Vol. 114, No. 7, February 21, 1992. 8 pages. View this issue
Anti-Japanese feeling in the news was the main subject of this eight-page issue. Gwen Muranaka reported that Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley warned against Japan bashing during the controversy over the canceled Sumitomo contract for Metro Green Line cars, while Councilman Joel Wachs denied that racism played any part. Other stories covered Baseball Commissioner Fay Vincent refusing to meet with Nintendo over its Seattle Mariners bid, NAACP director Benjamin Hooks calling for a boycott of Japanese cars, and a Jewish community group condemning anti-Asian hate crimes.
Also inside: a civil rights conference marking the 50th anniversary of Executive Order 9066, and Harry Honda’s report on Gary Y. Okihiro’s book “Cane Fires,” about the anti-Japanese movement in Hawaii. Bill Hosokawa wrote about the billion dollars already paid in redress, and the Ventura County JACL chapter installed Dr. Tsujio Kato as president. Tyler Tanaka’s travel column and community notes fill the back page.
What’s in this issue
National
- Los Angeles Mayor Bradley Warns Against Japan Bashing, by Gwen Muranaka, page 1. Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley criticized local politicians for stoking anti-Japanese sentiment during the controversy over canceling the Sumitomo contract to build Metro Green Line cars. He warned that demagogic criticism of Japan could lead to broader racism against Japanese Americans and other minorities.
- Baseball Commissioner Refuses to Meet with Nintendo Over Mariners Bid, page 1. Baseball Commissioner Fay Vincent declined to meet with Nintendo representatives despite earlier saying he was open to discussing the company’s bid to buy the Seattle Mariners. Critics said Vincent’s refusal sent a troubling signal regarding his opposition to the sale to the Japanese-owned company.
- Boycott Japanese Cars, Says NAACP, by Gwen Muranaka, page 1. NAACP executive director Benjamin Hooks called for a boycott of Japanese cars, citing the low number of car franchises owned by African Americans, during a speech marking the NAACP’s 83rd anniversary. Mayor Tom Bradley and others weighed in, with some warning the call could be conflated with broader anti-Japanese sentiment and Black-Asian tensions.
- Jewish Group Condemns Hate Crimes, page 1. The Urban Affairs Commission of the Jewish Community Relations Committee condemned anti-Asian violence and hate crimes on February 11, calling for adherence to American ideals of pluralism and tolerance. JACL had sought a meeting with the group regarding the rise in hate incidents.
- Hate Crime Bill Passes Utah House, by Staff and JACL reports, page 1. The Utah House passed a hate crime statistics bill, HB 111, amid controversy over excluding sexual orientation from its protected categories. A companion bill, HB 112, calls for stiffer penalties for hate crimes but does not specifically mention race or national origin.
- California Introduces Language Rights Bill, page 3. Assemblyman Xavier Becerra introduced AB 2440 to codify regulations requiring that English-only workplace rules be justified by business necessity. The bill is supported by various civil rights organizations including the ACLU and Chinese Chamber of Commerce, and will be heard in committee this spring.
- Councilman Wachs Defends Actions in Sumitomo Dispute, Denies Racism Charge, page 5. Los Angeles Councilman Joel Wachs defended his role in canceling the Sumitomo Metro Green Line contract, calling it a decision free of racism and tainted by corruption concerns rather than bias. Wachs angrily denied Mayor Bradley’s accusations, calling on Bradley to apologize for using racism as a political tool.
- NAACP Boycott Call Sparks Mixed Reactions, page 5. Reactions to Benjamin Hooks’ NAACP boycott call against Japanese automakers varied, with some officials expressing concern about Black-Asian tensions while others said the underlying issue of minority franchise ownership was valid. Toyota representatives noted efforts to increase African American dealership ownership and said the boycott had not affected sales.
Community
- School Official to Investigate Anti-Japan Student Artwork, by Gwen Muranaka, page 1. LAUSD board president Warren Furutani said he would look into anti-Japanese student artwork sent to a county supervisor from an elementary school, emphasizing that the response should focus on education rather than punishment. Furutani said he wants feedback on the purpose of the exercise and may speak with students directly.
