Redress funding fight after Reagan’s final budget, 1989

Vol. 108, No. 4, February 3, 1989. 8 pages. View this issue

The fight over redress money filled this issue. Rep. Robert T. Matsui and JACL-LEC Strategy Chair Grant Ujifusa said chances were good to raise the funding level in the Reagan budget, but only with a targeted lobbying campaign. The front page also carried word from Bob Bratt of the Office of Redress Administration that about 48,000 addresses of possible recipients were on file, a California Joint Resolution urging full payments under the Civil Liberties Act, and a JACL response to an anti-redress ad. An editorial, “Redress and the Budget,” argued that the Civil Liberties Act meant larger, faster payments for elderly recipients. National President Cressey Nakagawa appeared on the cover at a Southern California open house.

Elsewhere, a Day of Remembrance procession for Executive Order 9066 was planned for Feb. 19 in San Jose, and chapter installations in Florin, French Camp and Marysville were covered. Bill Hosokawa reviewed a biography of Toyohiko Kagawa, Jin Konomi wrote on the death of Emperor Hirohito, and a news item reported that Mako and East West Players parted company.

What’s in this issue

Incarceration & Redress

• Matsui and Ujifusa Say Chances Good to Increase Redress Appropriations, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Rep. Robert Matsui and JACL-LEC Strategy Chair Grant Ujifusa say the battle over redress funding is far from over, with Congress’s committees set to make final decisions. They urge a targeted lobbying campaign aimed at specific committee members rather than all of Congress.
• ORA: 48,000 Names of Possible Redress Recipients Compiled, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Bob Bratt of the Office of Redress Administration told a Washington, D.C. crowd that about 48,000 addresses of potential redress recipients are now on file. He said ORA needs help identifying deceased individuals and that preliminary regulations will soon be published in the Federal Register.
• Calif. Legislature Resolution Urges Immediate Redress in Full, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Assemblyman Richard E. Floyd introduced a Joint Resolution urging Congress to immediately provide the maximum $500 million annually for redress payments to interned Japanese Americans. Floyd called the internment one of the greatest civil rights violations in American history and urged swift action given survivors’ advanced age.
• Age Distribution Chart of WRA Data Released, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Office of Redress Administration released an age distribution chart of the 109,377 former incarcerated individuals based on WRA data tapes. The chart breaks down the current estimated ages of evacuees as of 1988, showing a significant portion would be over 80.
• Florin, Sac’to JACL Open Campaign for Full Implementation of Civil Liberties Act, by P.C. Staff, page 1. After Reagan’s budget proposed minimal redress funding that would delay payments for 60 years, JACLers in Sacramento organized a petition campaign demanding full implementation of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988. The petition, to be presented to Rep. Robert Matsui, calls for broad eligibility interpretation and maximized appropriations over three years.
• NCJAR Joins Campaign for Redress Money, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The National Council for Japanese American Redress voted to join efforts urging Congress to fulfill its redress commitment after its class-action lawsuit was effectively ended by the Civil Liberties Act and a Supreme Court ruling. The group had spent eight years pursuing redress through litigation.
• Day of Remembrance Procession Set for Feb. 19 in San Jose, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Nihonmachi Outreach Committee will sponsor a Day of Remembrance program in San Jose commemorating the signing of Executive Order 9066, featuring a candlelight procession and speakers including Rep. Norman Mineta and author Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston. The focus this year will shift toward the redress appropriations campaign given the advanced age of eligible internees.

JACL

• JACL Blasts Anti-redress Political Ad as ‘Misguided and Exploitative’, by P.C. Staff, page 1. National JACL criticized a paid political ad in the Los Angeles Times urging veterans to oppose Civil Liberties Act appropriations. Acting National Director Bill Yoshino called the ad reprehensible and said the issue is about constitutional rights, not just tax dollars.

