Redress after the bill: Ujifusa at Justice, and the NCJAR lawsuit ends

Vol. 107, No. 14, November 4, 1988. 12 pages. View this issue

Redress after the signing of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 ran through the front page. Grant Ujifusa, JACL-LEC strategy chair, met with Assistant Attorney General Brad Reynolds and Tom Boyd of the Justice Department, and said he was pleased with the commitment to carry out the law. The next hurdle was getting Congress to appropriate the money. The Supreme Court also refused to hear the NCJAR class-action lawsuit, and the paper printed responses from William Hohri, Jack and Aiko Herzig Yoshinaga, JACL National President Cressey Nakagawa, and Reps. Norman Mineta and Robert Matsui.

Elsewhere in this 12-page issue, Robert T. Matsui and Stephen Nakashima argued for Dukakis and for Bush, and Bill Marutani and Bill Hosokawa wrote columns. The paper also reported on a push for an accurate count of Asian Americans in the 1990 Census, a memorial for Colorado Gov. Ralph L. Carr, and a reunion of 350 Nikkei at the second Jerome Reunion in Torrance.

What’s in this issue

National

• Ujifusa Confers with Justice Dept. Officials; Redress Payments Unaffected, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Grant Ujifusa, JACL-LEC strategy chair, met with Justice Department officials including Assistant Attorney General Brad Reynolds to discuss implementation of the redress law. Ujifusa expressed confidence that the Justice Department would continue cooperating as the next hurdle—congressional appropriation of funds—approaches.
• Delegation Urges Reagan to Sign Census Bill, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A bipartisan group of lawmakers urged President Reagan to sign a bill ensuring an accurate count of Asian Americans in the 1990 Census. Signers included several senators and representatives who pressed for action within the ten-day signing period.
• Editorial Blasted for ‘Racial Overtones’, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Rep. Norman Mineta criticized a San Jose Mercury News editorial about city council candidates, saying it had racial overtones for suggesting a Korean-born candidate’s accent would make him an ineffective councilman. Mineta wrote a letter to the paper’s editor condemning the implication as xenophobic and poorly disguised bigotry.
• Matsunaga Amendments Approved by Congress in Technical Corrections Act, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Sen. Spark Matsunaga’s amendments addressing tax impacts on Hawaii state and county pension retirees received final congressional approval as part of the Technical Corrections Act of 1988. The amendments also covered leasehold condominium mortgages, renewable energy tax credits, and other provisions affecting Hawaii residents.
• METPRO Offers an Opportunity to Train at L.A. Times, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Los Angeles Times’ Minority Editorial Training Program (METPRO) offers a two-year paid internship for minorities interested in careers as reporters, photographers, or copy editors. The program combines classroom training with hands-on experience at Times Mirror papers nationwide.
• EEOC Suit Charges Marriott with Discrimination Against Asian Americans, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The EEOC filed suit against Marriott Corporation alleging age and national origin discrimination in the discharge of Filipino American employee Pioquinto Voluntad, a 57-year-old restaurant manager. The commission found that Marriott retained mostly employees under 40 and no Asian employees after selling a hotel, seeking back pay and reinstatement for Voluntad.
• Chin Documentary to be Screened in Chicago, by P.C. Staff, page 6. A coalition of Asian organizations is sponsoring the Chicago premiere of ‘Who Killed Vincent Chin?’, a documentary about the 1982 killing of Vincent Chin in Detroit. The film explores scapegoating of Asians amid industrial unemployment, with proceeds benefiting distribution to PBS stations.
• AP Students Launch Campaign in Support of Nakanishi Case, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Asian Pacific student organizations at UCLA launched a letter-writing campaign supporting Prof. Don Nakanishi’s tenure bid, after he was initially denied and won grievances citing mishandling by UCLA officials. The campaign argues Nakanishi’s research qualifies him as the first Asian American permanent faculty member in the Graduate School of Education.
• Delegation Urges Reagan to Sign Census Bill (continued coverage), by P.C. Staff, page 9. Further details on the census bill reveal it would require the Census Bureau to use a detailed check-off format for Asian ethnic subgroups similar to 1980, after Asian leaders objected to a simplified write-in-only format. The bureau had initially planned not to tabulate results fully, which advocates said would undercount Asian populations and affect social service funding.