- Bank Official to Head Sister-City Program, page 3. Frank Hirata, manager of Japanese Media Relations for Union Bank, has been named chairman of the Los Angeles-Nagoya Sister City Affiliation program. The program, started in the 1960s under President Eisenhower, includes student exchanges and business cooperation initiatives between the two cities.
- George Nakano in the Race for Torrance City Council, page 3. George Nakano, the first Asian American to serve on the Torrance City Council, announced plans to run for re-election for one of three vacant seats. Nakano currently chairs the Finance and Governmental Operations Committee and has served in various civic roles since his election in 1984.
- School Struggles to Reach Students on E.O. 9066 Events, page 5. LAUSD officials made public announcements about Executive Order 9066 commemorative events but faced difficulty reaching students due to school being out of session amid flooding in Southern California. Furutani encouraged individuals to attend the upcoming civil rights conference at UCLA.
- Personally Speaking: Community Notes and Honors, page 8. This roundup column highlights architect Gyo Obata’s return to design leadership at HOK, the donation of Walnut Grove Buddhist Church records to UCLA’s Japanese American Research Project, and various community honors including Dori Takata being named Hawaii’s Young Woman of the Year. It also notes a new executive director hired for the Four Rivers Cultural Center in Oregon.
- Asians Honored by Labor Group, page 8. The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance will honor several community leaders including Los Angeles Councilman Michael Woo, Monterey Park Councilwoman Judy Chu, and Robert Inadomi at an upcoming event. Woo, considering a run for mayor of Los Angeles, will receive the organization’s distinguished service award.
JACL
- Onetime Mayor Leads Ventura County Chapter, by Staff reports, page 3. Dr. Tsujio Kato, onetime mayor of Oxnard, has become president of the Ventura County JACL chapter, following in the footsteps of former Oxnard Mayor Nao Takesugi who led the chapter in 1948. Keynote speaker Bob Bratt, director of the Office of Redress Administration, shared anecdotes from his work at the installation event.
Commentary
- Bob Bratt and His Redress Stories, by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. Columnist Bill Hosokawa reflects on the significant economic and personal impact of the billion dollars already paid out in redress payments to Japanese American claimants. He speculates about untold human interest stories behind the redress process, urging more coverage of individual recipients’ experiences.
- Objects to Racism in Baseball, by Nao Aobayashi, page 4. In this letter to the editor, the writer recounts personal and family experiences with racism, drawing parallels to Commissioner Fay Vincent’s opposition to Nintendo’s purchase of the Seattle Mariners based on national origin. The writer criticizes using Japan as a scapegoat for America’s economic problems and calls for fair treatment regardless of race.
- Wants Japanese TV Program Back on Air, by Ray H. Tedorada, page 4. A letter writer expresses disappointment that KCET-TV, the PBS affiliate, discontinued a Japanese television program. The writer requests that the program be restored to the air.
- Travel Talk: Tips on Fishing, Retirement Travel, and Shyness, by Tyler Tanaka, page 8. Travel columnist Tyler Tanaka discusses fishing opportunities in New Zealand, advises readers to travel sooner rather than later in retirement due to inflation, and offers encouragement to shy travelers to join group tours. He recommends contacting a source in Hilo, Hawaii for New Zealand travel details.
In-Depth
- Moshi Moshi: Liberation of Chinese Slaves, page 4. This historical column recounts an 1872 incident in Yokohama involving the rescue of Chinese slaves from a Peruvian ship, the Maria Luz, and the diplomatic complexities that followed. Japanese official Ohye navigated international law and consular politics to pursue justice for the mistreated Chinese captives.
- Hawaii’s Anti-Japanese Movement Detailed in New Book, by Harry Honda, page 6. Cornell professor Gary Y. Okihiro presented his new book “Cane Fires: The Anti-Japanese Movement in Hawaii, 1865-1945,” revealing collusion between sugar plantation interests, territorial government, and the U.S. military to suppress Japanese American political and labor power. Okihiro uncovered a secret 1922 military internment plan and detailed surveillance tactics used against Japanese voters.
Incarceration & Redress
- Civil Rights Conference to Mark 50th Anniversary of Executive Order 9066, page 5. A civil rights conference will be held commemorating the 50th anniversary of Executive Order 9066, featuring panels on historical perspectives of the movement and applications of redress to other communities. The event includes discussion of civil rights struggles across diverse communities seeking redress.
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