Days of Waiting, the JACL convention and U.S.-Japan relations

Vol. 111, No. 2, July 20, 1990. 12 pages. View this issue

Steven Okazaki’s documentary “Days of Waiting” led the news. The film tells the story of Estelle Peck Ishigo, a Caucasian woman who was held with her Nisei husband during the World War II incarceration (often called internment), and it was set to air nationally on PBS. J.K. Yamamoto profiled Okazaki and how he made the film. Much of the rest came from the JACL National Convention in San Diego, where Ed Mitoma reported on workshops about U.S.-Japan relations with Sheila K. Johnson, Sheridan Tatsuno, Susan Mochizuki and Neil Sandberg. Glen S. Fukushima and Harry H.L. Kitano also wrote.

Other news included the Senate’s passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1990, a summary of resolutions adopted by the JACL National Council, and the first Rohwer reunion, which drew 1,200 guests. Bill Hosokawa remembered George Nakashima and other Nisei trailblazers, and Harry K. Honda reported on Alberto Fujimori’s inauguration in Peru and a PANA karaoke concert in Mexico City.

What’s in this issue

Arts & Entertainment

• ‘Days of Waiting’ Documentary on Camp Artist Estelle Ishigo to Air on PBS, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Steven Okazaki’s award-winning documentary ‘Days of Waiting’ about Estelle Peck Ishigo, a Caucasian woman interned with her Nisei husband during WWII, will air nationally on PBS in August. The film uses Ishigo’s sketches, paintings and photographs to depict camp life and her impoverished postwar years.
• Steve Okazaki’s Latest Documentary Film: ‘Days of Waiting’ Tells Arthur-Estelle Ishigo Story, by J.K. Yamamoto, page 9. This in-depth profile details filmmaker Steven Okazaki’s process of creating ‘Days of Waiting’ about Estelle Peck Ishigo, who married her Nisei husband despite anti-miscegenation laws and joined him in internment camps. Okazaki discusses finding Ishigo in poor health, piecing together her story from personal papers, and the film’s reception at festivals.
• NBC to Air New Movie About Hiroshima Bomb, by P.C. Staff, page 12. NBC will air ‘Hiroshima Out of the Ashes’ starring Max Von Sydow, Judd Nelson and Kim Miyori, depicting Hiroshima citizens rebuilding after the atomic bomb. The telecast coincides with the 45th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing and also features Pat Morita, Mako, and Tamlyn Tomita.

National

• Number of Asian Faculty on Increase at CSU, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Ethnic and women faculty numbers have increased steadily over the past three years at the 19 California State University campuses. Asian American faculty now comprise 8.1 percent (999) of the 12,230 full-time CSU faculty members.
• Tanouye Planning Move to U.C. Berkeley, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Mark Tanouye, the biology professor fighting for tenure at Caltech, will relocate to UC Berkeley after being terminated from Caltech this summer. The JACL National Council passed a resolution at its biennial convention supporting Tanouye.
• Senate Passes Civil Rights Act of 1990, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Senate passed the Civil Rights Act of 1990 by a vote of 65 to 34, reversing six 1989 Supreme Court decisions that limited job discrimination victims’ rights. JACL Washington Representative Paul Igasaki called it an important victory, though the White House has threatened a veto.
• Calif. Legislature Opposes Census’s Asian Undercount, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The California legislature voted overwhelmingly to oppose Census Bureau plans that would classify Asian and Pacific Islanders as white in its post-enumeration survey. Assemblyman Richard Floyd’s resolution asks Congress to require a separate Asian Pacific category to prevent undercounting.
• Fujimori Phenomenon: Alberto Fujimori to Be Sworn into Office on His Birthday Tomorrow, by Harry K. Honda, page 1. Peruvian Nikkei economists spoke in Mexico City about Dr. Alberto Fujimori’s historic inauguration as Peru’s president, which coincidentally falls on his 52nd birthday. PANA leaders discussed Peru’s economic crisis, including inflation and guerrilla disruptions, ahead of the momentous event.
• Fujimori Gets Pledge from Japan on Aid, by P.C. Staff, page 2. President-elect Alberto Fujimori secured Japan’s pledge to send an economic cooperation mission to Peru after meeting with Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu. Fujimori also visited relatives in Kumamoto-ken, and Japanese officials said the missions typically lead to official commitments.
• Japanese Reviews Textbooks on World War II Role, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A study by Takashi Koshida found that Japanese social studies textbooks on WWII are less detailed than those used in other Asian nations regarding Japan’s wartime role. Koshida, principal of Gakushuin High School, noted the key difference is that Japan was the aggressor while other Asian nations were victims.
• Ninth PANA Karaoke Concert in Mexico: Paraguay Sets PANA Convention for July 25-28, 1991, in Asuncion, by Harry K. Honda, page 12. The Pan American Nikkei Association announced its next convention will be held in Asuncion, Paraguay in 1991, following a karaoke competition in Mexico City that drew 800 fans including performers from Hawaii and Brazil. A young Sansei from Brazil won the grand prize of a round-trip JAL ticket to Japan.