Community

• Noguchi Work Unveiled as ‘Challenger’ Memorial, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A 105-foot white sculpture by the late Isamu Noguchi was unveiled in Miami’s Bayfront Park as a memorial to the seven Challenger astronauts. It was one of the sculptor’s last works.
• Gardena Valley Queen Pageant Scheduled, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Gardena Valley JACL Queen Pageant will be held April 22, and the chapter is seeking candidates ages 18-24. The crowned queen will represent Gardena in community events.
• Little Tokyo Branch Library to Open Soon at Centenary Methodist Church, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Friends of the Little Tokyo Public Library installed officers including Marian Kadomatsu for a second term as president, and the branch library is set to open in early spring at Centenary Methodist Church. The group will also host its 5th Annual Author Recognition Luncheon honoring Yuji Ichioka for his book on the Issei.
• Bilingual Volunteers in Tax Filing Available, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Free tax counseling for senior citizens will be offered at the San Mateo JACL Community Center starting February 1 through AARP’s tax assistance program. Bilingual volunteer Herbert S. Aono will be available on Wednesdays for those seeking help.
• San Jose JACL & Community to Start Endowment Foundation, by P.C. Staff, page 5. San Jose JACL and the newly organized Japanese American Community Foundation are hosting a gala dinner dance and art show March 4 at the Fairmont Hotel to establish an endowment foundation. The event features honorary co-chairs Rep. Norman Mineta and I.K. Ishimatsu, entertainment by San Jose Taiko, and a presale of a limited-edition Hisashi Otsuka print benefiting both organizations.
• Judge Kobayashi Addresses Florin JACL Installation, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Over 100 members attended the Florin JACL installation dinner where Judge Charles C. Kobayashi stressed the importance of political pressure in achieving results. Curtis Namba was sworn in as incoming president along with his cabinet.
• Marysville JACL Prepares for 54th Inaugural Dinner, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Author Yuri Ichioka will speak at the Marysville JACL’s 1989 installation dinner on Feb. 11, alongside presentations from Presidential Classroom awardees sponsored by the chapter. Jim Fukui will head the 1989 executive council.
• French Camp JACL Installs Yamasaki as ’89 President, by P.C. Staff, page 6. National JACL President Cressey Nakagawa was keynote speaker at the French Camp JACL installation, discussing the JACL-LEC redress program and lobbying strategies. Carl Yamasaki was formally installed as president by regional director George Kondo.

Military & Veterans

• Testimonial Slated for MIS Instructor Kihara on April 22, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Shigeya Kihara, one of the original MIS Language School instructors, will be honored at a testimonial dinner in Burlingame on April 22. The event is sponsored by MIS Northern California with support from the National Japanese American Historical Society.

In-Depth

• ORA Office: Officials Discuss Redress Budget Outlook, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Legislative aides for Reps. Mineta and Berman discussed the redress appropriations outlook, noting Reagan’s budget was considered ‘dead on arrival’ and that outreach efforts to eligible recipients would continue. They emphasized the need for continued community involvement in the budget process.

National

• East West Players and Mako Part Company, by Dean Takehara, Rafu Shimpo, page 3. Mako, artistic director of East West Players, announced he would no longer associate with the theater amid nepotism allegations involving his wife and children in casting decisions. Board chairman Dr. Andy Wong said Mako resigned due to a new board policy requiring approval for hiring relatives.

Commentary

• Redress and the Budget, by P.C. Staff, page 4. This editorial examines the Reagan administration’s final budget, which proposed only a token $20 million for redress payments despite the law’s intent for larger, faster payouts. It argues JACL must continue pressing the Bush administration and Congress to honor the Civil Liberties Act’s commitment to elderly redress recipients.
• A Post Mortem, by Jin Konomi, page 4. This Moshi Moshi column reflects on Emperor Hirohito’s death and the mixed feelings of relief and unresolved questions about his wartime responsibility. The author includes a translated letter from a Japanese correspondent grappling with the emperor’s legacy and the tenno institution’s role in the war.
• From the Frying Pan: Kagawa, Apostle of Love and Social Justice, by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. Bill Hosokawa reviews a new biography of Toyohiko Kagawa, Japan’s best-known Christian reformer, written by Robert Schildgen. The column details Kagawa’s social justice work, his complex personality, and his lasting influence on modern Japanese society.
• East Wind: Commission for Social Justice, by Bill Marutani, page 4. Bill Marutani writes about the Sons of Italy’s Commission for Social Justice, which combats negative stereotyping of Italian Americans in media and advertising. He cites examples including offensive ad campaigns and discrimination faced by prominent Italian Americans, drawing parallels to the bigotry faced by Japanese Americans.
• Letters to the Editor: No Name Calling, by Chizu Iiyama, page 5. A letter responds to Shig Wakamatsu’s criticism of Donna Kotake’s comments on different organizations’ roles in the redress campaign, defending Kotake’s thoughtful crediting of JACL-LEC leaders. The writer calls for unity rather than divisive name-calling in the community.
• Letters to the Editor: Nelson Article, by Norio Mitsuoka, page 5. A letter responds to Ronald Nelson’s article comparing U.S. treatment of German/Italian POWs versus interned Japanese Americans, noting the writer’s long-standing curiosity about WRA’s treatment of European refugees during the same period. The writer requests more details on this aspect of WRA history.
• Letters to the Editor: Ex-POW Redress, by Julia J. Noe, page 5. A letter from the secretary of the Willamette Valley Chapter of Ex-Prisoners of War expresses gratitude that justice was finally served regarding apology and monetary compensation for POWs. The writer thanks those who fought for the benefits on behalf of the veteran’s organization.
• Moshi Moshi (continued): A Post Mortem, by Jin Konomi, page 6. This continuation of the column further explores a Japanese correspondent’s conflicted feelings about Emperor Hirohito’s wartime responsibility and the tenno institution. The author notes that questioning of the institution appears to be growing among segments of the Japanese population.

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