Redress becomes an entitlement in the Senate, and an anti-Asian letter in San Mateo

Vol. 109, No. 10, October 6, 1989. 8 pages. View this issue

The Senate approved Sen. Daniel Inouye’s proposal to make redress payments a federal entitlement beginning in fiscal 1991, passing it 74-22. The Pacific Citizen put the vote on the front page and ran an editorial on page 4 urging House and Senate conferees to adopt the Senate plan over the House’s $50 million version. Next to it, the front page covered an anti-Asian letter signed “Jubal Early” in a student newsletter at the College of San Mateo, and a JACL fundraising dinner in San Francisco honoring non-Nikkei groups that backed the redress campaign.

Other pages carried a proposed Little Tokyo monument to the 13,639 veterans of the 100th Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and the Military Intelligence Service, written by Frank Fukuzawa. Commentary included Yoshio Nakashima on a new marker at Linkville Cemetery for 11 people who died at Tulelake, and Jimmy Tokeshi on a chapter scholarship fund. Page 8 announced the new Yutaka Nakazawa Memorial Judo Scholarship.

What’s in this issue

National

• ‘I Hated Them Before; But I Do Now’ Says Letter Writer of Asians in America, by Hokubei Mainichi, page 1. An anonymous letter signed ‘Jubal Early’ containing anti-Asian sentiments was published in a student newsletter at the College of San Mateo, sparking outrage among Asian American students. The newsletter editor defended publishing the piece as an open forum for opinions while acknowledging confusion over whether it represented staff views, and the college president supported publication rights while criticizing failure to verify the writer’s identity.
• Nikkei Named Datapoint Corp. President/CEO, page 1. Michael M. Michigami, 42, was named president and chief executive officer of Datapoint Corp., a maker of computer hardware in San Antonio, Texas. He grew up in Portland, Ore., graduated from Trinity College and the University of Pennsylvania, and previously worked for United Technologies Corp. and GE Credit Corp.
• Nikkei Detective Aids in Uncovering 1,600 Fake Paintings, page 1. An undercover officer posing as a Japanese businessman in Little Tokyo helped uncover a fake art scheme, leading to the arrest of dealer Frank De Marigny and the seizure of 1,600 fraudulent art prints. The investigation linked some forgeries to Anthony Gene Tetro, a notorious West Coast art forger, after Japanese artist Hiro Yamagata spotted a fake watercolor bearing his name in a Beverly Hills gallery.
• Nikkei View in Local Washington State Elections, page 1. Four Nikkei candidates ran for local offices in Washington state elections. The brief notes their candidacies in various county and city races.
• Annapolis Locals Protest Plans to Open Branch of Japanese University, page 2. Residents near Annapolis, Maryland protested plans by Yokohama Academy to open a junior college branch, citing concerns about traffic, property values, and distrust of the Japanese stemming from WWII sentiments. County officials maintained the proposed International College of America was a legal use of the site, while the academy’s chairman and the college’s designated president expressed hope residents would eventually welcome their new neighbors.
• New U.S. Consul General in Osaka Discusses Regional Approach and Trade, page 2. Greg Johnson, the new U.S. consul general in Osaka and first Black American to hold the post in Japan, discussed his plans for a more regional approach to western Japan and addressed U.S.-Japan trade complaints. Johnson also commented on Japanese companies discontinuing racially insensitive depictions of Blacks and discussed his reputation as a golfer following comments from his predecessor John Malott.
• Mineta Chairs House Panel on Disabled, page 3. Rep. Norman Mineta chaired a House Subcommittee hearing on the Americans with Disabilities Act, expressing strong support for the bill protecting 43 million disabled Americans. Mineta cited bipartisan backing from President Bush, House leadership, and overwhelming Senate committee votes.
• Filipino Vet Fairness Act to Expedite U.S. Citizenship Process, page 3. Rep. Norman Mineta told a House Subcommittee that the Filipino Veterans Fairness Act would remedy unfair citizenship barriers faced by Philippine nationals serving in the U.S. armed forces. The bill would amend immigration law to provide special immigrant status for Filipinos serving at least four years in the U.S. Armed Forces, addressing a situation where enlistees could not qualify for citizenship because they never established U.S. residency.

