Redress funding fight after the $20 million budget, January 1989

Vol. 108, No. 2, January 20, 1989. 8 pages. View this issue

The $20 million redress appropriation in the outgoing president’s budget drew most of this issue’s attention. The front page carried Dr. Naomi Iwata Sanchez’s trip to Washington for the Bush transition meetings, where a JACL-LEC letter urging maximum redress funding reached incoming Chief of Staff John Sununu. It also ran Rep. Norman Mineta’s response to OMB Director Joseph R. Wright Jr., whom he called ‘plainly incorrect.’ Inside, Rita Takahashi and William Hohri argued for the full authorized amount, and Robert Bratt of the Office of Redress Administration explained the timing of payment rules.

Other pages announced the Fred Korematsu Civil Rights Fund dinner in San Francisco and a Census Bureau decision to list nine Asian and Pacific American groups in 1990. Bill Hosokawa reviewed the new Manzanar book, and the letters page took up Japanese name order and the wartime incarceration (often called internment). San Mateo JACL announced its scholarship program.

What’s in this issue

National

• Seattle JACL Chapter President Naomi Iwata Sanchez Attends Bush Transition Meeting, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Dr. Naomi Iwata Sanchez, newly-elected Seattle JACL chapter president, traveled to Washington D.C. to attend meetings with President-elect George Bush and his transition team. During the trip, Della Newman delivered a JACL-LEC letter to incoming Chief of Staff John Sununu emphasizing the need for maximum redress appropriations.
• Asian Americans Participate in King Day Program at the Smithsonian, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History held a special program on Jan. 16 honoring Martin Luther King’s birthday, featuring Asian Americans as primary participants. Keynote speaker John Kuo Wei Tchen warned about the dangers of Asian Americans being used as a ‘model minority’ to downplay the oppression of other groups.
• Census Bureau to List Nine Different Asian/Pacific American Categories, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Census Bureau announced it will use a check-off format listing nine Asian Pacific American groups in the 1990 census, despite earlier fears it might abandon the plan after Reagan’s pocket veto of H.R. 4432. Reps. Matsui and Mineta, along with JACL’s Bill Yoshino, praised the decision as a victory ensuring an accurate count of Asian Americans.
• The Newsmakers, by P.C. Staff, page 6. This roundup profiles several notable Japanese Americans: Rene Michi Mansho, newly elected to the Honolulu city council; researcher Michiko Okamoto, who turned down a grant for cat-based addiction research amid animal rights pressure; and Joan Yoshitomi, the first woman chief deputy comptroller in Seattle city government history.

Incarceration & Redress

• OMB’s Explanation on Redress Amount Draws Criticism, by P.C. Staff, page 1. OMB Director Joseph R. Wright Jr. defended the $20 million redress appropriation by claiming the Justice Department was not ready to process claims, a statement Rep. Norman Mineta called ‘plainly incorrect.’ Mineta cited the success of the Office of Redress Administration in identifying eligible recipients and said there was no justification for delay.
• JACL-LEC Issues Redress Alert in Wake of Meager Redress Appropriation, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The JACL Legislative Education Committee issued a redress alert calling for immediate action after the budget announcement of only $20 million for redress payments. The alert urged supporters to write to President-elect Bush and nominated OMB Director Richard Darman demanding the maximum appropriation.
• JACL-LEC Letter Urges Bush to Fully Fund Redress, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A JACL-LEC letter to President-elect Bush, signed by Jerry Enomoto, Grant Ujifusa and Cherry Kinoshita, urged full funding of the redress legislation given that many eligible elderly recipients are dying before receiving compensation. The letter emphasized that justice has been long overdue for Japanese Americans awaiting redress.
• ORA Head Talks Redress in L.A., by Jimmy Tokeshi, page 8. Robert Bratt, executive director of the Office of Redress Administration, spoke to about 150 attendees including national JACL leaders at a community forum in Little Tokyo on Dec. 14. Bratt reported that payment eligibility regulations were not yet finalized and were expected to be published in the Federal Register in early February, followed by a 30-day public comment period.
• Redress Alert Packet Available Following Bush Inauguration, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Following Bush’s inauguration, JACL-LEC recommended supporters write to the White House to advocate for increased redress appropriations. Sample letters and contact information were distributed to JACL board members, staff, and chapter redress coordinators, with alert packets available by contacting the JACL-LEC office.

