V-J Day parades, a judo athlete’s vision loss, and yellowface in film

Vol. 145, No. 4, August 17, 2007. 12 pages. View this issue

V-J Day was the subject that ran through this issue. Lynda Lin looked at the annual parades that cities such as Seymour, Indiana still hold to mark the end of WWII, and at Rhode Island, where the holiday remained a debated state observance. Lin also wrote about 18-year-old judo athlete Grace Ohashi, who kept training for the Olympics while her eyesight worsened. Caroline Aoyagi-Stom profiled the Yamato Cemetery in Salinas, California, built by Issei pioneers and kept up by the Salinas Valley JACL.

Other pages covered Rob Schneider’s yellowface role in a film and the JACL’s letter of protest to Universal Pictures, the killing of Fijian immigrant Satendar Singh, and the 62nd anniversary of the Nagasaki bombing. Floyd Mori wrote on why JACL still matters, Sheldon Arakaki reported on the PNW-IDC Bi-District Conference, and the Amache Historical Society asked for donations to help tornado victims in Colorado.

What’s in this issue

National

• The Last Victory Over Japan (V-J) Day Commemorations in America, by Lynda Lin, page 1. Cities like Seymour, Indiana and Moosup, Connecticut continue to hold annual V-J Day parades honoring the end of WWII, though the tradition has broadened to honor all veterans amid modern debates over political correctness. WWII MIS veteran Grant Ichikawa recalls witnessing both the celebration of surrender and the devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki shortly after.
• Big Sky Feedlot Hearing Postponed, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A public hearing for a controversial feedlot near the Minidoka National Monument in Idaho has been postponed after commissioners determined the public may not have been given proper due process. The hearing will be rescheduled at a later date amid opposition from residents and the National Park Service.
• Asian Supremacist Gets a Year of Mental Health Treatment, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Kenneth Eng, a former AsianWeek columnist known for a controversial ‘Why I Hate Blacks’ column, was sentenced to a year of mental health treatment after pleading guilty to threatening a neighbor with a hammer. He faces up to four years in prison if he fails to comply with treatment requirements.
• Japanese Cabinet Ministers to Avoid Visiting War Shrine on WWII Anniversary, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Cabinet will not visit the controversial Yasukuni Shrine on the anniversary of Japan’s WWII surrender amid ongoing criticism of the shrine’s ties to Japan’s militaristic past. The shrine honors 2.5 million war dead, including convicted Class-A war criminals.
• JACL Decries ‘Chuck and Larry’ Film for Degrading Caricature of APAs, by P.C. Staff, page 3. JACL sent a letter to Universal Pictures condemning Rob Schneider’s yellowface portrayal of an Asian minister in ‘I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry’ as demeaning and stereotypical. The organization compared the role to past offensive portrayals like Mickey Rooney’s in ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ and urged the studio to pursue more respectful comedy.
• One Arrested, One Sought in Death of Fijian Immigrant in U.S., by Associated Press, page 3. California authorities arrested one man and are searching for a second suspect, who fled to Russia, in connection with the death of Fijian immigrant Satendar Singh, which is being investigated as a hate crime. Conflicting accounts describe a confrontation between a Russian-speaking group and Singh’s group at a lake before Singh was fatally struck.
• Japan Observes 62nd Anniversary of Atomic Bomb Attack, by Associated Press, page 3. Japan marked the 62nd anniversary of the Nagasaki atomic bombing with a memorial ceremony where Nagasaki’s mayor called for global nuclear disarmament and urged Japan to codify its non-nuclear principles into law. The anniversary comes amid controversial remarks from a former Japanese defense minister suggesting the bombings may have been inevitable.
• V-J Day: Rhode Island’s Divisive Holiday, by Lynda Lin, page 11. Rhode Island remains the only U.S. state to officially observe V-J Day as a state holiday, sparking decades of controversy and failed legislative attempts to rename it. Advocates and residents, including JACL members, continue to debate whether the holiday is discriminatory or simply an overlooked tradition.

Sports

• Fighting Against Shadows for an Olympic Dream, by Lynda Lin, page 1. Judo athlete Grace Ohashi, an 18-year-old competing for the U.S. team, is coping with a mysterious and worsening visual impairment while pursuing her Olympic dreams. Despite nearly losing her sight, she competed in the Pan American Games and continues rigorous training in Colorado Springs.

In-Depth

• Yamato Cemetery: Anchor of a Community, by Caroline Aoyagi-Stom, page 1. The Yamato Cemetery in Salinas, California, built by Issei pioneers in the early 1910s, serves as a vital link between generations of the local Japanese American community. Despite wartime vandalism and the internment of its caretakers, the cemetery has been preserved and maintained by generations of the Salinas Valley JACL and family committees.