Incarceration & Redress

• Senate Approves Redress as Entitlement, page 1. The Senate approved Sen. Daniel Inouye’s proposal to make redress payments a federal entitlement program beginning in fiscal 1991, passing by a 74-22 vote despite objections from Sen. Jesse Helms. A House/Senate conference committee must now negotiate a compromise, as the House version contains only $50 million with no entitlement provision, with various senators and representatives praising the Senate’s action as a major step toward justice.
• Non-Nikkei Groups Supporting Redress Push Honored by JACL, by J.K. Yamamoto, Hokubei Mainichi, page 1. National JACL held a fundraising dinner in San Francisco honoring non-Nikkei organizations including the American Jewish Committee, Anti-Defamation League, Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, San Francisco Chronicle, and Assemblywoman Jackie Speier for their support of the redress campaign. Speakers including Lt. Gov. Leo McCarthy, Ernest Weiner, Elliot Bien, and Ralph Neas emphasized the importance of coalition-building and urged full and swift implementation of promised reparations.

Community

• First Rohwer Reunion in L.A. Rescheduled, page 2. The first Rohwer Camp reunion has been rescheduled for July 20-21, 1990, at the Stouffer Concourse Hotel in Los Angeles. The event will honor Rohwer Issei pioneers over 80 years old, with contact information provided for further details.
• Asian Growth Rate in L.A. County Noted, page 2. A Los Angeles County Department of Health Services report projects that Asians will be the fastest-growing population in the county by the year 2000. The report shows Asians could outnumber Blacks in the county by that year, though Hispanics will remain the most numerous group overall.
• Financial Aid Guide for Minorities Available, page 2. USC’s Office of Civic and Community Relations has compiled a free list of financial aid resources for minority undergraduate students for 1989-90. The list includes scholarship and foundation information for American Indian, Asian Pacific American, Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino students, compiled by Dr. Samuel Mark and USC senior Jose Jimenez.
• Okinawans Live Longer in Hawaii than in Okinawa, page 3. A medical team from the University of the Ryukyus traveled to Hawaii to conduct free physical examinations of people of Okinawan ancestry as part of a 10-year longevity study. The study compares health outcomes of Okinawans in Hawaii with those living in Okinawa, which has among the longest average lifespans of Japanese prefectures.
• Asian Foundation Solicits Proposals in Memory of Vincent Chin, page 7. The Asian Foundation for Community Development is soliciting grant proposals for Vincent Chin Memorial Grants, funded by Asian Americans for Justice and Safeway Stores, aimed at combating anti-Asian violence and improving community relations. The foundation, the first pan-Asian grant-giving community foundation in the US, has distributed over $240,000 since 1984 and set a Nov. 1, 1989 application deadline.
• Gardena JCI to Honor Six Individuals at Sixth Annual Endowment Testimonial Fete, page 7. Gardena’s Japanese Cultural Institute announced six honorees for its sixth annual endowment testimonial dinner, including George M. Anthony, George I. Hirahara, Kiyoshi Kay Iizuka, and others, to be held at the Torrance Marriott Hotel. The event recognizes individuals based on contributions to JCI and the greater community, continuing a tradition dating back to 1984.
• JACCC Library Gets Books from Asahi Shimbun, page 7. The Franklin D. Murphy Library of the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center received a donation of 366 books worth over $3,400 from Asahi Shimbun, one of Japan’s leading daily newspapers. The gift enhances the library’s collection of more than 11,000 volumes, which specializes in information on Japan and Japanese Americans.
• Matsunaga Adds New TDD Service in Hawaii, page 8. Sen. Spark Matsunaga announced the installation of a new Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) line in his Honolulu office, stating that hearing-impaired individuals deserve the same communication rights as hearing people. The TDD service is accessible during regular business hours Monday through Friday.

Military & Veterans

• Proposed Little Tokyo Nisei War Monument to Focus on WWII Record of 13,639 Veterans, by Frank Fukuzawa, page 3. The 100th/442nd/MIS World War II Monument Committee received broad support for its concept of a Little Tokyo memorial featuring the names of 13,639 Japanese American combat veterans, incorporated into developer Michael Barker’s First Street Plaza Project. The monument will commemorate the achievements of the 100th Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and Military Intelligence Service, who suffered over 700 KIAs and received over 9,000 Purple Hearts while proving Japanese American loyalty during WWII.