JACL

• Ujifusa to Speak at Redress Forums, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Grant Ujifusa, JACL-LEC strategy chair, will speak at JACL-sponsored redress forums in the Bay Area and Los Angeles about the political strategy behind passage of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988. Ujifusa is also known as co-author of The Almanac of American Politics, considered a key reference for political journalists and politicians.
• Kimura Named Chair of Pacific Citizen Board, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Lillian Kimura of New York was named chairperson of the Pacific Citizen Board for the 1988-1990 Biennium by JACL National President Cressey Nakagawa. Kimura, a longtime JACL committee member and YWCA national associate director, said she looks forward to improving the national publication.
• Redress Supporter Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award, by Rita Takahashi, page 6. Rep. Peter Rodino Jr. received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Italian American Foundation for his role in passing the Civil Liberties Act of 1988. Rodino noted his long relationship with JACL on civil rights issues and expressed pride in helping achieve redress for Japanese Americans.
• Kimura Announces Additional JACL National Committee Appointments, by P.C. Staff, page 9. JACL National President Cressey Nakagawa announced numerous appointments to national committees covering redress, education, veterans affairs, membership development, and other areas. Don Tamaki was also announced as legal counsel at the September National Board meeting.

Incarceration & Redress

• Supreme Court Crushes NCJAR Lawsuit, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Supreme Court refused to allow a class-action lawsuit (Hohri et al. v. U.S.) against the government for WW2 internment, disappointing community leaders including NCJAR chair William Hohri. The decision does not affect the separate Civil Liberties Act of 1988 redress payments to individuals.
• NCJAR Officials Respond to Decision, by P.C. Staff, page 1. NCJAR officials, including William Hohri and Jack and Aiko Herzig Yoshinaga, responded to the Supreme Court’s refusal to hear their class-action lawsuit, expressing disappointment but noting the research and advocacy efforts were not wasted. They said the case helped sharpen issues around wartime decisions and contributed to the broader redress movement.
• ORA Notice Asks for Comments on Redress Search, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Office of Redress Administration is drafting regulations to implement Section 105 of the Civil Liberties Act and is inviting public comment on eligibility questions. Issues include eligibility of Peruvian Japanese, repatriated minors, and voluntary evacuees without proper documentation.
• NSRC Program to be Administered in Denver Area, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Nisei Student Relocation Commemorative Fund announced its 1989 scholarship program for Southeast Asian refugee students will be administered in Denver, chaired by Christine Yoshinaga-Itano. The program’s total scholarship funding will increase to $5,500 due to rising applications and college costs.
• NCJAR Reactions: Herzig, Yoshinaga-Herzig Respond, by P.C. Staff, page 9. NCJAR supporters expressed disappointment that the Supreme Court declined to hear the class-action lawsuit, which they hoped would address Justice Department suppression of evidence in the Hirabayashi, Korematsu, and Yasui cases. They noted the case still raised over $300,000 in community support despite the loss.
• JACL, Mineta, Matsui Respond to NCJAR Decision, by P.C. Staff, page 9. JACL National President Cressey Nakagawa and officials including Bill Yoshino and Rita Takahashi expressed disappointment over the Supreme Court’s refusal to hear the NCJAR case, while commending NCJAR’s educational contributions to the redress movement. Reps. Mineta and Matsui echoed disappointment and stressed the need to ensure Congress appropriates redress funding.

Military & Veterans

• Gov. Carr Memorial Service Honors Colorado’s Wartime Governor, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A memorial service was held for Colorado’s late Gov. Ralph L. Carr and his wife Eleanor at Fairmount Cemetery, with a new headstone erected for Mrs. Carr through community fundraising. Carr was honored for welcoming Japanese Americans displaced from the West Coast during WW2, a decision that damaged his political career.
• Fighting Amblyopia: VFW Nisei Post Launches Vision Screening Crusade, by P.C. Staff, page 3. VFW Sacramento Nisei Post 8985 launched a crusade against lazy eye (amblyopia) by conducting vision screening clinics for children ages 3 to 5. The post’s resolution calling for veteran advocacy to eliminate the reversible condition was passed at the VFW State Convention.

