Vol. 107, No. 7, September 16, 1988. 12 pages. View this issue
The 1988 National JACL Scholarship recipients filled pages 6 through 10 of this issue, with profiles of graduating high school seniors, undergraduates, law students, arts winners and graduate students, introduced by scholarship chair Fae Minabe. The front page also covered the start of redress: the Justice Department created the Office of Reparations Administration to run payments, JACLers attended a Sacramento reception marking the signing of H.R. 442 and California’s Assembly Bill 4087, and a Questions and Answers feature explained the Civil Liberties Act. On the front page, the Los Angeles Chapter of the Asian American Journalists Association honored Bill Hosokawa, Louise Leung Larson and the late Carlos Bulosan as pioneer journalists.
The commentary pages included Clifford Uyeda’s review of the redress campaign, an editorial on redress for Japanese Canadians, and Jin Konomi’s account of becoming a U.S. citizen at age 85. National JACL also announced a new judo scholarship set to begin in 1990.
What’s in this issue
Community
- Hosokawa, Other Pioneer Asian American Journalists Honored, by George Johnston, page 1. The Los Angeles Chapter of the Asian American Journalists Association honored Bill Hosokawa, Louise Leung Larson, and the late Carlos Bulosan as pioneer Asian American journalists at a banquet attended by nearly 700 people. The event also recognized AAJA scholarship recipients and raised funds for future scholarships.
- Nihonmachi Outreach Committee Sponsoring Redress Celebration, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Nihonmachi Outreach Committee in San Jose will hold a program celebrating the signing of H.R. 442 and informing the community about the redress bill, featuring Rep. Norman Mineta. The event aims to mobilize support for full congressional appropriation of redress funds.
- AADAP Gets Grant to Develop K-DAAP Task Force, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Asian American Drug Abuse Program received a $30,000 grant to develop a Koreatown Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention Task Force. The task force will focus on community awareness and prevention programs tailored to the Korean community.
- NSCC Convention Activities, by Meriko Mori, page 12. The National Singles Concerns Committee reported on its 1986-88 biennium achievements and plans for the fourth National JACL Singles Convention in 1989. A workshop titled ‘Going It Alone’ addressed relationship challenges faced by Asian Americans, led by Sharon Maeda.
- The Newsmakers, by P.C. Staff, page 12. This roundup covers achievements of various Japanese Americans including Dave Nakagawa’s national Presbyterian award, honorees at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center awards dinner, and scholarship recipients from West Los Angeles JACL. It also notes Dr. Ronald Yoshino’s new book on the 475th Fighter Group and Eddie Jonokuchi’s Lions International honor.
National
- New Office of Reparations Administration to Administer Redress Payments, by Rita Takahashi, page 1. The Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division has created the Office of Reparations Administration to administer redress payments under the Japanese American redress bill. The office outlined a three-phase plan including a telephone hotline, correspondence bank, and brochure to assist eligible individuals.
- Fujiyoshi Permitted to Attend Trial in Osaka, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Ron Fujiyoshi returned to Japan to appeal his conviction as a fingerprint refuser at a trial in Osaka after being arrested in 1981 for opposing Japan’s Alien Registration Law. He received a special 15-day visa following a protest and support from various congressmen.
JACL
- JACLers Attend Sacramento Signing, by Toko Fujii, page 1. About 100 people attended a reception in Gov. George Deukmejian’s conference room to commemorate the signing of federal H.R. 442 and California’s Assembly Bill 4087. The state law exempts redress payments from state income tax and extends benefits to affected spouses and state employees.
- JACL to Offer Judo Scholarship in 1990, by P.C. Staff, page 1. National JACL has added the Yutaka Nakazawa Memorial Judo Scholarship to its scholarship program, funded by the Nakazawa family and set to begin in 1990. Recipients will be judged on academic achievement, community involvement, and dedication to judo.
- 1988 P.C. Holiday Issue Advertising Kits Now Ready for Chapters, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Advertising kits for the 1988 Pacific Citizen Holiday Issue have been mailed to all chapters with new rates for one-liners, name tags, and display greetings. Space reservations are due by Nov. 15 and all materials by Nov. 30.
- Thoughts from the National Scholarship Chair, by Fae Minabe, page 6. National JACL Scholarship Chair Fae Minabe reflects fondly on the many scholarship recipients she has come to know, describing their diverse achievements and commitment to community. She introduces the 1988 scholarship winners profiled in the issue.
- 1988 National JACL Scholarship Recipients: Graduating High School Senior Awards, page 6. This feature profiles multiple graduating high school senior scholarship recipients including Jeanine Yamanaka, Norihiro Edwin Aoki, Paul Michael Morita, Jeffrey Iwasaki, and others, detailing their academic achievements, extracurricular activities, and future college plans. Each recipient’s background, personal philosophy, and scholarship award are highlighted.
