Redress help line, PSWDC awards and Hawaii’s Day of Remembrance

Vol. 110, No. 9, March 9, 1990. 8 pages. View this issue

Redress filled the front page of this eight-page issue. The Office of Redress Administration opened a toll-free Help Line and had sent identity verification packets to more than 10,300 people over age 75. JoAnne H. Kagiwada reported that nearly all states had confirmed redress payments would be exempt from state income tax. Hawaii marked the Day of Remembrance, the 48th anniversary of Executive Order 9066, with a proclamation from Gov. John Waihee. George Johnston covered the Pacific Southwest District Council’s recognitions luncheon, where Toy Kanegai, Alice Nishikawa and Ken Hayashi received Lifetime Achievement awards.

Elsewhere, Bill Hosokawa wrote about Harry Honda’s move from general manager to contributing editor, and Harry K. Honda reported on a workshop comparing Hawaiian and Mainland Nikkei. Letters from Lance T. Izumi and Ernest H. Weiner responded to an editorial on affirmative action. Page 3 noted the April 9 deadline for a veterans memorial design in Little Tokyo. Page 8 lists arts events and tours.

What’s in this issue

Community

  • Pacific Southwest District Honors Its Best at Biennial Recognitions Luncheon, by George Johnston, page 1. The JACL’s Pacific Southwest District Council held its second biennial recognitions luncheon on March 4 at Lawry’s California Center in Los Angeles, attracting about 225 people. The event honored Toy Kanegai, Alice Nishikawa and Ken Hayashi with Lifetime Achievement awards, along with numerous Distinguished Service and chapter awards.
  • Buddaheads vs. Kotonks: Cultures of Hawaiian and Mainland Nikkei Explored, by Harry K. Honda, page 2. A workshop at the Japanese American National Museum’s annual meeting in Newport Beach featured scholars Franklin Odo, Gary Okihiro, Gail Nomura and Ronald Takaki discussing similarities and differences between Hawaiian and Mainland Nikkei experiences. Topics included cultural identity, plantation life, labor union mentality, and famous Nisei athletes from Hawaii versus the Mainland.
  • Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month Sought in Sen. Matsunaga Bill, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Sen. Spark Matsunaga introduced S.2111 to extend Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week to a month-long observance in May, with 22 cosponsors. The bill would give government agencies and private groups more flexibility in planning events similar to Black History Month and Hispanic Heritage Month.
  • Nine Queen Candidates to Vie in 50th Nisei Week, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Nine candidates will compete for the title of Miss Nisei Week during the 50th anniversary Nisei Week Japanese Festival in Los Angeles. Interested young women were directed to contact various sponsoring community organizations.
  • Annual Nat’l JACL Credit Union Meeting Set for Saturday, March 17, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The National JACL Credit Union will hold its annual meeting on March 17 at the Salt Lake Airport Hilton, featuring a social hour, dinner, and entertainment by Michael Endo. The Credit Union also announced two openings for board members with specific eligibility requirements.
  • ‘Dragon’ Runners/Walkers to Help Sacramento APCC, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The 8K ‘Dragon Run ’90’ and two-mile walkathon in Sacramento will benefit Asian Pacific Community Counseling’s bilingual and bicultural mental health services. The event on March 31 offers T-shirts, awards for top finishers, and pledge-based walkathon prizes.
  • UC Santa Cruz Senior Who Neither Read or Wrote Nihongo Wins Japanese-Speaking Society Speech Contest, by Joan Ward, page 3. Lizanne Kaiser, who could not read or write Japanese when she entered UC Santa Cruz in 1985, won first-place honors and a $600 prize in the 16th annual speech contest sponsored by the Japanese-Speaking Society of America. Her winning speech, drawn from her senior thesis, examined the controversy surrounding a speech by former Nagasaki mayor Hitoshi Motoshima about Emperor Hirohito’s wartime responsibility.
  • The Newsmakers, by P.C. Staff, page 6. This roundup column profiles various Japanese American achievers including swimmer Margo Diamond, drug abuse program director Michael Watanabe, wrestler Thomas Yamamoto, Microsoft executive Scott Oki, Seattle Art Museum curator Chiyo Ishikawa, Seattle Aquarium director Cindi Shiota, and Hawaii Supreme Court appointee Ronald T.Y. Moon. It also covers community leaders Helen Nakano, Sakai Osaki, Karen Kai, and Gardena councilman Mas Fukai.
  • J-Town Revue Amateurs to Perform at Benefit Show, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California will host a ‘J-Town Revue’ Nikkei variety show fundraiser on May 19 at the AMC Kabuki 8 Theatres. The event seeks to highlight hidden talent in the Japantown community and welcomes performers of all ages and skill levels.
  • JACEX Project Features Homestays in Japan, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Japanese American Cultural Exchange Program is offering a Fall Foliage Tour of Japan from Oct. 26-Nov. 11, limited to 20 participants on a first-come basis. The 17-day tour includes four homestays, a stay at a 700-year-old temple in Kyoto, and costs $2,860 including airfare and most meals.
  • Nikkei Benefit Cruise in Caribbean Announced, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California and the Japanese Community Youth Council are jointly promoting a seven-day ‘1990 Nikkei Caribbean Cruise’ fundraiser departing Oct. 27 from Florida. For every participant, a $150 tax-deductible donation will be made to a joint community fund, with prices starting at $1,182 per person.