Community

• Brea Community ‘Visiting’ Japan, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Brea, California is hosting a month-long civic program called ‘Visit to Japan’ from July 14 to Aug. 17 at its Civic and Cultural Center, featuring Japanese daily life, traditions and celebrations. The program opened with a Shinto wedding ceremony and includes an art show and Saturday specials sponsored by various Japanese and local benefactors.
• Rosemead City Amends Pro-English Sign Ordinance, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Rosemead city council defeated a threatening pro-English sign ordinance that would have required half of signs in the community to be in English. Asian Pacific business owners and civil rights advocates claimed a local victory after the council passed a less stringent version.
• Historical Group Panel on Min Yasui Set, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A panel titled ‘Community and Biography: The Case of Minoru Yasui’ will be presented at the University of Utah during the American Historical Association’s annual meeting. Panelists include scholars from San Jose State, University of Oregon, and University of Hawaii, with Holly Yasui offering comments.
• Truck Manufacturer Settles Lawsuit Against ‘Stereotypic’ Imagery in Ads, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Hyster Company settled an EEOC lawsuit alleging discrimination against former employee Max Ozawa after running ads featuring stereotypical Japanese imagery like sumo wrestlers and samurai. Ozawa had protested that the campaign created an unfavorable environment for Japanese Americans.
• CSU Long Beach Enrolls More Asians, by P.C. Staff, page 2. California State University enrollment of first-time Asian American freshmen has risen substantially over five years, increasing 71.4 percent between 1984 and 1989. Overall freshman enrollment grew only 22.6 percent during the same period.
• 1,200 Attend First Rohwer Reunion, by Harry Honda, page 2. The First Rohwer Reunion drew 1,200 guests including 40 Issei pioneers in their 90s, with George Takei as main speaker recalling his childhood at the camp. The reunion also honored nurse Thelma McBride and featured efforts by George Sakaguchi to restore crumbling monuments at the camp cemetery.
• Michener for Saving a Bit of Wyoming Ranch, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Author James Michener, a JACL 1000 Club Life member, advised Wyoming residents celebrating the state centennial to preserve a ranch for future generations. He also urged against further development incursions on Yellowstone and Grand Tetons.
• Asian American Journalists Assn. Awards Student Scholarships, by P.C. Staff, page 3. AAJA named seven students to share $10,000 in scholarships from a competitive field of 12 finalists, including top winners Krishnan Anantharaman and Sandy Louey. Since 1984, AAJA and its chapters have awarded over $125,000 to students pursuing journalism careers.
• San Jose United Way Honors Agency for Asians, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Asian Americans for Community Involvement (AACI) received United Way’s ‘Vida’ Award of Life at a dinner attended by more than 600 people. AACI is the largest agency serving Asian Americans in Santa Clara County, having served 12,000 clients last year across nine Asian communities.
• The Newsmakers, by P.C. Staff, page 8. This roundup profiles several notable Japanese Americans including Dr. Paul Sakamoto, who stepped down after 15 years as superintendent of Mountain View-Los Altos schools; Rose Matsui Ochi, honored by NOW Legal Defense Fund; and two UH-Hilo faculty members receiving teaching excellence awards. It also mentions two Nikkei trainees selected for the LA Times minority editorial training program.
• Pacific Business Bank Rated Among the ‘Safest’, by P.C. Staff, page 9. Pacific Business Bank has been rated one of the safest banks in the United States according to Bauer Financial Reports Inc. It is one of only four banks in the Long Beach/South Bay region to receive this recognition.

JACL

• Inagaki Chapter of Biennium Winners Announced at Convention, by P.C. Staff, page 2. San Francisco JACL, chaired by Greg Marutani, was honored as Chapter of the Biennium and received the George J. Inagaki Prize, with Diablo Valley JACL as runner-up. San Francisco was recognized for its work on California textbook revisions regarding the internment experience.
• Local Bar Assn. Honors Seattle JACL, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Seattle JACL chapter received the Outstanding Non-Lawyer Award from the Seattle-King County Bar Association for its distinguished service in the redress movement, the first time an organization rather than individual won the award. Actor Richard Dysart of ‘L.A. Law’ was the keynote speaker praising the chapter’s efforts.
• Summary of Resolutions Adopted by the JACL National Council at the 1990 Biennial Convention, by P.C. Staff, page 10. The JACL National Council adopted numerous resolutions including recognition of WWII draft resisters’ patriotism, support for Dr. Mark Tanouye’s tenure case, and condemnation of the Beijing Massacre. Other resolutions addressed civil rights committees, scholarship programs, and Native American treaty rights.

Incarceration & Redress

• ORA’s Bratt to Answer Questions About Redress in Bay Area, Fresno, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Robert Bratt of the Justice Department’s Office of Redress Administration will hold forums in San Francisco and Fresno to answer questions about the redress payment process. Payments will begin in October to those with final confirmation letters born before June 1921.
• Visit and Reminiscences of a JACLer at WWII Kamikaze Pilots Peace Memorial, by Naomi Kashiwabara, page 3. The author recounts visiting a memorial hall in Chiran, Japan honoring 1,026 Kamikaze pilots who trained there before their WWII attacks near Okinawa. The memorial displays photographs, mementoes, and verses written by the young pilots, many of whom were college-age volunteers.