Commentary

• Entitlement: Inouye’s Good Idea, page 4. This editorial praises Sen. Inouye’s successful Senate proposal to make redress payments a federal entitlement, which passed 74-22, ensuring funding independent of the annual appropriations process. The piece urges House and Senate conferees to adopt the Senate’s more generous entitlement plan over the House’s token $50 million proposal, given the advanced age of many beneficiaries.
• Dedication to Service, by Yoshio Nakashima, D.D.S., page 4. The NCWNP District governor describes attending the dedication of a new marker for 11 people buried at Linkville Cemetery who died at the Tulelake concentration camp, a project organized by Henry Taketa, Tom Fujimoto, and Ellen Kubo. He also reflects on visiting the Tulelake-Butte Valley County Fair and concerns about commercial overdevelopment threatening Mt. Shasta, California.
• Going Beyond the Community, by Jimmy Tokeshi, page 4. The Downtown Los Angeles JACL Chapter, through its relationship with teacher and chapter president Kitty Sankey at 9th Street Elementary near Skid Row, established a scholarship fund for disadvantaged students after learning about the hardships faced by children in the area. The chapter aims to extend educational opportunity beyond the Japanese American community, drawing parallels to the Karen Toshima murder as evidence of consequences from neglecting community-wide problems.
• The Bug That (Nearly) Derailed P.C., by George Johnston, page 4. The author describes being sidelined by flu while general manager Harry Honda was on vacation, forcing the paper to publish a reduced four-page issue instead of the usual eight pages. He uses the incident to argue for hiring an assistant editor, since the position has remained vacant since Laurie Mochidome’s resignation, and thanks Mochidome for helping copy edit despite no longer being on staff.
• Rebuking Ferguson, page 5. A letter to California Assemblyman Gil Ferguson condemns his remarks during the ACR37 debate as ignorant, insensitive, and racist, particularly his use of the slur ‘Jap’ and dismissal of the presidential commission’s findings on internment causes. The writer, identifying as a veteran, urges Ferguson to understand that the internment resulted from race prejudice rather than military necessity and to learn American history and civics.
• Official Price Rigging Gouges Japanese Consumers, by Mitsuru Saito, Asahi Shimbun, page 5. This translated Japanese press piece examines why Japan maintains notoriously high consumer prices despite yen appreciation and falling oil prices, attributing it to producer-controlled pricing, government protection of industries, and collusion between industry and government dubbed ‘Japan, Inc.’ The article also criticizes Japanese consumer culture for equating high price with quality, exacerbating the problem of unaffordable goods for ordinary citizens.
• Living with Super 301, by Saburo Kawai, Sankei Shimbun, page 5. This translated Japanese press piece discusses resentment in Japan over the Bush administration’s use of Super 301 trade sanctions, while acknowledging rising anti-Japanese sentiment in America. The author argues that bilateralism under Super 301 is dangerous and incompatible with free trade principles, but urges Japan to respond with reasoned policy changes rather than America-bashing given the crucial partnership between the two nations.

Obituaries

• Dyke Miyagawa, 74, Unionist-Newspaperman-Social Worker, page 6. Dyke Daisho Miyagawa died of cancer at his home in Playa del Rey, having begun his career as a cannery organizer in prewar Seattle before working at Minidoka and the Pacific Citizen, then editing Scene magazine and the New York Nichibei. He later earned a master’s degree in social work and spent 20 years as a counselor for the California Department of Corrections, survived by his wife Emiko and children.

JACL

• New National JACL Scholarship: Yutaka Nakazawa Memorial Judo Award Initiated; Ni-dan Woman First Recipient, page 8. National JACL established the Yutaka Nakazawa Memorial Judo Scholarship, with the first special award given to Gayle Alexander, a student of renowned judo instructor Fukuda Sensei, at a Kagami Biraki ceremony. The fund honors Yutaka Nakazawa, a judo practitioner who served in the Imperial Army before becoming a U.S. citizen in 1960, established by his family to perpetuate his lifelong love of the sport.

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