the name ‘J.A.P.S.S.’ used by a West Hollywood hair salon, which the owners say derives from their first initials. JACL officials and the L.A. County Commission on Human Relations have sent letters objecting to the name, and NCRR is now circulating petitions urging the salon to change it.
• Tomihiro Speaks at Anti-Apartheid Rally, by Heritage News Service, page 2. Chiye Tomihiro, chair of the Chicago JACL Redress Committee, joined other ethnic and civil rights leaders at an anti-apartheid rally in Chicago sponsored by the NAACP. She drew parallels between the forced evacuation of Japanese Americans and human rights violations in South Africa.
• Senior Center to Hold Shinnen-Kai, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Bay Area Japanese American Senior Centers (BAJASC) will hold its third annual Shinnen-Kai at Mountain View Buddhist Temple on March 16, featuring a craft display, bento lunch, and entertainment. Approximately 700 Issei, Nisei, and Sansei are expected to attend, with Congressman Tom Lantos welcoming the group.
• Campus Heritage Festival Continues, by P.C. Staff, page 3. USC’s annual Asian Pacific Heritage Festival continues through March 16 with various events including a student symposium, car show, performances, and a speech by George Takei. The festival is sponsored by USC Asian Pacific student organizations.
• Japanese Presbyterians Elect Officers, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The 79th annual Japanese Presbyterian Conference held in Sacramento drew about 100 delegates who discussed the theme ‘Challenges and Opportunities’ and voted to support an oral history project and continued redress efforts. New officers were installed including moderator Tadashi Kowta of Los Angeles.
• Santa Maria Nikkei Reunion Planned, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Plans are underway for the ‘biggest ever’ 1985 Santa Maria Valley Nikkei reunion to be held Sept. 14-15, following a successful 40th year reunion in 1982 that drew 500 prewar Japanese American residents. The Tri-Valley Nikkei Reunion Committee is seeking contact information from those who missed the previous event.
• A Note About the Staff Profiles, by Yosh Nakashima, Vice President for General Operations, page 10. This note explains the purpose of the series of National JACL staff profile articles, aimed at improving communication between members and staff. The author acknowledges the profiles are incomplete due to limited biographical data but hopes to eventually profile the entire JACL staff.

Commentary

• That’s The Way It Is, by Harry Honda, page 4. The columnist defends his use of Japanese vernacular words and terms like ‘AJA’ in his writing, explaining his personal connection to the language from his Army and childhood days. He acknowledges that his style may provoke some readers but maintains it is important to include cultural references that encourage younger Japanese Americans to learn the language.
• CBS and Gen. Westmoreland, by Clifford Uyeda, page 4. The column examines Gen. William Westmoreland’s withdrawal of his libel suit against CBS over a documentary alleging he deceived the American public about Vietnam War enemy strength. The author contrasts Westmoreland’s lack of accountability with the harsher treatment of Japanese General Yamashita, who was hanged for atrocities he could not control, and affirms the importance of a free press.
• On Parental Responsibility, by Bob Shimabukuro, page 4. The author reflects on his daughter Mira’s upcoming 13th birthday and on parenthood in general, responding to a previous PC article about motherhood. He discusses the guilt parents feel and argues that what parents need most is support rather than lectures on responsibility.
• Japanese Americans in Laramie, Wyoming, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. The columnist describes his experience teaching journalism at the University of Wyoming and discovering a number of Japanese Americans living in Laramie, including university employees like Harry Hashimoto and Sumiko Sakata Ohashi. He recounts their family histories, including wartime internment at Heart Mountain and their varied careers at the university.
• Beauty, Style, Life and Redress, by Hashime Saito, page 5. A letter to the editor responds to a previous commentary on Japanese gardens and tsuba designs, arguing that Issei and older Nisei understood the connection between nature and life, which helped them endure the evacuation experience. The writer expresses frustration that redress activists fail to appreciate this beauty and resilience.
• Masugi and ‘Constitutional’ Injustice, by Taro J. Kawakami, page 5. A letter to the editor responds to a previous column by Ken Masugi, arguing that Executive Order 9066 represented an economic and racial reprisal against Japanese Americans that revealed dangerous flaws in presidential power under the Constitution. The writer warns that without greater safeguards, similar actions could be taken against other ethnic groups in the future.
• Loving the Cause, Not the Martyr, by Naomi Kashiwabara, page 11. The columnist praises the documentary ‘Unfinished Business’ about the WW2 evacuation and reflects on an anecdote about the Dreyfus Affair in France to make a point about loving causes rather than martyrs. The piece draws parallels between historical injustices and the redress movement.