- 1988 National JACL Scholarship Recipients: Continuing Awards Continued, page 7. This continuation profiles additional scholarship recipients such as Cheryl Ann Sano, Roland Kenji Kawakami, Patricia Ann Bowlin, and David Hikaru Nakayama, describing their academic accomplishments and personal essays. A full list of 1988 scholarship recipients and award categories is also provided.
- 1988 National JACL Scholarship Recipients: Continued Profiles, page 8. This section continues profiling scholarship winners including Laurie Ann Kajiwara, Naomi June Matsushima, Patti Togioka, Mark Uyeda, Patricia Welch, and Mariko Wesley, describing their academic and personal achievements. Each profile highlights the students’ career aspirations and community involvement.
- 1988 National JACL Scholarship Recipients: Special and Graduate Awards, page 9. This section profiles special arts scholarship winners Kayo Hatta and Yuki MacQueen, law scholarship recipients Kenneth Lau and Nanci Nishimura, and continuing undergraduate scholars like James Kumpel and Jojiro Takano. Each profile describes the student’s achievements, career goals, and connection to Japanese American identity.
- 1988 National JACL Scholarship Recipients: Graduate Student Awards, page 10. This final scholarship section profiles graduate student award winners including Isaac Kazato, Timothy Uyeki, Lisa Sugino, Yasuko Fukuda, Emily Murase, Edward Onuma, Teresa Williams, and Ernestine Enomoto. Each profile outlines the student’s graduate studies, career goals, and personal reflections on identity and service.
Incarceration & Redress
- NCRR Offering Video on Story Behind JA Redress, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The National Coalition for Redress/Reparations released a video titled ‘Justice Now! Reparations Now!’ documenting the journey from internment camps to the Aug. 10 redress bill signing. The video includes testimony clips, congressional debate excerpts, and footage of NCRR lobbying efforts.
- Public Law 100-383: The Civil Liberties Act Questions and Answers, page 3. This JACL/LEC Washington Office prepared Q&A addresses eligibility, payment procedures, and administration of redress payments under the Civil Liberties Act. It covers topics such as eligible individuals, deceased claimants, the Civil Liberties Public Education Fund, and the process for verification and payment.
Military & Veterans
- JA Vietnam Vets Support Keiro with Donation, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Japanese American Vietnam Veterans Dinner Committee presented a $32,000 check to Keiro Health Services from proceeds of a testimonial dinner honoring Japanese American Vietnam veterans. Funds will help establish a memorial wing in honor of the late Justice John F. Aiso, while veterans will also erect a monument to Japanese Americans killed or missing in Vietnam.
Commentary
- Japanese Canadians Due Redress, page 4. This editorial discusses the harsh wartime treatment of Japanese Canadians, who faced property confiscation, forced relocation, and exile, even more severe than Japanese American internment. It calls for support of the National Association for Japanese Canadians’ redress campaign, encouraged by JACL’s own success in winning U.S. redress.
- Solution to Japan-U.S. Friction, by Akio Morita, page 4. Sony Chairman Akio Morita discusses the cultural friction caused by Japanese expatriate workers and their families in American communities, noting isolation and lack of community involvement as issues. He describes a new council aimed at encouraging Japanese businesses to integrate better into U.S. communities through initiatives like PTA involvement.
- Appropriate Description Needed, by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. In his column, Bill Hosokawa discusses the ongoing struggle to find an appropriate term for Americans of Japanese ancestry, examining words like Nisei and Nikkei. He notes the potential confusion with Japanese generational terms as reported in a Washington Post story about Japan’s political elite.
- Worth the Wait, by Jin Konomi, page 4. The author recounts becoming a U.S. citizen at age 85 in a ceremony in Hercules, California, reflecting on his life journey from immigrating 67 years earlier through hardship and humble work. Despite missed opportunities, he expresses no bitterness and describes the deep personal significance of finally receiving citizenship.
- Tule Lake Directory, by Ed Suguro, page 5. A letter to the editor clarifies details about the Tule Lake Directory and Camp News book, including pricing and population figures before and after camp segregation. The writer corrects an earlier Pacific Citizen article’s population claim and explains how Tule Lake grew after becoming a segregation center.
- Eligibility Question, page 5. A reader writes seeking clarification on whether an institutionalized sister is eligible for redress payments and advice on establishing a trust fund for her needs. The response explains eligibility criteria under the redress law and notes JACL’s plan to provide legal assistance resources.
- Redress Campaign: A Brief Review, by Clifford Uyeda, page 5. Clifford Uyeda reviews the history of the Japanese American redress campaign, from its 1978 JACL launch through the commission route controversy to the bill’s passage. He credits the combined efforts of JACL, NCRR, NCJAR, and Nikkei members of Congress for the campaign’s ultimate success.
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