The 1987 holiday issue: Nikkei 2000 and Beyond

Vol. 105, No. 20, December 18, 1987. 120 pages. View this issue

The Pacific Citizen’s 1987 holiday issue looked ahead to the year 2000 and beyond. Under the cover theme “Nikkei 2000 and Beyond,” writers and artists imagined what lay ahead for Japanese Americans and the JACL, some in earnest and some in satire. Harry K. Honda, Bill Hosokawa and Clifford I. Uyeda each wrote about the future of JACL, and Bill Kaneko wrote on Nikkei leadership in the 21st century. Short fiction by Jimmy Tokeshi, Naomi Hirahara and David Mas Masumoto imagined the years to come, and a page of humor pieces from the P.C. Staff played with a fictional 2005.

Also inside are award-winning short stories by Vincent Tajiri and Ken Mochizuki, and Tom Takeuchi’s reflection on the Issei, which also takes up the Day of Remembrance. Shigeru Ushio traced the history of the National JACL Credit Union. About 88 of the issue’s 120 pages carry holiday greetings, among them ads from San Diego, Berkeley, Contra Costa, Stockton and Detroit.

What’s in this issue

Arts & Entertainment

• Nikkei 2000 and Beyond, by P.C. Staff, page 1. This Holiday Issue cover theme explores speculative visions of Japanese Americans and JACL in the year 2000 and beyond. Contributing artists and writers throughout the issue contemplate future scenarios ranging from serious policy predictions to satirical parodies.
• 1:56 p.m., Dec. 31, 1999, by Jimmy Tokeshi, page 1. This short fiction piece follows Hank and Susan on New Year’s Eve 1999, sitting on a bathroom floor drinking Crown Royal while discussing Hank’s frustration with mainstream jokes about Japanese culture and his desire to maintain pride in his Japanese American heritage. The story blends humor and introspection about identity in a rapidly changing America.
• Looking for Some Love, by Naomi Hirahara, page 3. In this futuristic short story set in 2015, rock star Terry Yamamoto discovers his stepmother Mitsuko, a ‘processed bride’ from Japan, has been attacked and is in a coma, prompting him to confront his birth mother Barbara who abandoned him as a child. The story reveals a subplot involving anti-immigrant supremacist violence and explores themes of identity, family, and activism against racial hatred.
• Farming in 2001, the Return of Momotaro, by David Mas Masumoto, page 4. This modern retelling of the Japanese folktale Momotaro follows a Sansei farming family’s peach-born son who grows up to battle corporate agribusiness ‘Ogres’ threatening small family farms with chemical warfare and unfair market practices. Momotaro ultimately teaches the Ogres about the dignity of farming and the importance of quality over pure profit, winning treasures for his community.
• Bird Pines, by Vincent Tajiri, page 28. This award-winning short story follows a group of Nisei teenage friends in 1930s San Diego on a joyride to Torrey Pines, interweaving memories of the narrator’s complex relationship with his immigrant father who worked various jobs during the Depression. The story uses the metaphor of windswept, resilient pine trees clinging to coastal cliffs to explore themes of identity, adversity, and generational connection between Issei and Nisei.

