Vol. 130, No. 17, April 28, 2000. 8 pages. View this issue
Sports and the coming JACL convention shared the front page. Lyndsey Shinoda reported on the sophomore Ninja boys, who took their 17th title at the 19th San Jose Ninja Basketball Tournament. Martha Nakagawa covered National Director John Tateishi’s meetings with Disney executives about the film Pearl Harbor, and the April 15-16 National Board meeting. Roger Minami wrote about Edith Ichiuji, co-chair of the national convention, and about three generations of the Tabata family at Sunrise Grocery in Monterey.
Inside are details on the Memorial to Patriotism dedication in Washington, D.C., set for Nov. 9-11, and the 31st Manzanar Pilgrimage, which paid tribute to Amache and Tule Lake. A film series, Legacies of Internment, was announced for San Francisco. Snake River JACL planned its 55th graduation banquet, and columns by Christina Shigemura and Emily Murase fill the commentary page. A tribute to Mike Masaoka and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team appears on page 7.
What’s in this issue
Sports
- Sophomore Ninja Boys Take 17th Title at 19th San Jose Ninja Basketball Tournament, by Lyndsey Shinoda, page 1. The sophomore Ninja boys basketball team continued their dominant streak at the 19th annual San Jose Ninja Basketball Tournament, defeating the Sacramento Warlords and F.O.R. Bruins on their way to another title. The article details the tournament’s history since 1982, the Ninja Youth Organization’s community involvement, and profiles of players, parents, and coach Wade Nakamura.
National
- JACL Cautiously Optimistic About Disney’s ‘Pearl Harbor’ Movie, by Martha Nakagawa, page 1. National JACL Director John Tateishi has met with Disney executives and producer Jerry Bruckheimer regarding the upcoming $135 million film ‘Pearl Harbor,’ expressing cautious optimism about its portrayal of Japanese Americans. Tateishi discussed the sensitivity of WWII history and internment, while concerns remain about how the film will ultimately depict events given possible on-set script changes.
- N.Y. Police Official Demoted After Anti-Asian Remarks, page 1. Capt. Joseph T. Culbert, commander of the 104th Precinct in Queens, was demoted to a night position after making anti-Asian remarks about Deputy Chief Dewey Fong. The comments were inadvertently recorded on Fong’s cellular phone voice mail after a call was not properly disconnected.
- Memorial to Patriotism Dedication Registration Is Officially Open, page 3. The National Japanese American Memorial Foundation announced that registration is open for the dedication ceremony of the Memorial to Patriotism in Washington, D.C., taking place Nov. 9-11. More than 700 guests have already registered, and a gala dinner featuring pianist Jon Nakamatsu will be held Nov. 10.
JACL
- National Board Meeting, April 15-16, by Martha Nakagawa, page 1. JACL National President Helen Kawagoe reported on convention voting procedures using punch cards, while National Director John Tateishi discussed his travels to raise JACL’s visibility and continued efforts regarding the ‘Pearl Harbor’ movie. Tateishi is also pursuing Janet Reno as a possible guest speaker at the national convention’s Sayonara banquet.
- Leadership Development Course to Be Held During JACL National Convention, page 4. Leadership Education for Asian Pacific’s (LEAP) will conduct a leadership skills workshop at the JACL national convention led by president J.D. Hokoyama. The organization, founded in 1982, aims to develop and expand leadership roles for Asian Pacific Americans in their communities and mainstream institutions.
- Ichiuji Strives to Encourage Youth at Upcoming Convention, by Roger Minami, page 4. Edith Ichiuji, who was interned at age 19 and later relocated through a Quaker-administered program to attend nursing school in Rochester, Minnesota, is now co-chairing the JACL national convention and working to engage young adults in the organization. Convention chair Larry Oda praised her energy and inspirational life story as key to attracting new members to JACL.
Community
- APIs to Gather in Washington, D.C., to Launch Nationwide Economic Development Initiatives, page 3. Asian Pacific American leaders and representatives from community organizations are gathering in Washington, D.C., for a meeting coinciding with a White House initiative on Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. The event will address economic development issues and feature prominent speakers on topics affecting AAPI communities.
- Mary Kobayashi of Concord Named ‘2000 Woman of the Year’ for the 11th Assembly District, page 3. Longtime community volunteer Mary Kobayashi of Concord was honored as the ‘2000 Woman of the Year’ for California’s 11th Assembly District by Assemblyman Tom Torlakson. She was recognized for her outstanding volunteer record and dedication to numerous worthy causes in her community.
- Snake River JACL Plans 55th Annual Graduation Banquet, page 5. The Snake River JACL will hold its 55th annual graduation banquet on May 6 at the Four Rivers Cultural Center, honoring high school seniors with scholarships funded by the Idaho-Oregon Nikkeijinkai. Seattle TV anchor Lori Matsukawa, a former Miss America and Stanford graduate, will serve as keynote speaker.
- Manzanar Pilgrimage to Honor Amache and Tule Lake Internees, page 5. The 31st annual Manzanar Pilgrimage, themed ‘A Reason to Share: Tribute to Amache and Tule Lake,’ will take place April 29 at the Manzanar National Historic Site. The event will feature performances by the band Asian Persuasion and a tribute to internees from the Amache and Tule Lake camps.
In-Depth
- Sunrise Grocery Store – Three Generations of Tabatas, by Roger Minami, page 4. Sunrise Grocery in Monterey, started in 1919, has been run by three generations of the Tabata family and remains one of the few Japanese American businesses to span most of the 20th century. The store survived wartime closure during the Japanese American internment and evolved from a fishing supply business into a grocery store still operating today.
Arts & Entertainment
- ‘Legacies of Internment’ Film Series Explores Japanese American Experience, page 5. The Metreon/Sony Entertainment Center will host ‘Legacies of Internment,’ a film series presented by the California Historical Society examining the long-term impact of Japanese American internment during WWII. The series accompanies the exhibit ‘America’s Concentration Camps: Remembering the Japanese American Experience’ and includes panel discussions with filmmakers and former internees.
Commentary
- A Small Step Toward Economic Justice, by Christina Shigemura, page 6. The columnist expresses outrage over economic injustice, noting that the working poor often cannot afford health insurance and face resulting consequences. She frames this as a call to action for readers to consider issues of fairness in the healthcare system.
- Cruisin’ the JA Way With Junko, by Emily Murase, page 6. Written from the perspective of the columnist’s 10-month-old daughter Junko, this humorous piece describes her first steps and her fascination with household items including newspapers like the Pacific Citizen. The column playfully anticipates Junko’s future participation in Japanese American cultural activities like taiko drumming.
Obituaries
- Tribute to Mike Masaoka and WWII-Era JACL Leadership, page 7. A tribute honoring Mike Masaoka’s leadership during WWII and the postwar period, crediting him and the JACL for organizing the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and easing the turmoil of evacuation. The piece argues that draft resisters owe a debt of gratitude to the JACL and calls for Masaoka’s name to be included on the National Japanese American Memorial.
- 442nd Veterans Sadao Sakamoto and Shig Yamada Die in Hawaii Accident, page 7. Two 442nd Regimental Combat Team veterans, Sadao Sakamoto, 77, and Shig Yamada, 78, were accidentally struck by a car after attending a reunion in Honolulu on March 25; Yamada died that night and Sakamoto passed away the following day. Hundreds attended their services, including Gov. Ben Cayetano and other dignitaries who sent condolences.
Thank you for exploring the Pacific Citizen archive. The title, introduction and contents on this page were written by an AI model from scans of the printed issue, so they may contain mistakes. If you spot one, we would be grateful if you let us know.