Redress verification and payments, April 1990

Vol. 110, No. 14, April 13, 1990. 8 pages. View this issue

Redress was the main subject of this eight-page issue. Bob Bratt, director of the Office of Redress Administration, met former internees at a verification workshop in Salt Lake City, hosted by the Salt Lake JACL chapter, and warned that delay in returning forms could push payments into the following year. A workshop in Seattle and a meeting in San Jose with Rep. Norman Mineta were announced, and a Colorado item described how a redress check could affect state aid. A profile reported that Minoru Yasui, who challenged Executive Order 9066, was honored with a day in his name in Oregon.

Elsewhere, Alberto Fujimori, a Nisei academic, forced a runoff in Peru’s presidential primary. National JACL President Cressey Nakagawa spoke to diplomats and business leaders in Atlanta, and Bill Hosokawa reviewed Sheila Hamanaka’s book The Journey. Bill Yoshino wrote ahead of the San Diego convention, and readers wrote in on convention topics. Yu-Ai Kai planned a new senior center in San Jose Japantown.

What’s in this issue

Incarceration & Redress

• Apathy to Fill Verification Forms Cited: ORA Director Bratt Estimates Redress Recipients Will Range from Age 69 Up, by P.C. Staff, page 1. ORA Director Bob Bratt and assistant Alice Simpson held a redress verification workshop in Salt Lake City hosted by the Salt Lake JACL chapter, attended by about 75 people. Bratt warned that apathy in returning verification packages could delay payments, urging former internees to respond promptly since checks begin in October.
• Seattle to Host Redress Workshop, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Washington Coalition on Redress will hold an informational workshop on April 21 at Blaine Memorial United Methodist Church featuring ORA administrator Robert Bratt. The coalition, made up of several JACL chapters and Nikkei organizations, compiled a mailing list of over 8,000 individuals to maximize outreach on redress issues.
• Note to Coloradans: Redress Check Affects Certain State Aid, page 2. JACL-LEC Executive Director JoAnne Kagiwada was informed that redress payments could affect eligibility for Colorado income-based assistance programs since the state counts the $20,000 payment as income. JACL urged Coloradans to lobby lawmakers for exemptions similar to laws already adopted in California and Washington.
• Mineta to Sponsor Redress Meeting in San Jose, page 3. Rep. Norman Mineta will sponsor a public meeting with ORA director Bob Bratt on April 19 in San Jose to help identify and verify individuals eligible for redress compensation. The Civil Liberties Act of 1988 program is set to begin releasing $500 million annually starting October 1990.
• Oregon Proclaims Minoru Yasui Recognition Day, by Walt Sakai, page 3. Oregon Governor Neil Goldschmidt signed a proclamation designating March 28, 1990, as Minoru Yasui Recognition Day, honoring the man who challenged Executive Order 9066 and curfew orders in 1942. Family, friends, and civil rights figures gathered at the ceremony and a subsequent dinner in Salem to commemorate Yasui’s legacy of activism for justice and redress.

National

• Political Unknown Nisei, Fujimori Forces Top Presidential Vargas Llosa to Runoff, page 1. Exit polls in Peru’s presidential primary forced a runoff between novelist Mario Vargas Llosa and political newcomer Alberto Fujimori, a Nisei academic. Fujimori, whose parents emigrated from Kumamoto, surged in popularity in the campaign’s final weeks and is now seen as a serious contender against Vargas Llosa.
• 12th Graders Nationwide Tested on History and Civics: 58.9% Correctly Identify WWII Internment, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A Department of Education study found 58.9% of 12th-graders correctly identified Japanese American internment during WWII in a multiple-choice history test. The test, administered by the Educational Testing Service, showed racial breakdowns in scores and praised California’s social studies curriculum for its early emphasis on world and U.S. history.
• Hate Crime Statistics Bill Clears Final Hurdle; House Concurs 402-18, page 3. Legislation requiring the collection and publication of hate crime statistics cleared Congress by a 402-18 House vote, according to Rep. Robert Matsui. The bill, headed to President Bush for signature, mandates the Justice Department to track crimes based on race, religion, sexual orientation, or ethnicity.
• First Japanese Research Facility on American Campus to Open at Irvine, page 3. Hitachi Chemical Company’s $16.5 million Plumwood House research facility, the first Japanese research facility on a U.S. university campus, will hold grand-opening ceremonies April 23 at UC Irvine. The facility will host American and Japanese researchers in biotechnology and coincides with an international symposium honoring Dr. Masayasu Nomura’s 60th birthday.