Commentary

• A ‘Very’ Serious Matter, by P.C. Staff, page 4. This editorial discusses Arthur A. Fletcher’s warning that civil rights are a matter of national security, as white males will constitute less than 20 percent of the workforce within 15 years. The editorial invokes the late Min Yasui’s motto about pulling together rather than apart.
• Monitor, by P.C. Staff, page 4. This column features controversial quotes about Japanese real estate investment in Hawaii, including a letter to the Honolulu Star Bulletin suggesting a ban on sales to Japanese speculators and referencing Pearl Harbor. It also includes a Jay Leno joke from the Tonight Show about Japanese ownership of Hawaii.
• Nisei Giants and Trail-Blazers, by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. This column pays tribute to furniture designer George Nakashima, who died at 85, as one of the ‘Nisei giants’ who overcame obstacles of their era. The piece also honors architect Minoru Yamasaki and reflects on other trailblazing Nisei in various professions who deserve to be remembered.
• Ethnic Labels, by Bill Marutani, page 4. This column discusses the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (APABA), a new national organization of APA lawyers with nearly 2,000 members addressing issues like the Civil Rights Act of 1990 and anti-Asian violence. The author details APABA’s Washington D.C. lobbying efforts and its potential affiliation with the American Bar Association.
• Giving Credit, by May Sasaki, page 4. This letter to the editor credits Ben Nakagawa of the Seattle Chapter JACL as the originator of the 1988 resolution recognizing WWII draft resisters, which was later passed unanimously in 1990. The author asks for correction of the omission in previous convention coverage.

In-Depth

• U.S.-Japan Relations From the Perspectives of a Social Anthropologist — Bloom Is Over, by Ed Mitoma, page 5. Dr. Sheila K. Johnson’s convention workshop presentation traces American attitudes toward Japan from ‘Madam Butterfly’ themes to a current ‘villain period’ reflected in bestselling novels. She warns of a potential economic crisis and backlash affecting Japanese Americans as Japan’s economic dominance grows.
• U.S.-Japan Relations After 10 Years Shows Up Blind Spot in America, by Ed Mitoma, page 5. Sheridan Tatsuno’s presentation uses a personal analogy about losing track of family finances to illustrate how the U.S. has lost competitiveness to Japan. He argues America has a blind spot regarding Japanese creativity and warns of a impending recession due to mounting debt.
• Japan Fever Hits Washington, by Ed Mitoma, page 5. Susan Mochizuki’s presentation describes how Washington State has benefited from Japanese investment despite public skepticism about foreign ownership. She notes that Japanese real estate investments represent less than 2 percent of the total despite public perception it’s too large.
• Problem: Cultural Differences, by Ed Mitoma, page 5. Neil Sandberg’s presentation examines whether the cultural gap between the U.S. and Japan can be narrowed, tracing historical tensions back to Commodore Perry’s 1853 visit. He argues JACL can serve as ‘cultural navigators’ to help interpret Japan to the U.S. and vice versa.
• U.S.-Japan Relations Picture Changing, by Ed Mitoma, page 6. Professor Kenneth Oye’s presentation uses economic data to show Japan’s rising investment and productivity relative to the U.S. amid the end of the Cold War. He warns that Japan may be replacing the USSR as America’s feared enemy, citing personal experiences with anti-Japanese sentiment.
• Changes: Acculturation of Asian Americans, by Yoshito Kawahara, Ph.D, page 7. Dr. Kawahara’s research examines whether significant value differences persist between Asian Americans and European Americans despite acculturation. His findings show culturally-based values persisted through three generations before changing in the fourth generation (Yonsei).
• U.S.-Japan Relations on a Collision Course?, by Glen S. Fukushima, page 7. Fukushima examines severe tests facing U.S.-Japan relations including trade imbalances and Japanese investment, noting that 52-68 percent of Americans view Japan’s economic threat as greater than the Soviet military threat. He argues both countries need political leadership to move toward a more constructive relationship.
• Thoughts About the Future, by Harry H.L. Kitano, Ph.D, page 7. Kitano predicts the Japanese American population will decline relative to other Asian American groups while intermarriage rates remain over 50 percent. He discusses the aging Nisei population, changing family structures, and continued stereotyping in mass media.
• Comments: Workshop Dialogue Continued, by Ed Mitoma, page 10. This continuation of workshop dialogue covers discussions on U.S.-Japan educational exchanges, Japanese corporate R&D centers on U.S. campuses like Hitachi’s facility at UC Irvine, and Japan’s economic resilience. Panelists debated whether industrial policy could work in the U.S. and the implications of increased Japanese investment in American education.

Obituaries

• Fred Ono, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Fred Ono, 72, a Seattle-born Nisei of Cleveland, Ohio, died June 13. He is survived by his wife Amy, daughter Elizabeth Rohel, and granddaughter Kate.

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