Redress bills gain Senate sponsors and a House hearing date

Vol. 104, No. 11, March 20, 1987. 8 pages. View this issue

Redress legislation led the March 20, 1987 issue. The front page reported that the Senate redress bill, expected to be introduced by Spark Matsunaga, had reached 55 co-sponsors, up from 29 at the end of the previous Congress, according to JACL-LEC executive director Grayce Uyehara. J.K. Yamamoto covered Sen. Pete Wilson’s explanation, at a Little Tokyo press conference, of why he now supports redress. The paper also noted that Rep. Barney Frank had set an April 2 hearing on H.R. 442, and Harry Kajihara wrote about a funding shortfall facing JACL.

Other pages reported on Day of Remembrance events in San Francisco, New York, the Twin Cities and Florin, where Professor Peter Irons was to speak. Commentary included Bill Hosokawa’s return to his column, and letters from readers on Asian admissions at the University of California. Page 1 also carried a remembrance of Susumu ‘Sim’ Togasaki, the first national JACL treasurer.

What’s in this issue

Incarceration & Redress

• Senate Sponsors of Redress Bill Surpass Halfway Mark, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL-LEC executive director Grayce Uyehara announced that the Senate redress bill expected to be introduced by Spark Matsunaga now has 55 co-sponsors, up from 29 at the end of the previous Congress. New co-sponsors include Armstrong, Mitchell, Rudman, Glenn, Packwood, Pell, Pressler and Gore.
• Bill Needed to Redress JAs, Wilson Says, by J.K. Yamamoto, page 1. Sen. Pete Wilson explained at a Little Tokyo press conference why he now supports redress legislation, calling the wartime internment of Japanese Americans a terrible injustice based on racial fear without evidence. He noted the sacrifice of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and said conditions in Congress are now favorable for passage.
• Hearing on House Redress Bill Scheduled for April 2, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Rep. Barney Frank has scheduled an April 2 hearing on redress bill H.R. 442 focused on proposed remedies rather than historical facts. Rep. Dan Glickman has become a co-sponsor, bringing the bill’s total co-sponsors to 134, including the late Rep. Sala Burton.
• Politicians Speak in Support of Redress at Bay Area Event, by Mark J. Jue, page 2. At a San Francisco Day of Remembrance ceremony themed ‘1987: Time to Right a Wrong,’ Rep. Barbara Boxer and other speakers called for passage of redress legislation and criticized the proposed $20,000 compensation as insufficient. Speakers included San Francisco Supervisor Doris Ward and NCRR’s Stephanie Miyashiro, who urged continued grassroots action.
• New York Nikkei Commemorate Internment With Jazz, page 8. New York marked the 45th anniversary of Executive Order 9066 with a jazz concert fundraiser for LEC that raised $3,000, featuring performances by Sumi Tonooka, Kuni Mikami, and others performing original compositions about the internment experience. A second event on Feb. 19 included a buffet dinner, workshops on redress legislation and lawsuits, and a candlelight memorial service representing all ten wartime camps.

Obituaries

• ‘Sim’ Togasaki, Nat’l JACL’s First Treasurer, Dead at 86, by Harry Honda, page 1. Susumu ‘Sim’ Togasaki, a founding JACL leader and the organization’s first national treasurer, died March 10 in San Francisco at age 86 following complications from a broken hip. He helped found JACL in 1928, served multiple terms as treasurer, pushed for the Pacific Citizen’s predecessor publication, and was active in the Church of the Brethren after his family’s internment at Poston.

National

• Asian Admissions Task Force Meets With UC President, by J.K. Yamamoto, page 1. Members of the Asian American Task Force on University Admissions met with UC President David Gardner to discuss concerns about Asian admissions after Gardner was quoted suggesting Asians were ‘overrepresented’ at UC campuses. The task force made recommendations including systemwide representation on admissions committees and correction of the lack of Asians in administrative positions.
• Naval Investigative Service Seeks Japanese-Speaking Applicants, page 3. This appears to be a recruitment notice for liaison/intelligence positions in Japan requiring Japanese fluency. It is a job posting rather than an editorial article.

Commentary

• In House and Senate, It’s Life on the Fast Track, by Grayce Uyehara, page 4. LEC executive director Grayce Uyehara reports on progress of redress legislation in Congress, including new co-sponsors and the need for continued lobbying of key committee members. She also describes fund-raising events in New York and Boston and a memorial contribution from the family of the late Jack Ozawa.
• Finale Postponed, by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. Bill Hosokawa announces the return of his ‘From the Frying Pan’ column after readers protested its discontinuation. He reflects on the column’s long history and promises to continue writing about both trivial matters and serious issues affecting Japanese Americans.
• Finding the Funding, by Harry Kajihara, page 4. National JACL president Harry Kajihara reports on the National Board meeting, detailing progress on redress co-sponsorships and a significant funding shortfall facing JACL due to declining membership and rising costs. He outlines a four-pronged Diversified Fund Development Program to address the deficit through life member recruitment, grants, automated membership renewal, and other initiatives.
• Unsung Hero, by Sgt. Tingcang S. Shiraki, page 5. A reader writes about learning of Japanese diplomat Senpo Sugihara’s heroism in saving a Lithuanian soldier’s life during WWII. An editor’s note clarifies that PC had previously run an article on Sugihara in 1985, detailing his issuance of visas to Jews fleeing the Holocaust.
• Financial Column, by Tiz and Alice Tsuma, page 5. Readers from Mission Viejo express appreciation for the Pacific Citizen but question the use of space for an IRA financial article. They hope columns like ‘East Wind’ won’t be cut for more financial content.
• Stand on Redress, by Mary Tani, page 5. A reader questions whether Bill Hosokawa has changed his previously stated opposition to monetary redress compensation, which he had called something that ‘cheapens us’ in a past TV interview. She calls on him to publicly clarify his current position.
• Asian Admissibility, by William Kami, page 5. William Kami of the Association for California Education argues that UC Berkeley’s admissions challenges stem from having more qualified applicants than space, not racial bias against Asians. He contends that Asian enrollment data shows parity with white students and criticizes task force members for seeking affirmative action for Asians while objecting to diversity efforts for other groups.
• Clarification, by Harry Kajihara, page 8. Harry Kajihara responds to a reader letter from Tom Masamori regarding a previous article on JACL funding, clarifying his stance on membership dues. He states he supports keeping dues stable or lowering them through diversified fund development rather than relying solely on dues increases.

Community

• Nominees for A/P Women’s Award Sought, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Pacific and Asian American Women Bay Area Coalition is accepting nominations for its fourth annual Woman Warrior Awards, to be presented May 17. The awards recognize women who have advanced the status of Asian Pacific women across categories including arts, business, education, health services, and law/politics.
• Florin JACL to Remember JA Experience, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Florin JACL’s fifth annual ‘Time of Remembrance’ event takes place March 28 with the theme ‘Preserving Our Fragile Constitution.’ Professor Peter Irons will speak and the film ‘Conversations Before the War/After the War’ will be shown.
• H.S. Reunion, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Canal High School (Gila Relocation Center) Reunion for classes of 1943-47 will be held in Fresno on May 2 and 3. The event includes a golf tournament organized by co-chairs James Yamamoto and Tom Nagata.
• Twin Cities to Observe Day of Remembrance, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Twin Cities JACL will hold a Day of Remembrance program March 28 featuring Steve Okazaki’s documentary ‘Unfinished Business,’ a photo exhibit, and a panel discussion on Executive Order 9066. The event will conclude with a potluck supper and is being coordinated by Connie Hayashi-Smith.

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