Vol. 115, No. 4, August 14, 1992. 16 pages. View this issue
Lillian Kimura became the first woman elected president of JACL at the 32nd Biennial Convention in Denver, and the news from the floor filled this 16-page issue. Richard Suenaga reported on her win and on a reorganization resolution that was defeated but expected to return in revised form. Gwen Muranaka covered the balloting mix-up that first named John Saito the winner, and his concession in the interest of the organization. Inside are the resolutions the National Council considered, the Sayonara Banquet, and Rep. George Miller and Mayor Rosalie Gould honored with the Edison Uno Civil Rights Award.
Also in this issue: Legacy Fund grants to chapters, a report on redress funding bills and about 77,800 eligible recipients, and a conference marking the 50th anniversary of the Minidoka camp. Harry K. Honda reviewed the convention booklet, Bill Marutani wrote about S.B. Woo, and letters debated Cressey Nakagawa’s trip to Japan.
What’s in this issue
JACL
- Kimura Wins Presidency; Reorganization Resolution Defeated for Now But Will Come Back Retooled, by Richard Suenaga, page 1. Lillian Kimura was elected the first woman president of JACL at the 32nd Biennial Convention in Denver, which was packed with discussions, social events, and controversy. A reorganization resolution was defeated but is expected to return in a revised form.
- Mix-Up Mars Election, by Gwen Muranaka, page 1. Controversy and chaos threatened to overshadow the JACL national biennial convention after a series of balloting snafus initially declared John Saito the winner before a revised tally gave Lillian Kimura the presidency. After debate, Saito graciously conceded defeat in the interest of moving the organization forward, and the room stood to honor his gesture.
- Furutani to Run for L.A. Council, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Warren Furutani confirmed to Pacific Citizen that he is planning to run for Los Angeles City Council, though he has not yet officially announced. He said his campaign would shift focus from education quality issues to broader quality of life issues, and stressed the importance of JA involvement in issues beyond the community.
- Sayonara Banquet Caps Convention with Awards and New Officers, page 6. The Sayonara Banquet on Aug. 8 honored Tomio Moriguchi and Kristi Yamaguchi as Japanese Americans of the Biennium and featured keynote speaker Sen. Daniel Inouye along with numerous dignitaries. Outgoing president Cressey Nakagawa gave his farewell speech and thanked his executive committee before the new JACL officers were introduced.
- Sayonara Banquet: Kimura’s First Speech, Awards Continued, page 7. New JACL President Lillian Kimura paid tribute to the women of JACL in her first speech as president and commended John Saito for his graciousness during the election controversy. Winners of the Minoru Yasui Oratorical Contest, Emily Durham and Miwa Takanaka, were also recognized at the banquet.
- California Congressman, Arkansas Mayor Honored with Uno Civil Rights Award, by Richard Suenaga, page 8. At the National JACL Award Banquet, Rep. George Miller and McGehee, Ark. Mayor Rosalie Gould received the Edison Uno Civil Rights Award for their support of the Japanese American community and redress efforts. Other awards included the George Inagaki Chapter Citizenship Award to the Honolulu and San Jose chapters, and the Mike Masaoka Congressional Internship to Joseph Horiye.
- Legacy Fund Grant Awards to Chapters Announced, page 9. Several JACL chapters, including Philadelphia, Contra Costa, Asian Pacific American Network, and Detroit, received Legacy Fund grants for projects addressing anti-Asian violence, educational curricula on Japanese American internment, and community conferences. Each project proposal detailed its goals for education and countering Japan-bashing sentiment.
- JACL Washington D.C. Office Moved to New Location, page 11. The JACL Washington, D.C. office relocated to a new address at 1001 Connecticut Avenue, Suite 704, effective August 1, 1992. Phone and fax numbers remain unchanged.
- Convention Short Takes, page 12. A roundup of convention social events including the Tuesday night Mile-Hi chapter mixer with Western barbecue, a golf tournament won by Pacific Northwest representatives, and a Whing Ding event that recruited eight new 1000 Club members. Various longtime JACL figures were noted attending the festivities.
- Colorado Convention Booklet Is First Rate, by Harry K. Honda, page 12. The 64-page convention booklet ‘JACL Solid as the Rockies’ provided a status report on the organization, featuring a message from President Bush and profiles of 12 upcoming JACL chapter leaders in a ‘Movers & Shakers’ segment. It also included greetings from Colorado politicians and a historic 1946 convention photo.
- Tsukamoto Wins Onizuka Award, page 12. Mary Tsuruko Tsukamoto of the Florin Chapter was honored with the National Education Association’s Ellison S. Onizuka Memorial Award for her book ‘We the People: A Story of Internment in America,’ an account of the Japanese American wartime experience. The award was presented at a banquet in Washington, D.C.