Commentary

• The JACL World to Come, According to Toffler, by Harry K. Honda, page 3. Harry Honda uses Alvin Toffler’s ‘Future Shock’ concept of ‘ad-hocracy’ to examine how JACL as an organization has changed and will continue to change, citing examples like the 1968 JACL Planning Commission and office computerization. He argues JACL will need a ‘free-swinger’ type of professional leader to tackle ethnic civil rights causes that will not disappear in an imperfect world.
• Will Japanese Americans Become Extinct?, by George Toshio Johnston, page 10. George Johnston challenges the notion that ‘full’ Japanese ancestry is necessary to be considered Japanese American, criticizing the paranoia some Nikkei feel about intermarriage rates and ‘disappearing’ as an ethnic group. He argues that part-Japanese Americans should be welcomed into Nikkei culture and that JACL should pursue outreach to ensure the community’s legacy continues regardless of racial composition.
• Will Japanese Americans Become Extinct? (Tug of a Japanese), by George Toshio Johnston, page 10. [Duplicate reference – see earlier entry for ‘Will Japanese Americans Become Extinct?’]
• JACL & Bork: No Decision Yet, by P.C. Staff, page 11. This satirical parody piece set in a fictional future depicts the JACL National Board still deliberating in 2005 whether to oppose Judge Robert Bork’s Supreme Court nomination, years after the matter became moot. The piece lampoons internal JACL debate and includes a physical altercation between board members over the long-delayed symbolic vote.
• Sayonara, Aloha, Japan Buys Hawaii!!, by P.C. Staff, page 11. This satirical news parody describes a fictional 2005 scenario where Japan purchases the Hawaiian Islands from the United States for $25 billion due to American foreign debt. The piece humorously portrays reactions from government officials and residents, highlighting ironic historical reversals since the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack.
• Largest Bowl of Ramen Unveiled, by P.C. Staff, page 11. This whimsical satire describes Ken Hakuta creating the world’s largest bowl of ramen by filling Dodger Stadium with soup, noodles and vegetables as a publicity stunt for Osaka Ichiban. The piece humorously details the logistics of the stunt and mentions a rival plan by South Korea to create the world’s largest bowl of kim chee.
• ‘Reverse Eyejob’ Trend Booms, by P.C. Staff, page 11. This satirical piece describes a fictional trend of non-Asian patients seeking ‘reverse eyejobs’ to get single eyelids, spurred by a Japan craze following Japan’s acquisition of Hawaii. The humor piece includes a quote from a salesman claiming improved sales results with Japanese clients after the surgery.
• The JACL World to Come in 1992, by Bill Hosokawa, page 15. Bill Hosokawa predicts that by 1992, Sansei leadership will take over JACL from the Nisei, bringing competence and broad-gauged perspectives but less diligence toward common ethnic goals due to changing societal conditions. He discusses the redress campaign’s progress through Congress and argues JACL must transition from an advocacy organization to a service organization while addressing elderly care and cultural awareness.
• JACL in the Year 2000, by Clifford I. Uyeda, page 24. In this dystopian fictional piece, Clifford Uyeda imagines an America Policy Party rising to power by 2000, with JACL having abandoned its civil rights commitments by focusing only on self-interest rather than broader human rights issues like Title II repeal and Palestinian rights. He warns that JACL must return to its founding principles of civil and human rights for all people or risk irrelevance and loss of trust.
• Nikkei Leadership in the 21st Century, by Bill Kaneko, page 25. Bill Kaneko discusses the passing of leadership torch from Nisei to Sansei generation and the importance of leadership development programs like LEAP and JACL’s Washington D.C. Leadership Program. He argues that the Nikkei community needs leaders with deep commitment and far-reaching vision, comparable to historical figures like Kennedy and Gandhi, to navigate the opportunities and challenges of the 21st century.
• The Dream, by T. Wada, page 42. This poem describes the narrator bathing an elderly, blind mother and recalling her dream of being a young girl again in Genyo, Japan, able to see clearly before waking to find herself still blind. The poem reflects on aging, loss, and the enduring hope that dreams can become reality.

In-Depth

• In Memory of Our Issei, by Tom Takeuchi, page 12. Tom Takeuchi reflects on the sacrifices of the Issei generation who were denied naturalization rights and suffered incarceration during WWII, arguing that redress legislation came too late for the 60,000 Issei who had already died. He proposes that JACL establish an Issei memorial fund for cultural centers and advocates changing the Day of Remembrance to commemorate when redress is signed into law.
• National JACL Credit Union: Then, Now and 40 Years Hence, by Shigeru Ushio, page 12. Shigeru Ushio traces the history of the National JACL Credit Union from its founding in 1943 by Hito Okada to address evacuees’ banking needs, through its growth to nine million dollars in assets today. He envisions the credit union growing to 10,000 members and $100 million in assets within 40 years, provided JACL remains a viable, member-oriented organization.
• Education in the Future, by Betty Kikumi Meltzer, page 27. Betty Kikumi Meltzer predicts major changes in education by 2000 including increased college enrollment, rising tuition costs, computerization of classrooms, and more community/business involvement in schools. She also discusses the increasing role of Asian Americans in higher education, particularly in science and technology fields, while noting concerns about teacher certification standards and problem-oriented curricula.
• A Serpent Lurks in the Island Paradise, by Allan Beekman, page 40. Allan Beekman examines the historical rise of Nikkei political and economic power in Hawaii from wartime discrimination to holding 40% of elective offices despite being only 23% of the population. He expresses concern about local Nikkei who insist on identifying as ‘Japanese’ amid growing Japanese corporate investment in Hawaii, warning this could fuel resentment similar to historical anti-Jewish sentiment in Europe.
• The AJAs in the 21st Century, by Barry Saiki, page 42. Barry Saiki traces the historical arc of Japanese Americans through the 20th century from immigration through WWII incarceration to postwar assimilation, predicting continued integration into mainstream American society through intermarriage and cultural blending. He argues JACL and Pacific Citizen must expand their mission to include U.S.-Japan relations and cooperation with other Asian minority groups to remain relevant in combating ongoing discrimination.

Military & Veterans

• Sand Castle of Dreams, by Ken Mochizuki, page 59. This award-winning short story follows a Sansei man reminiscing about a relationship with a Japanese American woman who decided to return to Japan to reconnect with her heritage and become more independent before she could settle down. Set partly at Cannon Beach, Oregon, the story explores themes of cultural identity, love, and loss as the narrator struggles to understand her need to leave.

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.