Vol. 103, No. 14, October 3, 1986. 8 pages. View this issue
The JACL National Convention in Chicago and its aftermath ran through this eight-page issue. Robert Shimabukuro’s front-page investigation looked at bloc voting and proxy limits, and national president Harry Kajihara named Jerry Enomoto to head a committee reviewing election procedures. Commentary from Shimabukuro, Clifford Uyeda and an unsigned district governor’s account argued over what happened and what should change. The front page also carried Kathryn Garvey’s report on Troy Kaji’s research into Japanese ethnic hospitals in California, which ended with the 1985 closure of City View Hospital.
Elsewhere, members of Congress and JACL’s Ron Wakabayashi responded to Prime Minister Nakasone’s remark on race and to the use of a racial slur by two public figures. Other pages covered the Hawaii governor’s primary, Proposition 63, an update on the NCJAR redress suit, a tofu festival in Little Tokyo, and the resignation of Tom Kawaguchi, founder of Go For Broke Inc.
What’s in this issue
National
- JA Ethnic Hospitals Gone But Still Needed, Researcher Says, by Kathryn Garvey, page 1. A Sacramento-based physician, Troy Kaji, researched the rise and fall of Japanese ethnic hospitals in California, which began forming after Japanese Americans were denied sympathetic care at mainstream hospitals during epidemics like the 1918 flu. Despite the 1985 closure of City View Hospital, the last such facility, Kaji argues there remains a need for similar ethnically oriented hospitals in cities with large immigrant populations.
- Minorities React Angrily to Nakasone’s Remark on Race, page 1. Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone apologized to Congress after widespread criticism of remarks suggesting that Blacks, Puerto Ricans and Mexicans lowered America’s intelligence level. Members of Congress including Mineta, Matsui, and civil rights leaders responded with a mix of acceptance and continued concern, while JACL’s Wakabayashi said the damage had already been done.
- Calif. Bishops Opposed to Proposition 63, page 1. The California Catholic Conference of Bishops announced their opposition to Proposition 63, the ballot initiative to make English the state’s official language. The bishops argued the measure could jeopardize bilingual emergency services, court interpreters, and other public safety programs, inviting costly lawsuits.
- Founder of Go For Broke Quits, page 2. The National Japanese American Historical Society announced formation of an interim Executive Committee following the resignation of executive director Tom Kawaguchi, founder of Go For Broke Inc. Kawaguchi had led the organization as a volunteer for six years and stepped down to pursue semi-retirement.
- Waihee Nominated for Hawaii Governor; Mink Finishes 3rd, page 2. Lt. Gov. John Waihee upset favored former Congressman Cecil Heftel to win the Democratic nomination for Hawaii governor, while Patsy Mink finished a distant third. The article also details results in Hawaii’s U.S. Senate, congressional, lieutenant governor, and mayoral races.
- GM Exec, Nevada Official Chided for Calling Japanese ‘Japs’, page 8. GM chairman Roger B. Smith and Nevada Secretary of State William Swackhamer were both sent protest letters from Reps. Mineta and Matsui and JACL’s Ron Wakabayashi after using the slur ‘Jap’ in public comments about trade competition with Japan. The letters warned that such racial rhetoric could fuel anti-Asian violence, citing the 1982 killing of Vincent Chin as a cautionary example.
JACL
- Change in JACL Election Laws Urged, by Robert Shimabukuro, page 1. Part 2 of a PC investigation examines the controversy over bloc voting and proxy limits at the JACL National Convention in Chicago, following disputes over CCDC’s attempt to force a bloc vote for presidential candidate Harry Kajihara. Delegates and officials offer differing views on whether the district had the right to mandate votes, and national president Kajihara appoints Jerry Enomoto to head a committee reviewing election procedures.
- Election Controversy: Changes Recommended Amid Dispute Over Proxies and Bloc Voting, page 2. Continuing coverage details recommendations from delegate Dale Ikeda to prohibit coercion, bloc voting, and establish proxy limits following the Chicago convention controversy. Legal counsel opinions, including from attorney Frank Iwama, concluded that voting agreements forcing bloc votes would not hold up under California law.
- NJAHS Executive Committee Formed Following Kawaguchi Resignation, page 2. This appears alongside Hawaii election coverage; the National Japanese American Historical Society created an interim Executive Committee after founder Tom Kawaguchi’s resignation as executive director. The committee will handle operations until the organization can afford a full-time paid director.
Commentary
- Tearing Ourselves Apart, by Robert Shimabukuro, page 4. The author argues that JACL is currently a deeply split organization, citing years of bickering, power plays, and distrust among national board members stemming from past controversies including Frank Sato’s election and the treatment of Redress Director John Tateishi. He calls on the National Board to exercise fiscal responsibility and address the organization’s financial and leadership problems directly.
- Academic Attainment, by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. Bill Hosokawa reflects on the Boston Latin School’s merit-based admissions amid charges of elitism, and shares personal recollections of feeling academically unprepared in college and law school compared to peers from bigger schools. He also discusses James Fallows’ Atlantic Monthly essay on Japan’s culture of racial purity and isolation versus America’s more inclusive, if imperfect, pluralism.
- My Side of the Story, page 5. A district governor offers a detailed personal account disputing VP Yosh Nakashima’s version of events at the JACL convention, raising questions about district endorsements, proxy limits, bloc voting, and national staff involvement in the election process. The writer argues that unclear or undistributed rules led to confusion and unfair treatment of certain chapters’ votes.
- A Fundamental Freedom, by Clifford Uyeda, page 5. PC Board Chair Clifford Uyeda discusses the importance of editorial independence for the Pacific Citizen, tracing the 1984 bylaws amendment that freed the paper from direct National Headquarters control. He asserts that PC must remain free to report facts and opinions, even becoming JACL’s harshest critic if necessary, to fulfill its duty to inform members.
Community
- Chapter Offers Class in D.C. for 1987 Program, page 6. The JACL San Jose Chapter will again sponsor a student for the Presidential Classroom for Young Americans program in Washington, D.C., in March 1987. The chapter will cover tuition, lodging, meals and related costs for the week-long program featuring seminars with government officials.
Arts & Entertainment
- Joys of Tofu to be Celebrated in Little Tokyo, page 6. Japanese Village Plaza will host its first Tofu Festival on Oct. 11 as part of its 8th anniversary celebration, featuring comedy group Cold Tofu, a tofu-eating contest, and cooking demonstrations by actor Sab Shimono. The festival will also include tofu sculpture carving and live jazz music.
Incarceration & Redress
- NCJAR Redress Suit Update Slated, page 7. Attorneys for the National Council for Japanese American Redress will provide a public update on their Supreme Court petition for writ of certiorari, filed Aug. 26, at a forum in Chicago. The discussion will cover the government’s response and possible next steps in the case.
Thank you for exploring the Pacific Citizen archive. The title, introduction and contents on this page were written by an AI model from scans of the printed issue, so they may contain mistakes. If you spot one, we would be grateful if you let us know.