JACL

• Japan Diplomats and Business Leaders Listen, by Cressey H. Nakagawa, page 1. National JACL President Cressey Nakagawa addressed a meeting of Japanese Consulate Generals and business leaders in Atlanta, explaining the historic and personal reasons Japanese Americans have been reluctant to engage in U.S.-Japan trade debates. He detailed the legacy of Pearl Harbor, wartime internment, and how the conduct of Japanese businesses in America affects perceptions of Japanese Americans.

Obituaries

• JACL Pioneer George Hiura Dies at 81, page 1. Dr. George Yoshimi Hiura, a dentist and early JACL leader in Sonoma County, died March 31 in Palo Alto of renal failure. He was the first Japanese American student at Santa Rosa Junior College, was interned at Poston during WWII, and later resumed his dental practice, retiring in 1985.
• Haruko J. Muranaka, 57, Teacher, page 8. California-born Haruko Muranaka, a special education teacher in New York’s Pleasantville school district, died March 20 at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital. She was named 1989 New York State Teacher of the Year, and a memorial scholarship fund has been established in her honor.
• Shigeru K. Oda, 90, Hawaii Builder, page 8. Shigeru K. Oda, retired owner of S.K. Oda, Ltd., which built many landmark buildings on Hawaii’s Big Island, died March 29 in Hilo. He rose from a plantation apprentice to a successful builder and florist, and received Japan’s Order of the Sacred Treasure for his contributions.

Community

• San Jose Japantown to Break Ground for Senior Center, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Yu-Ai Kai, the Japanese American Community Senior Service in San Jose, will hold groundbreaking ceremonies April 27 for a new $3 million community center. The center anticipates a 64% increase in its service population, driven by growth trends among Asian American seniors in Santa Clara County.
• ‘Glenn Miyashiro…’ Being Heard in Song, page 2. Honolulu comic Frank De Lima recorded a song called ‘Glenn Miyashiro’ set to the tune of ‘Guantanamera,’ which has been played on local radio since Christmas. Two real men named Glenn Miyashiro have had differing reactions to being teased about the song, though De Lima says it’s meant as an affectionate nod to Hawaii’s local humor.
• West L.A. JACL Sponsors Free Business Seminar, page 3. The West Los Angeles JACL is hosting a free business seminar on April 23 featuring Yum Yum Donuts owner Frank H. Watase and marketing specialist Bill Imada. The seminar is part of a monthly lecture series aimed at helping local business owners identify growth resources.
• Latino Officials Protest Racial Name-Calling, page 3. Pomona Councilman Tomas Ursua and city administrator Julio Fuentes protested being called derogatory names, including ‘beaner,’ by fellow councilman C.T. Bryant during a closed-door session. Bryant denied only part of the allegations, while Fuentes compared the term’s offensiveness to racist slurs against Black people.
• Environmentalist Suzuki Quits Funding 2 Grants for Journalism Students, page 3. Canadian television host David Suzuki withdrew sponsorship of two journalism scholarships at Carleton University after a professor there wrote critical reviews of his books. Suzuki said he felt attacked and no longer wished to fund the program from his own pocket.
• Nikkei to Hold Greater Portland Reunion, page 3. A reunion for Nikkei who have lived in Portland or Southwest Washington will be held August 3-5, featuring a banquet, picnics, tours, and other social activities. Registration information is available through the Greater Portland Reunion Committee.

In-Depth

• Issei Motion Picture Collection from 1920s Donated to Museum, Judged Priceless, page 2. The Japanese American National Museum received 40 rolls of rare 1920s motion picture film documenting Japanese American life, donated by Dr. Chiyo Nakata Horiuchi on behalf of the Nakata family. The films, shot by entrepreneur Masahachi Nakata, depict his logging business, family life, and community scenes in the Pacific Northwest.