Community

• Dinner to Introduce the ‘Fred Korematsu Civil Rights Fund’, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Asian Law Caucus and the Korematsu family are hosting a dinner on Jan. 28 in San Francisco to introduce the Fred Korematsu Civil Rights Fund and honor former ACLU director Ernest Besig, who represented Korematsu in his 1942 case. The event, featuring keynote speaker Rep. Robert Matsui, also celebrates Korematsu’s 70th birthday.
• Nikkei Man Killed in Robbery Attempt, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Brent Moriwaki, 34, of El Cerrito, Calif., died Jan. 5 from a gunshot wound during a robbery attempt at the Santa Fe Market in Richmond, where he had worked for 10 years. The market owner was also killed, and a delivery man was wounded before police shot the unidentified robber to death on a freeway.
• Census Bureau Releases Asian/Pacific American Info, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Census Bureau released a booklet titled ‘We, the Asian and Pacific Islander Americans’ based on 1980 census data, counting 3,466,874 Asians with Chinese, Filipino and Japanese as the three largest groups. Copies are available from the Government Printing Office with bulk discounts offered.
• NJAHS Gets Funds for Japanese American Women’s Exhibit, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The National Japanese American Historical Society is preparing an exhibit titled ‘Strength & Diversity: Japanese American Women, 1885 to 1990,’ set to open in February 1990 at the Oakland Museum. The committee is seeking photos from the community spanning multiple eras, with final selections to be made in March 1989.
• Washington State Centennial Celebration Underway, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A photographic display of Japanese American history on Bainbridge Island will tour Washington state, starting at Seattle’s downtown public library. A year-long exhibit titled ‘The Way It Was: Northwest Issei and Nisei Before 1942’ will also be displayed at Nippon Kan, tracing Issei history from 1883 through the 1942 evacuation of the island’s Nikkei population.
• Reunion Date Set for Fresno in May ’89, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A reunion for former residents of the Bowles, Oleander and Monmouth areas near Fresno is planned for May 27-28, organized by Haruo Lou Miyamoto and a committee of volunteers. Interested parties are asked to contact the organizers to be added to a mailing list.
• OCA Holding Its 1989 Asian American Achievement Awards, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Organization of Chinese Americans is hosting the 1989 Asian American Achievement Awards Banquet on Feb. 17 in San Francisco, with Rep. Norman Mineta as keynote speaker. The East Bay Chapter of OCA is accepting nominations across categories including Business, Academic, Community Services, and Politics.
• Turlock Social Club Sponsoring Reunion, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Turlock Social Club is sponsoring a reunion on April 29 at California State University, Stanislaus, for persons of Japanese ancestry who lived in the Turlock area before World War II. The club, organized in 1925, now numbers 21 members who meet annually to support local charities and scholarships.
• Donation to JACL-LEC From Marysville Reunion Committee, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The 2nd Marysville Reunion Committee presented a $2,000 check to JACL-LEC in support of maximum redress appropriations, after unanimously deciding to donate surplus funds from their 1988 reunion. The reunion attracted over 400 former residents of Yuba, Sutter, Colusa and Butte counties.
• J-Town Revue Scheduled for April 8, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California announced that ‘J-Town Revue,’ a popular Nikkei variety show, will return for a second year on April 8 at AMC Kabuki 8 Theatres. The fundraiser seeks community performers and will benefit JCCCNC programs and services.
• Japanese in Peru Begin 90th Anniversary Fete, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Japanese community in Peru began a year-long celebration marking the 90th anniversary of Japanese immigration, starting with a sports festival and karaoke show in February. The first group of 790 Japanese laborers arrived in Peru in 1899, and the community has since grown to an estimated 60,000 people.
• Honoring Hahn, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Los Angeles County Supervisor Kenneth Hahn and his wife were honored with gifts from the Gardena Valley Gardeners’ Association and Southern California Gardeners Federation at a testimonial luncheon in Torrance. Hahn was recognized for over 40 years as an elected official and his 25-year affiliation with the gardeners’ association.
• 4 Asian Americans Presented ‘Visions Awards’ in S.F., by P.C. Staff, page 8. Four community volunteers and philanthropists—Soon-Kyung Hong, Henry Izumizaki, Dr. Rolland Lowe, and Peter Masilang—were honored with ‘Visions Awards’ by the Oakland-based Asian Foundation for Community Development for their commitment to philanthropy. Nearly 400 people attended the fundraising dinner, which raised $30,000 for the foundation’s grant and technical assistance programs.

Obituaries

• NJAHS Gets Funds for JA Women’s Exhibit; Deaths Noted, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Obituaries note the deaths of Tom Bradford Masamori, a community organizer who helped found the Chicago Resettlers Committee; Dr. Robert K. Kiyasu, a prominent San Francisco physician; and artist-author Mitsu Yashima, who broadcast anti-Axis radio programs into Japan during WWII. Each is remembered for distinguished community contributions and survived by family members.