Community

• APCC Announces ‘Dragon Run ’89’, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Asian Pacific Community Counseling announced its annual 8k and two-mile walkathon, ‘Dragon Run ’89,’ to be held April 1 in Sacramento. Proceeds benefit bilingual and bicultural mental health services for Asian/Pacific communities.
• 500 Attend NJAHS Picnic, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The National Japanese American Historical Society’s third annual picnic drew 500 attendees to the Japanese Garden in Hayward, featuring entertainment and a barbecue. Rep. Norman Mineta addressed the crowd, praising NJAHS for its role as a key source and consultant for exhibits on Japanese American history.
• San Jose Chapter Sponsoring Student for 1988 Presidential Classroom Program, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The San Jose JACL Chapter is sponsoring one student for the Presidential Classroom for Young Americans program in Washington, D.C. The chapter will cover tuition and related costs for a qualifying high school junior or senior of Japanese descent.
• Redress Forms Available at War Memorial Hall, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Official redress reparations forms will be available to former internees at the Sacramento Nisei War Memorial Hall on Nov. 19. Sacramento JACL redress committee members will help attendees fill out the forms.
• JACL & KAC Co-Hosting Community Forum, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Korean American Coalition and JACL’s Pacific Southwest District are co-sponsoring a community forum to promote understanding between Japanese American and Korean American communities. The forum will feature a panel discussion on historical, generational, and discrimination issues, hosted by LA Times reporter Bill Sing.
• Gardena JACL, NCRR Holding Redress Workshop, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Gardena National Coalition for Redress and Reparations will hold a community workshop on the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 at the Nakaoka Community Center. A panel will answer questions about eligibility and application procedures for redress payments.
• Jerome Reunion Draws 350 Nikkei, by P.C. Staff, page 8. About 350 Nikkei attended the second Jerome Reunion in Torrance, Calif., honoring Torrance Mayor Katy Geissert for her leadership and support of Japanese Americans. Bert Nakano of NCRR was also honored by the reunion committee.
• The Newsmakers, by P.C. Staff, page 10. This roundup covers achievements of various Japanese Americans including journalist Lee Morikawa’s award for environmental reporting, Lance Izumi’s appointment as California deputy director, and Judge Nathan Mihara’s appointment to Santa Clara County Superior Court. Other mentions include artist George Tsutakawa, musician Glen Horiuchi, and community figures Roger and Saki Shimizu’s visit to Japan.

Commentary

• Keeping Redress Moving Forward, page 4. This editorial argues that the redress campaign continues beyond the bill’s signing, as Congress must still appropriate funds to make payments a reality. It calls for continued education of new Congress members on the importance of funding the Civil Liberties Act mandate.
• CCDC On a Roll, by Mae Takahashi, page 4. The outgoing governor of JACL’s Central California District Council reflects on accomplishments during the 1986-1988 biennium, including the Nikkei Service Center project, scholarship programs, and forensic competitions. She highlights fundraising efforts and district activities supporting redress and civic engagement.
• Xenophobia?, by Bill Marutani, page 4. Marutani recounts attending a New York conference on Japanese investment in the U.S., noting that statistics show Japan actually ranks behind several other nations in U.S. investment. He questions why Japan faces disproportionate fear and backlash compared to other foreign investors.
• Something Borrowed…, by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. Hosokawa humorously describes discovering that many English words have been absorbed into everyday Japanese, which helped him communicate despite his limited vocabulary. He shares examples of Japanese-English loanwords and their sometimes altered meanings.
• Letters to the Editor, by Various, page 5. Multiple letters respond to prior Pacific Citizen articles on topics including JACL’s wartime conduct toward no-no boys, draft resisters, redress, Japan-bashing in the presidential campaign, and personal reflections on patriotism and liberty. Writers include Paul Ito, Gene Oishi, David C. Moore II, Ken Masugi, William Houston, and Ronald Kobayashi among others.
• Voting Dukakis Better for America, by Hon. Robert T. Matsui, page 6. Rep. Robert Matsui argues for Michael Dukakis’s candidacy, citing Dukakis’s early and substantive inclusion of Asian/Pacific Americans in his campaign leadership compared to the Bush-Quayle ticket. Matsui highlights Dukakis’s policy positions on hate crimes, bilingual education, and immigration as better aligned with Asian/Pacific American interests.
• Voting Bush is the Obvious Choice, by Stephen Nakashima, page 6. Nakashima explains his support for George Bush, citing Republican Party history on civil rights and redress, and recounting personal conversations with Bush about the Civil Liberties Act implementation timeline. He argues Bush’s experience makes him the more qualified candidate for international affairs.

In-Depth

• America is Still No. 1 in Creativity, by Yuji Hirayama, page 8. A Japanese economics professor examines why American scientists are more creative and productive than their Japanese counterparts, attributing it to individualism, rigorous peer scrutiny, and merit-based rewards. He argues Japan’s group-oriented culture suppresses the individual creativity necessary for scientific breakthroughs.

Obituaries

• Ikutaro Shimizu, Sociologist and Former Protest Leader, Dies, page 8. Ikutaro Shimizu, a prominent sociologist who led 1960s protest movements against U.S. military bases in Japan, died at age 81 in Tokyo. He later became a right-wing figure, criticizing Japan’s postwar democracy and calling for nuclear armament and constitutional revision.

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