Incarceration & Redress

  • Toll-Free Help Line on Redress Questions: (800) 395-4672, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Department of Justice’s Office of Redress Administration has installed a toll-free Help Line to assist Japanese Americans with questions on submitting documentation required for redress payments. ORA also plans a TDD line for hearing-impaired individuals by month’s end, with the Help Line operating weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern time.
  • Most States Tell JACL-LEC Redress Payments Will Be Exempt from Income Tax; Follow-up Urged, by JoAnne H. Kagiwada, page 1. A survey by the Washington JACL-LEC Office found that nearly all states have confirmed redress payments will be exempt from state income tax, with only Mississippi in question. The article details state-by-state responses regarding tax exemption and whether redress payments will affect eligibility for social service benefits, urging recipients to follow up with their state agencies.
  • Over 10,000 Redress Prospects Over Age 75 Identified by ORA, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Office of Redress Administration is sending identity verification packets to eligible persons age 75 and older, having sent out over 10,300 letters so far. A special verification unit is handling more complex ‘hard’ cases where eligibility documentation is less clear.
  • Day of Remembrance, Hawaiian Style, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Hawaii Gov. John Waihee and Honolulu officials formally recognized the 1990 Day of Remembrance on Feb. 19, the 48th anniversary of Executive Order 9066, with a proclamation. The Hawaii House of Representatives praised the Honolulu JACL for reminding citizens of their constitutional rights.

National

  • Intensive Study of Asia for Journalists Funded, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The University of Hawaii received a $178,500 grant from the Gannett Foundation to fund a fellowship program offering U.S. journalists a year of intensive study about Asia. Six U.S. journalists and one senior journalist from China will study Asian culture, economics and politics before returning to their newspapers.
  • Minority Opportunities in Journalism Supported, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Gannett Foundation announced a $100,000 grant to the American Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation to improve minority opportunities in newspapering. The grant supports ANPA’s Industry-wide Task Force on Minorities in Newspapers, addressing under-representation confirmed by a 1988 survey.
  • Presidential Primaries Eyed for ‘Sumo Tuesday’, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Syndicated columnist Martin Schram coined the term ‘Sumo Tuesday’ to describe a potential political heavyweight primary event if California, Florida and Texas hold presidential primaries on the first Tuesday in March. This would precede Super Tuesday, when many Southern states hold their primaries.
  • L.A. City Attorney Renews Move to Avoid Minorities Census Undercounting of 1980, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Los Angeles City Attorney Jim Hahn accused the U.S. Department of Commerce of ‘bad faith’ and warned of further legal action unless 1990 census guidelines are rewritten to address chronic undercounting of minorities. The 1980 census undercounted Los Angeles by 4.6% citywide, with Blacks, Hispanics and Asian Americans disproportionately affected.

JACL

  • Convention Booklet Ad Deadline Extended, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The deadline for advertising in the official commemorative publication of the 1990 National JACL Convention in San Diego has been extended to April 1. Order forms and rate information are available by calling the convention office.
  • PSWDC Awards Continued, by P.C. Staff, page 7. This continuation of the PSWDC recognitions luncheon coverage lists numerous chapter awards for outstanding service and special achievement across categories including civil rights, redress, leadership development and aging/retirement. Governor Hokoyama highlighted upcoming district priorities including a board retreat, the retirement of Regional Director John Saito, and the June National JACL Convention in San Diego.
  • 1000 Club Photo Contest Rules Set, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Japan Airlines has donated two round-trip tickets to Tokyo as prizes for the 1000 Club photo contest, open to JACL members interested in amateur photography with pictures taken in Japan. Entries are due by May 25 with judging held in Chicago and winners announced at the Convention’s Opening Mixer.

Obituaries

  • Rev. Morikawa Memorial Celebration Set April 7, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The late Rev. Jitsuo Morikawa, JACL Nisei of the Biennium in 1954, will be honored at a memorial celebration on April 7 at Almansor Court in Alhambra, California. The event includes a fellowship hour and dinner for $30 per person.
  • Deaths, by P.C. Staff, page 6. This obituary section lists the deaths of several community members including Sue Tachikawa, a 99-year-old Nihongo teacher in Honolulu who taught for decades at Hawaii Jogakko and Tachikawa Japanese Language School. Other listed deaths include Ichiro Masuhara, Masuji Katano, Mitsuko Utsumi, Masaharu Munesato, G. Nobuyoshi Inouye, Saku Ishida, Keichi Ito, and Keiko Iwata, with surviving family members noted.

