Vol. 124, No. 2, January 24, 1997. 12 pages. View this issue
A United Way of Greater Los Angeles report, “Asian Pacific Profiles,” led the front page. It found that Asian Pacific Americans are not one affluent “model minority,” with groups such as Cambodians and Laotians facing high poverty and low educational attainment. Also on page 1, Caroline Aoyagi covered the inauguration of Gary Locke as Washington’s governor, and Bob Sakaniwa wrote about the campaign finance scandal and its effect on the community. Inside, Al Muratsuchi urged readers to write to President Clinton and Congress for redress for Japanese Latin Americans under the Civil Liberties Act of 1988.
Stanley Kanzaki called for reconciliation with the Heart Mountain resisters. Bill Hosokawa and Bill Marutani wrote columns on page 8, and James Oda offered a theory on a Japanese-Jewish connection. Other pages cover a Sansei Navy commander, chapter news from Fremont, San Mateo, Seattle and Watsonville, donations to the JACL, and the Japanese community in the Boston area.
What’s in this issue
National
- Asian Pacifics Not All Affluent Nor Monolithic, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A United Way of Greater Los Angeles report titled ‘Asian Pacific Profiles’ finds that Asian Pacific Americans are not a monolithic ‘model minority,’ with groups like Cambodians and Laotians facing high poverty and low educational attainment. The report aims to dispel stereotypes and guide community-based services, with United Way pledging $50,000 toward improved services.
- Gary Locke Inaugurated Washington Governor, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 1. Gary Locke was inaugurated as Washington’s 20th governor and the first Chinese American governor on the U.S. mainland, winning 58 percent of the vote. In his address he spoke of his immigrant family’s sacrifices and outlined priorities including education, welfare reform, and civility.
Community
- Hapa Issues Forum Panelists Face L.A. Nikkei Audience, by Staff Report, page 1. A panel of four hapa individuals shared their experiences of growing up multiracial at a JACCC workshop on interracial marriages and relationships in Los Angeles. Panelists Shoichi Omoto, Rika Houston, Catherine Royer, and Tia Hoffer discussed identity, discrimination, and the growing acceptance of multiracial heritage.
- Fremont, JACL, Holds Inauguration Appreciation Fete, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Fremont JACL chapter held its annual board installation dinner and appreciation night, featuring National Director Herbert Yamanishi as guest speaker. Yamanishi spoke about outmarriage trends, JACL’s educational and cultural goals, and increasing membership.
- San Mateo, JACL, History Project Underway, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The San Mateo JACL History Project is seeking a writer to complete a manuscript documenting the prewar San Mateo Japanese American community, wartime incarceration at Tanforan, and postwar resettlement by the end of 1997. The project includes a three-part video production and oral history interviews already conducted by Yasuko Ann Ito.
- Seattle’s ’75th’, by Harry K. Honda, page 8. Harry Honda recounts how Robert Yamamoto shared a rare 1930 photograph of National JACL Convention delegates in Seattle, hoping attendees at the chapter’s 75th anniversary celebration could help identify people in the photo. The photograph shows additional details compared to a previously known version and honors early JACL history.
- Watsonville Library Event Remembers Issei Pioneers, by Norman Abe, page 9. The Watsonville Public Library’s Centennial Celebration included presentations honoring Japanese American pioneers, featuring speakers Kay Izumizaki and Alice Sams Montgomery recalling prewar and WWII-era memories. The library dedicated a month to Japanese Americans with performances, demonstrations, and a panel on early Watsonville Japanese Town history.
- Idaho Ag Director Takasugi Tackles Key Post, by Mam Wakasugi, page 9. Pat Takasugi, a former Army Ranger captain and farmer, was appointed Idaho’s director of agriculture by Gov. Phil Batt and has worked to reform the department’s mission and address underfunded programs like noxious weed control. Takasugi, a Snake River Valley JACLer, said he took the job to help his neighbor the governor and believes the department was long neglected by prior administrations.
- A New Nikkei Neighborhood: Over 5,600 Nihonjin Reside in Boston Area, by P.C. Staff, page 10. The Japanese population in the Boston area, particularly Brookline, has grown significantly, with many recent Japanese nationals moving there for study, work, and safety, drawn by good schools and Japanese amenities. Local residents and business owners describe a thriving community with Japanese restaurants, bookstores, and bilingual school programs.
Commentary
- The Administration and the Asian American Community, by Bob Sakaniwa, page 1. JACL Washington D.C. representative Bob Sakaniwa recounts the historic first APA inaugural ball and mixed emotions in the APA community over the campaign finance scandal involving John Huang and Charles Trie. He argues the community must not be unfairly burned by the scandal while pushing for unity and political representation.
- Reflections on Time and Hope, by Joanne Doi, M.M., page 5. Maryknoll Sister Joanne Doi reflects on her decade living among the Aymara people in Peru and their qualitative sense of time and ancient wisdom amid poverty and political violence. She connects this reflection to the ongoing hostage crisis in Lima and expresses hope for a peaceful resolution and for Japanese Americans to better cultivate community remembrance.