JACL

• National JACL Redress Staff: John Tateishi, by Yosh Nakashima, page 7. This profile describes John Tateishi, JACL’s director of redress, detailing his background from Manzanar internment through his education and career before taking on the role of educating the public and Congress about redress. Tateishi is responsible for gathering and disseminating information about the WW2 internment issue to support the redress movement.
• Carole Hayashino, by Yosh Nakashima, page 7. This profile highlights Carole Hayashino, research coordinator and administrative assistant for the redress program at National JACL headquarters for over five years. She has been a key advisor to the PBS film ‘Unfinished Business’ and serves on several community boards in addition to her redress work.
• National JACL Pins Shield: Doris Sasaki, by Yosh Nakashima, page 7. This profile describes Doris Sasaki, part-time secretary for the JACL Blue Shield health plan administrative office in San Francisco. Despite her part-time title, she provides full-time level service to members in the health plan.
• Linda Hayashi, by Yosh Nakashima, page 7. This profile covers Linda Hayashi, secretary for the national redress staff, who handles incoming mail, typing, and correspondence for the redress program. She is described as friendly, helpful, and dedicated to her responsibilities.
• Colleen Darling, by Yosh Nakashima, page 7. This profile tells the story of Colleen Darling, legislative administrator for the redress program in Washington, D.C., who shares her personal journey from rural Wisconsin to learning about Japanese American internment through friends in Chicago and Hawaii. She describes the redress legislation as a symbol that freedom is not free, representing the need to honor 60,000 stilled voices.
• David Nakayama, by Yosh Nakashima, page 8. This profile describes David Nakayama, JACL’s youth director, detailing his background in Berkeley and his extensive scouting involvement including organizing the Nikkei Camporee. He has worked on scholarships, national conventions, and leadership forums during his two-plus years in the position.
• Jane Hara Wong, by Yosh Nakashima, page 8. This profile covers Jane Hara Wong, who handles bookkeeping duties for National JACL, ensuring accurate record-keeping and timely financial reports. She requests that chapter treasurers clearly specify the purpose of funds sent to headquarters.
• Masi Nihei, by Yosh Nakashima, page 8. This profile describes Masi Nihei, secretary to National Director Ron Wakabayashi, who manages correspondence and files for staff, officers, and committees. Her workload increases significantly during convention years.
• Ron Wakabayashi, by Yosh Nakashima, page 8. This profile details Ron Wakabayashi’s background and his role as National JACL Director since 1981, crediting him with stabilizing the organization’s finances and morale after a period of transition. He has a long history with JACL including serving as national youth director and chairing the national ethnic concerns committee.
• Tim Gojio, by Yosh Nakashima, page 8. This profile introduces Tim Gojio, the newest National JACL employee, an attorney from Seattle who now works on legislative matters in Washington D.C. communicating with Congress on issues important to JACL, especially redress.
• Lia Shigemura, by Yosh Nakashima, page 8. This profile describes Lia Shigemura, JACL’s director of programs from Hawaii, who has worked on various projects since 1982 including facilitating Chevron-sponsored health fairs. Her primary responsibility is coordinating applications for external funding for JACL programs.
• Tim Otani, by Yosh Nakashima, page 8. This profile covers Tim Otani, regional director for the Pacific Northwest JACL, who specializes in public relations and program management. He works on networking with civil and human rights organizations on issues including youth, housing, health, and economic development.
• Yuki Fuchigami, by Yosh Nakashima, page 9. This profile describes Yuki Fuchigami, the receptionist at National JACL headquarters who is often the first point of contact for visitors and callers. She previously worked as travel coordinator for JACL’s now-closed travel program.
• Michael McFeeley, by Yosh Nakashima, page 9. This profile covers Michael McFeeley, National JACL’s business manager responsible for accounting and bookkeeping functions since joining in 1979. He issues regular financial reports and assists with annual audits for the organization.
• George Kondo, by Yosh Nakashima, page 9. This profile highlights George Kondo, the senior staff person for the Northern California Western Nevada Pacific District, the largest JACL district by membership and area. Kondo also serves as secretary for the Pan American Nikkei Assn., helping plan their 1985 convention in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
• John Saito, by Yosh Nakashima, page 9. This profile describes John Saito, regional director for the Pacific Southwest District, noting his background in Los Angeles County government and recent appointments to major civil rights commissions. Saito has brought high visibility and credibility to JACL in the region through his active community involvement.
• Sachi Kuwamoto, by Yosh Nakashima, page 10. This profile covers Sachi Mizuki Kuwamoto, regional director for the Central California District Council, detailing her background including WW2 internment at Poston and her career with American Field Service International Scholarships. She serves as liaison between the national office and district leaders and chapters.
• President Sato Speaks to West Valley Installation Dinner, by Bill Oda, page 10. National JACL President Frank Sato spoke at the West Valley Chapter’s installation dinner about significant challenges facing Japanese Americans in the 1980s, including redress, U.S.-Japan relations, and the need for greater JA representation in leadership positions. National Director Ron Wakabayashi installed the chapter’s 1985 officers at the event.

Military & Veterans

• ‘Easy’ Isao Fujimoto Obituary, by P.C. Staff, page 14. Isao Fujimoto, 62, of Downey, Calif., died Feb. 26 following a brief illness. He was Long Beach-Harbor District JACL president in 1955-56, a 30-year member of the 1000 Club, and chaired several National JACL Bowling Tournaments in the 1950s-60s.

Obituaries

• Isamu Inoue Obituary, by P.C. Staff, page 14. Isamu Inoue, 83, former managing editor at Jiji Press in Tokyo, died Feb. 6 of heart failure. He held various posts at Jiji including general manager and editor in chief, and translated Bill Hosokawa’s ‘Nisei: The Quiet Americans’ into Japanese.
• Ernest Minoru Fujimoto Obituary, by P.C. Staff, page 14. Ernest Minoru Fujimoto, 81, of Montebello, Calif., died Feb. 24 following a brief illness at Beverly Hospital. He was Brawley JACL president in 1933 and 1940, and postwar owned an insurance business in Little Tokyo.
• Newspaper Columnist Hurlbert Dies, by Jon J. Kawamoto, page 15. Peninsula Times Tribune columnist Clarence Roy Hurlbert, a staunch redress advocate, died unexpectedly Feb. 15 at age 55 after recuperating from a heart attack. Hurlbert wrote extensively about redress issues over the years, drawing on his wife’s personal experience as a former internee at Jerome and Rohwer camps.

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