Day of Remembrance, 1986: Berkeley compensation and a court-challenge panel

Vol. 102, No. 8, February 28, 1986. 8 pages. View this issue

The front page of this February 28, 1986 issue carried Day of Remembrance stories. Bess Fujimoto Yasukochi received $5,000 and an apology from the Berkeley City Council for losing her city job in 1942, following Executive Order 9066. J.K. Yamamoto reported on a UCLA program where Aiko Herzig, Frank Emi and Dale Minami described their legal battles against the wartime incarceration (often called internment). Mary Tsukamoto wrote about a ceremony at the California State Capitol in Sacramento, and the Go For Broke, Inc. screening of the documentary Yankee Samurai about the 100th/442nd RCT was announced.

Inside are columns by Bill Marutani on a Takarazuka performance in Osaka and Bill Hosokawa on the Sacramento Bee’s 1903 code against racial epithets. Yosh Nakashima wrote on district endorsements for the national convention, and Jim H. Matsuoka sent a letter praising the paper’s redress coverage. Page 6 gathers chapter news from the Pacific Northwest, San Francisco, Philadelphia and Los Angeles.

What’s in this issue

Incarceration & Redress

• Compensation Awarded to Japanese American Berkeley Employee, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Bess Fujimoto Yasukochi received $5,000 and an apology from the Berkeley City Council for being terminated from her job as a secretary in 1942 due to Executive Order 9066. She plans to donate the money to JACL and other organizations, and the city will offer similar compensation to others who can prove similar termination.
• JA Court Challenges Recalled, by J.K. Yamamoto, page 1. At a UCLA Day of Remembrance program marking the 44th anniversary of Executive Order 9066, Aiko Herzig, Frank Emi, and Dale Minami described their legal battles against the wartime internment. Herzig discussed suppressed government documents, while the article recounts Emi’s role in draft resistance and Minami’s work on the Korematsu case.
• Photo Exhibit, Proclamations, JA History Emphasized in Sacramento Ceremony, by Mary Tsukamoto, page 1. Over 100 people attended a Day of Remembrance ceremony at the California State Capitol featuring the Go For Broke, Inc. photo exhibit ‘East to America’ and proclamations from various officials including Governor Deukmejian. Speakers emphasized the importance of remembering the internment and highlighted progress in redress efforts and the upcoming Smithsonian exhibit.

Military & Veterans

• San Francisco Screening of ‘Yankee Samurai’ to Benefit Go For Broke, Inc., by P.C. Staff, page 1. A documentary film by Israeli filmmaker Katriel Schory about the internment and the 100th/442nd RCT will premiere in San Francisco to benefit Go For Broke, Inc. and the Smithsonian exhibit on Japanese American history. The film includes rare historical footage and interviews, including with survivor Shigeo Doi.
• Documentary Captures Liberation Accounts and Nisei Soldier Legacy, by P.C. Staff, page 4. This continuation of the Yankee Samurai article details European citizens’ accounts of being liberated by Nisei soldiers during WW2, including a Frenchwoman’s story of tending wounded soldiers. The piece also notes the film doesn’t cover the 522nd Artillery’s role in liberating Dachau, which will be discussed separately at the screening.

Community

• Japanese American Educator Ousted From Community College Presidency, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Dr. Masakazu Jack Fujimoto was demoted from his position as president of West Los Angeles Community College by a vote of the Board of Trustees, despite community protests. Supporters including Irene Hirano, Rep. Robert Matsui, and others believe the decision was retaliation for his criticism of the district’s financial management.
• Asian, Asian American Films Focus of CSU Fresno’s Amerasia Week Fete, by P.C. Staff, page 2. California State University, Fresno will host Amerasia Week March 10-15, featuring films about Asia and Asian American issues. Filmmaker Bob Nakamura will deliver the keynote address and several of his films will be screened alongside other Asian American themed films and cultural events.
• Bank President Announces Candidacy, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Mike Mitoma, president of Pacific Business Bank, announced his candidacy for Carson City Council, opening his campaign headquarters on Feb. 23. Mitoma is a Vietnam veteran and has served on several community boards including the Pacific Southwest JACL District Council.
• Violence Report Distributed in S.F., by P.C. Staff, page 6. San Francisco Supervisor Louise Renne distributed the National JACL report on anti-Asian violence to local officials including the police chief, district attorney, and sheriff. JACL National Director Ron Wakabayashi praised Renne’s action in addressing the rise of racially motivated violence against Asians.
• Philadelphia Chapter to Host Matsui at Installation Dinner, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Rep. Robert T. Matsui will keynote the Philadelphia JACL chapter’s annual installation dinner/dance on March 22 at the Cherry Hill Inn. The event will honor 1986 graduates of JACL member-families.
• West Los Angeles Chapter to Host Career Image Fashion Show, by P.C. Staff, page 6. West LA JACL Women’s Auxiliary is sponsoring a Career Image Fashion Show at Robinson’s Beverly Hills on March 16, featuring fashions for petite women. Proceeds will benefit the chapter’s scholarship fund and community projects.

Commentary

• The Japanese Rockettes, by Bill Marutani, page 4. Columnist Bill Marutani recounts attending a Takarazuka dance troupe performance in Osaka, comparing it to a visit decades earlier while stationed there with the U.S. Army. He describes the elaborate staging, costumes, and all-female cast, and offers practical tips for those wishing to attend a performance.
• No Racial Epithets, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Columnist Bill Hosokawa discusses the history of the Sacramento Bee’s anti-Japanese stance led by V.S. McClatchy, contrasted with the newspaper’s little-known 1903 code of ethics prohibiting racial epithets like ‘Jap’ and ‘Chink’. He notes that despite this policy, many West Coast newspapers used such slurs, contributing to the wartime hostility toward Japanese Americans.
• More Kudos, by Jim H. Matsuoka, page 5. In a letter to the editor, Jim Matsuoka, membership chair of Long Beach Pacifica JACL, praises the Pacific Citizen’s coverage of redress efforts and community news. He urges the paper’s leadership not to change course and to continue focusing on relevant news rather than donor lists or unrelated chatter.

JACL

• Flexibility Preferred, by Yosh Nakashima, page 4. JACL Vice President Yosh Nakashima argues against mandatory district endorsement limits for national office candidates, advocating instead for flexibility and open competition among qualified candidates. He calls for chapters to retain the right to decide how their delegates vote based on full discussion of issues at the national convention.
• PNWDC U.S.-Japan Relations Explored, by Ed Suguro, page 6. The JACL Pacific Northwest District Council co-sponsored a workshop on U.S.-Japan relations featuring discussions on JACL’s involvement in Japan trips for Sansei sponsored by Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party. Japanese consulate representatives also discussed their roles and the importance of mutual understanding between the two countries.
• Greater LA Singles Offers Freshman Scholarships, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Greater LA Singles JACL chapter is offering two freshman scholarships for incoming college freshmen with only one parent residing in the greater Los Angeles area. Applications must be postmarked by April 15.

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