- The Reconciliation Before the Next Millennium, by Stanley Kanzaki, page 5. Stanley Kanzaki argues that JACL leadership has failed for decades to reconcile with the Fair Play Committee resisters (‘No-No Boys’) from Heart Mountain, a rift dating to WWII loyalty questionnaires. He calls for a plebiscite or convention resolution on reconciliation before the last Nisei generation passes, ideally at the 1998 Philadelphia convention.
- ‘Glass Ceilings’ and How Rough It Was, by Bill Hosokawa, page 8. Bill Hosokawa reflects on a party conversation about lingering racial discrimination and contrasts it with a newspaper story about Sansei conductor Kent Nagano’s success, questioning whether older generations’ complaints about barriers remain relevant. He also notes a Fresno JACL newsletter feature on successful Japanese Americans who recognize no ‘glass ceiling.’
- Anatomy of a Column, by Bill Marutani, page 8. Bill Marutani answers reader questions about his ‘East Wind’ column, including its origins, how topics are chosen, and his approach to discussing Japanese language and culture. He reveals details about payment, editorial self-censorship, and his linguistic background from the Military Intelligence Service Language School.
JACL
- At the Reins at Headquarters, by Richard Uno, page 3. National Vice President of General Operations Richard Uno reports on personnel committee activities, the search for a new Pacific Citizen editor, planning for the Philadelphia convention, and building improvements at National Headquarters. He also discusses committees studying the relocation of the Pacific Citizen and district fund allocations.
- First 100 Days Transition Was Smooth, by Terence Yamada, page 3. Governor of the Northwest District Council Terence Yamada reflects on the smooth transition to the Kawagoe administration, emphasizing the importance of membership communication, improved financial reporting, and fiduciary responsibilities of volunteer board members. He also highlights planned giving initiatives and congratulates the Seattle Chapter on its 75th anniversary.
- Okura Foundation Offers White House Fellowship for 5 Months, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Okura Mental Health Leadership Foundation is offering a five-month White House fellowship for an Asian Pacific American in mental health or human services, running April to September 1997. Eligible applicants must be U.S. citizens aged 25-39 with demonstrated leadership and commitment to Asian Pacific American issues.
- Aratani Family Donates $5,000 to PSW Internship, by P.C. Staff, page 9. Sakaye and George Aratani donated $5,000 to the JACL Pacific Southwest District internship fund, supporting stipends for interns working in the JACL office in Little Tokyo. National President Helen Kawagoe praised the Aratanis for their longtime support of JACL and the Japanese American community.
- Masunaga Family Gives $5,000 to P.C., Youth Council, by P.C. Staff, page 9. The family of the late George Masunaga of San Jose donated $5,000, split between the Pacific Citizen and JACL National Youth Student Council, in honor of his memory. Masunaga was a WWII veteran and orchardist active with the San Jose JACL and Wesley United Methodist Church.
Incarceration & Redress
- Time Is Running Out for Japanese Latin American Redress, by Al Muratsuchi, page 3. JACL Pacific Southwest District regional director Al Muratsuchi urges support for a class-action lawsuit seeking redress for Japanese Latin Americans interned by the U.S. during WWII under the Civil Liberties Act of 1988. He calls on readers to write to President Clinton and Congress before a lobbying delegation travels to Washington in February.
In-Depth
- A Japanese-Jewish Connection, by James Oda, page 6. James Oda presents a theory that the ancestors of the Ainu people and a ‘Lost Tribe’ of Israel both migrated from the ancient Near East to Japan, with the Jewish group allegedly playing a role in founding the Yamato Court and imperial family. The article cites similarities in mythology, architecture, customs, and language as evidence, while noting the Japanese government’s reluctance to investigate its mythological past.
Military & Veterans
- Sansei Assumes Command of Navy Ship, by Hank Wakabayashi, page 7. Commander David Yoshihara became the first Japanese American to command a Navy Aegis-guided missile cruiser, the USS Ticonderoga, in a ceremony in Panama. He is the son of Capt. Takeshi Yoshihara, the first Nisei graduate of the Naval Academy, marking the first father-son Nisei-Sansei combination in naval history.
Obituaries
- Detroit Auto Designer Shinoda Stricken, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Legendary automobile designer Larry Shinoda, known for designing the Boss 302 Mustang and Corvette/Corvair models, is undergoing dialysis after complete kidney failure. His family established a medical trust fund to assist with costs, and contributions can be sent to Grace Shinoda Nakamura.
- Nikkei Obituary Listings, page 11. A comprehensive listing of recent deaths in the Japanese American community across California and other states, detailing birthplaces, survivors, and notable life accomplishments including WWII veterans and community leaders. Entries include figures such as Mitsuo Nitta, a 442nd veteran and Orange County civic leader, and Edwin Ohki, a longtime Sonoma County JACLer.
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