Reagan vetoes the Asian American census bill, and redress is celebrated

Vol. 107, No. 16, November 18, 1988. 8 pages. View this issue

President Reagan’s pocket veto of H.R. 4432 led the front page. The bill would have required the Census Bureau to count nine Asian American sub-groups individually. The Pacific Citizen quoted Rep. Robert Matsui, Rep. Norman Mineta and JACL Acting National Director Bill Yoshino, who warned that the veto could lead to an undercount. The page also reported on a Fresno banquet honoring Nisei veterans of the 442nd, the 100th Infantry Division and military intelligence, and on a Los Angeles forum between Korean American and Japanese American communities.

Inside are a Placer County dinner celebrating the success of redress, and a call for matching funds for a Minidoka plaque. Commentary pages carry Bill Hosokawa on the JACL Japan Chapter, Harry Kajihara, Kathryn Hashimoto and Chuck Kubokawa. Other items cover the Nikkei results of the Nov. 8 elections and Ambassador Mike Mansfield’s plan to retire.

What’s in this issue

National

• Reagan Vetoes Bill Requiring Census Bureau to Tally Asian Americans Groups Individually, by P.C. Staff, page 1. President Reagan issued a pocket veto of H.R. 4432, a bill that would have required the Census Bureau to tabulate nine different Asian American sub-groups individually. Rep. Robert Matsui, Rep. Norman Mineta, and JACL Acting National Director Bill Yoshino all criticized the veto, warning it could lead to an undercount of Asian Pacific Islander Americans.
• Nikkei Overall Fare Well in Nov. 8 Elections, page 1. Nikkei candidates generally performed well in the November 8 elections across Hawaii and the mainland. Daniel Akaka won the 2nd congressional district seat in Hawaii, and numerous Nikkei candidates were elected to the Hawaii state Senate and House.
• Ambassador to Japan Mansfield to Retire, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Mike Mansfield, 85, announced his intention to retire after an 11.5-year tenure as U.S. ambassador to Japan, the longest-serving in that post. Appointed in 1977 by President Carter, Mansfield called the U.S.-Japan relationship the most important in the world.
• Hawaii Homes to Be Sold in Tokyo Store, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Hawaii and California residential properties will be featured for sale at a new real estate information center opening in a Tokyo department store. An agreement between Grubb & Ellis Co. and a Citicorp subsidiary will allow Japanese buyers to preview luxury homes using a credit line to put transactions into escrow.
• The Newsmakers, by P.C. Staff, page 6. This roundup covers notable Nikkei achievements, including K. Carl Nomura receiving the University of Minnesota’s Outstanding Achievement Award, Bill Hosokawa being named president of the Colorado Freedom of Information Council, William Yamamoto being honored by the Japanese American Service Committee in Chicago, and Rev. Steven Toshio Yamaguchi becoming the new minister at Grace Presbyterian Church in Paramount, Calif.

JACL

• CCDC Pays Tribute to WW2 Nisei Vets, by Marlene Kubota, page 1. A capacity crowd of 400 attended the 39th annual Central California District Council JACL Installation banquet in Fresno, honoring Nisei veterans of the 442nd, 100th Infantry Division and military intelligence. Keynote speaker Rep. Robert Matsui thanked attendees for the passage of H.R. 442 and credited Central California’s role in its passage.

Community

• Forum Discusses Concerns of KA, JA Communities, by Jimmy Tokeshi, page 1. About 60 participants attended a forum organized by the Korean American Coalition and JACL to discuss shared concerns between the Korean American and Japanese American communities in Los Angeles. Panelists discussed immigration history, generational issues, political empowerment, and anti-Asian violence, concluding with a joint resolution to create a working task force between the two communities.
• JACL-Minidoka Project Needs Matching Funds, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The JACL-Intermountain district renewed its call for contributions to raise $5,000 by Dec. 30 for the Idaho Centennial’s Minidoka Relocation Camp project. The project will memorialize the camp’s history with a plaque at the entrance site, and donations can be sent to Bob Endo in Pocatello.
• Placer County Goodwill Dinner Celebrates Successful Redress Effort, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Placer County JACL’s 48th annual Goodwill Dinner celebrated the chapter’s 60th anniversary, guest speaker Mike Masaoka’s 73rd birthday, and the recent success of the redress campaign. Masaoka described the JACL Legislative Education Committee’s redress efforts and praised President Reagan’s signing of the redress bill as an unprecedented apology from a government to a minority group it had wronged.
• Honor Recipient: George S. Iwasaki Chosen by Community College Leadership Program, by P.C. Staff, page 3. George S. Iwasaki, past president of the Seattle JACL Chapter and electronics instructor at Seattle Community College and Western Washington University, was chosen as an honor recipient by the Community College Leadership Program at the University of Texas. The award recognizes the best classroom educators throughout North America based on exemplary teaching practice.
• Contributors to 1987 ‘Christmas Cheer’ Fund Drive, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The JACL Pacific Southwest district’s annual Christmas Cheer fund drive, started in 1948 by Club Service chapters, continues to assist needy Japanese American families with food, clothing and toys. The article lists numerous contributors to the fund and notes the 1988 drive is underway.