Commentary

• Redress vs. Reparations, page 4. This editorial traces the history of the word ‘redress’ over ‘reparations’ in describing compensation for Japanese American WWII incarceration, noting the term was suggested by John Dean at a JACL convention. It criticizes the Justice Department’s initial naming of the redress agency as the ‘Office of Reparations Administration,’ which was quickly corrected after JACL-LEC pointed out the error.
• Increasing the Appropriation, by Rita Takahashi, page 4. This LEC Update column discusses reactions to President Reagan’s $20 million redress budget appropriation, far short of the law’s authorized amount, and criticizes OMB Director Joseph Wright’s justification for the low figure. Rep. Norman Mineta and other lawmakers are quoted rejecting Wright’s claims that the Office of Redress Administration isn’t ready to process claims.
• Kokka, by Bill Marutani, page 4. In this East Wind column, Bill Marutani explores the Japanese national anthem (kokka) and the etymology of the kanji ‘yo’ appearing in its lyrics, prompted by a card sent from reader Douglas Kendall. He reflects on alternate readings of similar kanji and invites Kendall to further enlighten him on the linguistic nuances.
• A Look at the New ‘Manzanar’ Book, by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. Bill Hosokawa reviews the new book ‘Manzanar,’ featuring Ansel Adams photographs and commentary by John Hersey, which details Lt. Gen. John L. DeWitt’s role in orchestrating the Japanese American evacuation based on false claims of military necessity. Hosokawa notes the book’s factual errors and its narrow focus on Manzanar while failing to adequately address the nine other camps.
• Letter: In the Spirit of Reconciliation, by Chester Tanaka, page 5. Chester Tanaka writes about how the pressure-cooker environment of WWII incarceration camps strained relationships and created lasting divisions among Japanese Americans who made different wartime decisions. He argues that continued bickering today, after redress and apology, amounts to ‘snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.’
• Letter: Konomi Commentary I, by Clifford Uyeda, page 5. Clifford Uyeda responds to Jin Konomi’s earlier column about Japanese name order, noting that many Japanese Americans already use dual-format meishi cards with English and Japanese name orders. He observes that the practice of using traditional Japanese name order is gaining favor in publications about Japanese subjects.
• Letter: Konomi Commentary II, by Ralph M. Lake, page 5. Ralph M. Lake disagrees with Jin Konomi’s stance on Japanese name order, arguing that English convention typically places the given name first and that this should apply to Japanese names used in English contexts. He describes the practical confusion that arises from inconsistent naming conventions for different nationalities.
• Letter: Seeking Help to Return Wartime Treasures, by Mrs. Jeanne Jennings, page 5. Mrs. Jeanne Jennings writes seeking help locating a childhood friend who gave her keepsakes before being sent to internment camps from Niland, Calif. in 1941. She hopes Pacific Citizen readers can help her identify and locate the woman to return the treasured items after more than 40 years.
• Letter: P.C. Thank You, by Mine Kubo, page 5. Mine Kubo thanks Pacific Citizen for printing Michi Weglyn’s letter advocating for the preservation of the book ‘Citizen 13660,’ noting that widespread support helped convince the University of Washington Press of its historical importance. Kubo reports happily that the book will be reprinted and made available again.
• Letter: Charges Out of Line, by James Oda, page 5. James Oda disputes Cliff Uyeda’s earlier claims about a JACL intelligence unit cooperating with authorities before the evacuation, arguing JACL was in a defensive, chaotic position after Pearl Harbor. He details extensive pre-war U.S. intelligence operations against Japanese Americans and Japanese nationals, suggesting these efforts were more responsible for the swift roundup than any JACL cooperation.
• Letter: Redress Justified, by Gunnar Olsborg, page 5. Gunnar Olsborg, a WWII Pacific veteran, cites historian Forest Pogue’s biography of Gen. George Marshall to argue that the two-and-a-half month delay between Pearl Harbor and the evacuation order shows the decision wasn’t based on genuine military necessity. He points to the lack of evacuation in Hawaii and the service record of the 442nd as further proof of Japanese American loyalty, justifying his support for the redress bill.
• LEC Update: Increasing the Appropriation (continued), by Rita Takahashi, page 5. This continuation reports that Reps. Matsui and Saiki, along with Sen. Daniel Inouye, pledged to push for more realistic redress appropriations in Congress. JACL-LEC vowed to continue lobbying for the full $500 million per fiscal year it considers desirable and just.
• Feasible Justice, by William Hohri, page 5. William Hohri criticizes President Reagan’s budget proposal of only $20 million for redress payments, arguing that at this rate most elderly victims will die before receiving compensation. He contends that the injuries to Japanese Americans also compromised the U.S. Constitution, and that full redress is necessary to restore constitutional integrity.
• Sayonara, Mr. Mansfield, by Mami Yamada, page 5. Freelance journalist Mami Yamada reflects on U.S. Ambassador Mike Mansfield’s departure from Japan after 11 years, recounting personal anecdotes about his open and unpretentious manner. She describes his hospitality and down-to-earth demeanor, including a story about her husband being welcomed into the embassy despite muddy boots and no appointment.

JACL

• San Mateo JACL Announces Annual Scholarship Program, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The San Mateo Chapter of JACL announced its 1989 Scholarship Program, which will award freshman scholarships to local students with top applications forwarded to the National Scholarship Program. The National Program, in its 42nd year, will award over 40 scholarships totaling more than $45,000 across all levels of education.

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