Commentary
- Message to Youth: Empowerment and Involvement, page 3. Convention speakers, including newly elected vice president Bill Kaneko and Warren Furutani, discussed the importance of JACL as a training ground for future leaders and the need to perpetuate the Japanese American community’s future. Furutani argued JACL must take on challenges now and can mentor Asian Pacific Islander groups toward coalition work.
- Insensitivity and Discrimination, page 10. A column recounts a 13-year-old immigrant girl being denied entry to a defense contractor’s tour due to citizenship rules, paralleling historical discrimination faced by Japanese Americans. The author draws connections between past exclusionary practices against Nisei and this modern incident of bureaucratic insensitivity.
- Political ‘Plantings’, by Bill Marutani, page 10. Marutani writes about S.B. Woo, a Chinese American running for Congress in Delaware, highlighting his background and imaginative campaign style. He argues for the importance of supporting Asian American candidates nationwide to ensure future political representation.
- It’s Time to Educate Next Generation, by Mike Hoshike, page 10. A letter writer argues that older JACL members have failed to pass on the significance of civil rights activism to their grown children, resulting in low youth membership in JACL. He urges members to actively educate their children and encourage them to join JACL to protect future generations’ rights.
- She Likes Crichton’s ‘Rising Sun’ Book, by Maggie Ishino, page 10. A reader praises Michael Crichton’s novel ‘Rising Sun’ for its intriguing plot and research into Japanese business culture, finding no Japan-bashing in its content. She recommends the book as a must-read despite objecting to some crude language.
- Defense of Nakagawa’s Trip to Japan, page 11. A letter writer supports Cressey Nakagawa’s address to the U.S.-Japan Parliamentarian League and his stance asserting Japanese American identity separate from Japan. The writer praises Nakagawa for voicing the unique identity of Americans of Japanese ancestry despite criticism he received.
- Some Japan Chapter Members Not Upset, by A Loyal JACLer (name withheld by request), page 11. A letter clarifies that not all Japan Chapter JACL members agree with characterizations that the chapter is upset, emphasizing that the organization is in transition and needs member involvement in policy decisions. The writer calls for focus on facts rather than character debates within JACL.
National
- Redress Funding Bill Needs Support, Staff Says, page 3. JACL national director Dennis Hayashi urged National Council members to lobby Congress in support of two redress funding bills, including H.R. 4551, which had passed out of the House Judiciary Committee. ORA director Paul Suddes reported approximately 77,800 confirmed eligible redress recipients, higher than the original 1988 estimate of 60,000.
In-Depth
- Resolutions and Amendments: National Council Actions at 1992 JACL National Convention, page 4. A detailed list of constitutional amendments, resolutions, and emergency resolutions considered at the National Council meeting, showing which were adopted, rejected, or withdrawn. Topics ranged from Youth Council representation to condemnation of Japan-bashing and support for redress administration recognition.
Incarceration & Redress
- Southern Idaho College Marks Minidoka Camp 50th Anniversary, page 11. The College of Southern Idaho will hold a two-day conference Oct. 2-3 commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Minidoka Relocation Center, including a campsite visit guided by Bill Hosokawa and panel discussions with historians and camp survivors. Cressey Nakagawa will serve as keynote speaker at the conference banquet.
Community
- Hosokawa Book to Be Republished, page 11. An updated edition of Bill Hosokawa’s classic history ‘Nisei: The Quiet Americans’ will be published by the University Press of Colorado in October 1992. The book chronicles events since 1969, including the 1988 redress bill signing.
- Three All-Day Tours Popular Among Conventioneers, page 12. San Jose sisters Helen Mineta and Etsu Masaoka enjoyed all-day tours arranged by the Mile-Hi Convention Committee, including a high-altitude mountain drive and a visit to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. A veteran conventioner observed that many attendees used convention time for reunions and sightseeing rather than official business.
Obituaries
- Dorothy A. Yamaguchi, Author of ‘This Was Minidoka’, page 11. Dorothy A. Yamaguchi, 74, of Seattle died Feb. 9. She was the author of ‘This Was Minidoka,’ based on her 1985 slideshow about the internment camp experience, and taught Japanese language and culture to students in Wisconsin.
- Nobuo and Mieko Yeto, page 16. Nobuo Yeto, 71, of Ventura died August 5, and his wife Mieko (Saisho) Yeto, 74, also of Ventura, died August 8. Both were born in California, and Nobuo was survived by daughter Nancy Yeto Barber.
Arts & Entertainment
- Kyoto: Worth All the Time in the World, by Tyler Tanaka, page 16. A travel column describes the beauty and charm of Kyoto, highlighting its cherry blossoms, historic temples, courteous residents, and top hotels like the Miyako and Kyoto Grand. The author recommends visitors allow ample time to fully experience the city’s sightseeing tours and traditional inns.
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