Obituaries

• Minoru John Kubota, Veteran Hokubei Mainichi Correspondent, Dies at 77, page 2. Minoru John Kubota, 77, a veteran Hokubei Mainichi correspondent for Central California, died Oct. 8 at his home in Fresno. He produced a Japanese radio program airing since 1947 and was decorated with the Fifth Order of the Sacred Treasure from the Japanese government in 1983.
• George Kuramoto, Co-Founder of Denver School of Judo, Dies at 78, page 2. George Kuramoto, 78, co-founder of the Denver School of Judo, died Oct. 15 of a heart ailment in Denver. Born in Honolulu, he was evacuated to the Amache WRA camp during WW2 and later ran a popular service station in Denver; he is survived by his wife, sons, daughter, and brothers.
• Rev. Michio Ito, Former Pastor of Westview Presbyterian Church, Dies at 85, page 2. Rev. Michio Ito, 85, former pastor of Westview Presbyterian Church in Watsonville, Calif., died Oct. 30. He had been stricken with Parkinson’s disease for several years and resided with his wife Shizue at Nihonmachi Terrace in San Francisco.

In-Depth

• Literary Journal Fusion 4 Now Available, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Fusion 4, the latest issue of the Japanese American anthology published by the Asian American Studies Department at San Francisco State University, is now available. The issue features creative works from Bay Area and other contributors across multiple generations of Japanese Americans.

Commentary

• A Good Example to Follow, by P.C. Staff, page 4. An editorial reflects on the post-election graciousness shown by Michael Dukakis and George Bush after the 1988 presidential race, urging Japanese Americans to similarly let go of old resentments. The piece argues that the community should stop brooding on the past and focus on addressing present and future needs.
• The Japan Chapter: An Active Bunch, by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. Bill Hosokawa’s column describes the diverse membership of the JACL Japan Chapter, including Sansei, Nisei, and honorary American-raised members living in Tokyo. The column highlights how American expatriates stay connected to their roots through gatherings, newsletters, and the Pacific Citizen despite delayed delivery.
• Saito Claims Untrue, by Harry Kajihara, page 4. Harry Kajihara disputes claims made by PSWD Regional Director John Saito in an earlier letter alleging he was not consulted on JACL Personnel Manual revisions. Kajihara cites a detailed timeline of memos and meetings showing staff were given opportunities to provide input on the manual update.
• Racism: Japan Not Alone, by Kathryn Hashimoto, page 4. Kathryn Hashimoto of the JACL Japan Chapter argues that while Japan must be held accountable for racist attitudes toward Blacks, the JACL should also examine racism within the United States. She calls for education and cooperation to bridge understanding between Japan and the U.S. on racial issues.
• ‘Uproar’ Is Necessary, by Douglas Urata and Trisha Murakawa, page 4. Douglas Urata and Trisha Murakawa, co-chairs of the PSW Civil Rights Caucus, respond to a letter from Paul Ito urging JACL to avoid ‘uproar’ over ethnic slurs. They argue that historical uproars led by figures like Susan B. Anthony and Martin Luther King Jr. produced the civil rights progress enjoyed today, including the redress movement.
• JACL: Staying Alive, by Chuck Kubokawa, page 4. Chuck Kubokawa suggests that JACL members receiving redress payments use part of the money to buy their children $500 gift life JACL memberships as living memorials to internees. He argues this would help revive the organization by increasing membership and funds while keeping youth connected to their heritage.

Military & Veterans

• JANM Preservation Architects Selected, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Los Angeles-based architectural firms Woodford Parkinson Wynn & Partners and A.T. Heinsbergen & Co. have been selected as the historical preservation team for the Japanese American National Museum. The museum, housed in the former Nishi Honganji Buddhist Temple on the national historic registry, is scheduled to open in 1990.

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