Community

• Philadelphia’s Community Arts Center Faces an Uncertain Future, by Lynda Lin, page 1. The Asian Arts Initiative, a Philadelphia community arts organization serving APA youth, was forced to relocate to a temporary space lacking basic amenities after being displaced by a convention center expansion. The organization is now raising funds to purchase a permanent home in Chinatown while continuing to serve young artists despite difficult conditions.
• APAs in the News, by P.C. Staff, page 3. This roundup covers several community achievements including scholarship winner Narumi Nakayama, JACL Ford Fund Fellow Elaine Low, seven Cleveland JACL scholarship recipients, and Linda K. Oda’s appointment as Utah’s director of Asian Affairs. Each briefly profiles the honorees and their accomplishments.
• 2007 PNW-IDC Bi-District Conference: ‘Changing Faces, Transforming Communities’, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Photos and captions document the 2007 PNW-IDC Bi-District Conference in Tukwila, Washington, featuring JACL leaders, award presentations, and workshop sessions. Highlights include the Recognition Luncheon, youth representative reports, and the Strategic Plan Focus Group workshop.
• Amache Historical Society Seeks Donations for Tornado Victims, by P.C. Staff, page 10. The Amache Historical Society is collecting relief funds for tornado victims in Lamar and Holly, Colorado, towns near the former Amache internment camp, which suffered significant damage. The group has raised over $23,000 so far, with support from the Amache Preservation Society and local community organizations.

Commentary

• Relevance Today, by Floyd Mori, page 2. JACL National Director Floyd Mori reflects on a personal experience with a discriminatory flight attendant and other examples of ongoing racial discrimination against Japanese Americans and other minorities. He argues that despite differences from the past, JACL remains relevant and urges expanded, inclusive membership to continue its civil rights work.
• A Tsandifioes Column, by Lloyd Kajikawa, page 2. A letter writer questions JACL National President Larry Oda’s stance on a prior column, asking how JACL members would feel if President Reagan had not signed redress legislation. The writer also challenges Oda’s concerns about HR 121 potentially harming U.S.-Japan relations.
• An Act of Courage, by Kathy Golden Gate Chapter, page 2. A letter writer praises 1st Lt. Ehren Watada’s refusal to deploy to Iraq as a courageous act rooted in his belief that the war was based on false information. The writer draws a parallel to the precedent set by the Nuremberg Trials regarding refusal of illegal or immoral orders.
• A Critical Responsibility, by Dow Fue, page 2. Responding to a previous letter about WWII heroes, this writer argues that Lt. Ehren Watada’s refusal to deploy to Iraq shares the same courageous spirit as WWII soldiers and resisters who defied popular opinion. The writer calls on the community to support Watada ahead of his court martial.
• Changing Faces, Transforming Communities, by Sheldon Arakaki, page 5. Sheldon Arakaki reflects on the PNW-IDC bi-district JACL conference themed ‘Changing Faces, Transforming Communities,’ including a tribute launching the Tatsuo Nakata Legacy Fund and discussions on the changing demographics of the JA community. The conference also advanced strategic planning efforts focused on engaging younger and more diverse members.
• Across Borders, by Cheryl Watamura Martinez, page 8. Columnist Cheryl Watamura Martinez shares light anecdotes from her life in Germany, including a chocolate-stealing squirrel in Finland and helping a family reunite with their lost dog across international borders. She reflects on how coincidental Buddhist connections and cross-border cooperation demonstrate the world’s growing interconnectedness.
• Participate in a Survey of Korean, Vietnam Wars JA Airmen, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Japanese American Veterans Association (JAVA) is compiling data on Japanese American pilots who served in the cockpits of military aircraft during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, a role previously off-limits to JAs during WWII. Researchers hope the survey will highlight how far JAs have come in occupying key military positions.
• My Summer Reading: ‘MIS Nisei Linguists’ (Part Two), by Harry Honda, page 8. Harry Honda continues his review of James McNaughton’s book on Nisei linguists in the Military Intelligence Service, detailing their training at Crissy Field and their crucial intelligence work during the Guadalcanal campaign. Despite initial distrust of Japanese Americans, their contributions proved vital and helped build trust among military commanders.

Arts & Entertainment

• Your Face, My Face, Blackface, Yellowface: From Rooney to Schneider, How Far Have We Come?, by Lynda Lin, page 9. This feature examines the controversy over Rob Schneider’s yellowface portrayal in ‘I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry,’ exploring debates over whether an actor of partial Asian descent can still perpetuate harmful stereotypes. The article includes reactions from filmmakers, bloggers, and community members, and notes Schneider declined to respond to criticism from the APA community.

Obituaries

• In Memoriam – 2007, by P.C. Staff, page 11. This compilation lists recent deaths within the Japanese American community, including survivors’ names and family details for individuals such as Joseph Cloyd, Lawrence Fujii, and others. The listing serves as a community record of remembrance for the deceased and their families.
• Masayuki ‘Murphy’ Tashima, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Masayuki ‘Murphy’ Tashima, 85, died peacefully in Walton Hills, Ohio, after a career in data processing and as a popular restaurant host. A WWII veteran and active JACL and CARP member, he is remembered for his passion for golf, bowling, and the Buckeyes.

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