Arts & Entertainment

• Japanese Language a ‘Hit’ in U.S., Says Teacher, page 3. Yuriko Rollins built the fastest-growing foreign language program in Fairfax County, Virginia, teaching Japanese to over 100 students at Jefferson High for Science and Technology. Her efforts led the county to expand Japanese instruction to all public high schools and select elementary programs, earning her a teaching award.
• The Newsmakers, page 8. This roundup highlights various Japanese American achievers including UCLA scholarship recipient Lenore Kimura, architect Noboru Nakamura honored by the AIA, Seattle Municipal Court Judge Carolyn Kimi Kondo, Illinois Assistant Attorney General Ross Harano, and journalist Jimmie Omura’s induction into the International Authors and Writers Who’s Who. It also covers Rudy Subia’s appointment to a freeway affirmative action committee and commentary on future U.S.-Japan consumer relations.

Commentary

• When U.S.-Japan Relations Run a Fever, AJAs Catch a Chill, page 4. This editorial examines a new U.S.-Japan trade agreement that eased tensions between the two nations while cautioning that implementation challenges remain. It warns that fluctuations in U.S.-Japan relations often create discomfort and backlash for Japanese Americans.
• Up to Convention Time, by Bill Yoshino, page 4. JACL National Director Bill Yoshino outlines the organization’s short-term priorities ahead of the San Diego convention, focusing on redress outreach efforts and support for the 1990 Civil Rights Act. He describes JACL’s role in assisting individuals with redress verification and coordinating congressional support for civil rights legislation.
• Pictures More Powerful Than Words, by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. Bill Hosokawa reviews Sheila Hamanaka’s book ‘The Journey,’ which tells the Japanese American story through paintings adapted from a 25-foot mural. He praises the visual power of Hamanaka’s artwork in depicting internment, injustice, and the Nisei soldiers’ service despite the book’s necessarily simplified text.
• Ex-Diplomat Hints Latent Racism in ‘Japan-Bashing’, page 4. Former U.S. ambassador William H. Glysteen argues that America’s Japan-bashing reflects latent racism, given that Germany, another WWII adversary turned economic success, draws far less criticism. He contends that shifting power balances between the U.S. and Japan require adjustment rather than blame directed at Japan.
• Convention Topics, by Hank Sakai, page 5. A letter writer urges JACL to discuss redress achievements and Japanese corporate contributions at the national convention, criticizing JACL’s reluctance to seek funding from Japanese corporations. He argues such funds could help JACL combat anti-Asian backlash and educate the public on U.S.-Japan issues.
• Frontier Fan, by Sylvia K. Kobayashi, page 5. A Nisei reader from Anchorage, Alaska, expresses appreciation for the Pacific Citizen and particularly Bill Hosokawa’s column. She describes her volunteer work assisting Japanese visitors and her involvement with Alaska’s small Japanese American community.
• Younger Writers Sought, by Harry R. Oshiro, page 5. A reader suggests the Pacific Citizen switch from a weekly to a biweekly or monthly schedule to reduce pressure on staff and columnists. He also proposes featuring more writing from younger contributors.
• A Heady Subject, by Stanley Kanzaki, page 5. Responding to Bill Hosokawa’s column on Japanese toilet technology, a reader recounts observations of manual cleaning methods in Japanese train station restrooms and complains about the quality of Japanese toilet paper. He humorously suggests American entrepreneurs could export better toilet paper to Japan.
• No Need to Make More Enemies, by Mitsu Yasuda, page 5. A reader criticizes fellow letter writers’ harsh reactions to questions about nationality and heritage, arguing that most people who ask such questions mean well and shouldn’t be treated as enemies. She recounts a personal anecdote involving Barbara Bush and reflects on identity issues faced by Japanese Americans.
• Presentist Protests, by Eiji Suyama, page 7. A reader disputes historical claims made in a previous letter, recommending further reading and referencing dramatized histories to correct inaccuracies. The letter engages in a debate over historical interpretation relevant to Japanese American history.

Military & Veterans

• Omaha JACL Chapter Installs New Officers, page 6. The Omaha JACL chapter installed new officers including co-presidents Jackie Shindo and Akiye M. Rebarich, with National Director Bill Yoshino as guest speaker. Local officials including a city councilman and a state senator’s aides attended the installation.

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