Military & Veterans

  • April 9 Deadline Near for Little Tokyo Memorial for WW2 Nisei Servicemen, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The World War II Japanese American Veterans Memorial international design competition, sponsored by the 100th/442nd/MIS World War II Memorial Foundation, has a submission deadline of April 9, 1990. The memorial will be built in First Street Plaza in downtown Los Angeles, linking Little Tokyo with the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Japanese American National Museum.
  • St. Louis JACL Inaugural Dinner: Nikkei Veterans of WWII, Korea, Vietnam Honored by City, Officials, JACL Chapter, by Nikki Hara, page 7. The St. Louis JACL held its 44th Inaugural Dinner featuring a special tribute to chapter veterans, with St. Louis Mayor Vincent Schoemhl declaring Feb. 3 as Japanese American Veterans Day. National JACL president Cressey Nakagawa spoke about U.S.-Japan relations and installed the 1990 board of directors.

Commentary

  • The Nikkei Stake in Trade Matters, page 4. An editorial discusses the Bush-Kaifu summit on U.S.-Japan trade issues, noting that despite heated rhetoric on both sides, the meeting allowed for more reasoned dialogue on economic concerns. The piece argues Japanese Americans have a continuing stake in good U.S.-Japan relations since anti-Japan sentiment often results in bashing of Japanese Americans as well.
  • Iacocca’s ‘Japan-Bashing’, page 4. An editorial criticizes Lee Iacocca for blaming Japan for Chrysler’s financial troubles rather than addressing domestic competitive deficiencies. It cites data showing Japanese consumers buy comparable amounts of U.S. products as other nations, and calls for the U.S. to improve education, reduce debt, and develop export programs instead of angry rhetoric.
  • Affirmative Action I, by Lance T. Izumi, page 4. A letter to the editor praises the Pacific Citizen’s editorial on affirmative action quotas, arguing that racial quotas harm Asian Americans by limiting their admissions based on merit. The writer criticizes liberal Asian leaders for supporting quota systems that he says hurt their own community.
  • A Quiet Change, by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. This column reflects on Harry Honda’s transition from general manager of Pacific Citizen to contributing editor, tracing the newspaper’s history from its origins as Nikkei Shimin through the Larry Tajiri and Honda eras. Hosokawa praises Honda’s decades of service and encyclopedic knowledge of Nikkei history, hoping he will record untold stories from that history.
  • Mencken No Anti-Semite, by Jin Konomi, page 4. The columnist discusses differing views on historical figures, criticizing Thomas Jefferson’s treatment of his slave mistress Sally Hemmings while defending H.L. Mencken against charges of anti-Semitism. He quotes a letter to the Tribune arguing Mencken’s private diary comments were misunderstood and that his public writings showed concern for persecuted Jews.
  • Affirmative Action II, by Ernest H. Weiner, page 5. The Executive Director of the American Jewish Committee writes that the Pacific Citizen’s editorial on affirmative action quotas resonates with the Jewish community’s own historical experience. He argues merit-based systems are being devalued and calls for collective action against quota abuses.
  • Olympia JACLers Correction, by Nancy (Sato) Wicker, page 5. A letter to the editor from Lacey, Washington corrects an error in a previous issue regarding Olympia JACL members. The Pacific Citizen apologizes for the error and confirms the correction.

In-Depth

  • 20 Young Men from Kochi Prefecture Represent First Issei in Georgia in 1880, by Masakazu Iwata, page 5. This historical excerpt details the settlement of Issei farmers in Florida and Georgia, including Sukeji Morikami’s produce distribution business in Delray Beach and the Maryfield Plantation lettuce farming operation in White Oak, Georgia. It chronicles the life of pioneering Issei Sachihiko Butsuyen and the Omaye family’s struggles and successes in agriculture across multiple states.

Arts & Entertainment

  • AAPAA ‘Jimmie Awards’ Nights to Honor Four Producers and Company, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Association of Asian Pacific American Artists will honor four production companies at its March 19 ‘Jimmie Awards’ dinner for balanced portrayals of Asian Pacific American characters in entertainment media. Special awards will also go to actress Beulah Quo, Security Pacific National Bank, and the Mark Taper Forum.
  • No. Calif. to Host Japanese Canadian Singer, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Japanese Canadian singer/songwriter Terry Watada will perform at the Ohana Cultural Center in Oakland on March 10. The Toronto-based artist, known for albums including Runaway Horses and Birds on the Wing, is currently finishing a new album in New York City.
  • Jude Narita Play Back for L.A. Reopening, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Actress Jude Narita’s one-woman show Coming into Passion, Song for a Sansei reopened at the Whitefire Theatre in Sherman Oaks and runs through March 25. Discounts are available for groups, seniors and students on certain performance days.

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