Busing ends in Los Angeles, and a new chair for the Redress Commission

Vol. 92, No. 17, May 1, 1981. 12 pages. View this issue

The front page followed the end of mandatory busing in Los Angeles. NAACP lawyers withdrew their Supreme Court challenge, and the case returned to U.S. District Judge Atsushi Wallace Tashima. Other front-page stories covered Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week in Washington, a runoff for Rochester, Minnesota mayor Chuck Hazama, and Minoru Yasui’s coast-to-coast trip as chairman of the National JACL Redress Committee.

On redress, the paper introduced Commission chairperson Joan Z. Bernstein and carried M.M. Sumida’s continuing piece on the lobbying behind the wartime incarceration (often called internment). Columns came from Harry Honda, Bill Hosokawa, Bill Marutani and Robert Kono, and Hiroshi Wagatsuma wrote two pieces on Japanese customs and beliefs. Pages 9 and 10 carried an Asian American chronology and the 1980 census totals for Asian and Pacific Islander persons by state.

What’s in this issue

National

• Forced Busing Ends for Now, Case Back to Judge Tashima, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The mandatory busing program in Los Angeles schools has been temporarily terminated after NAACP lawyers withdrew their Supreme Court challenge. The case now returns to U.S. District Judge Atsushi Wallace Tashima after an appellate court ruled he exceeded his authority in ordering continued busing.
• Japan Awaits Sub/Freighter Crash Investigation Results, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Japan awaits a U.S. report on the collision between the USS George Washington submarine and the Japanese freighter Nissho Maru, which killed two crewmen and left two missing. The incident has become a key political issue ahead of Prime Minister Suzuki’s visit with President Reagan.
• Reagan Dismissal of Hawaii Panel Not OK, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The General Accounting Office released a report stating that President Reagan had no authority to dismiss members of a Hawaii commission since its functions are legislative rather than executive. Sen. Spark Matsunaga and Sen. Daniel Inouye are reviewing what actions Hawaii congressional delegation might take in light of the GAO ruling.
• Poll Says Hayakawa Too Old for 2nd Term, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A telephone survey of 600 Republicans found that 75% felt Sen. S.I. Hayakawa was too old for a second term. Rep. Barry Goldwater Jr. formally announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate, becoming the first announced Republican challenger to Hayakawa.
• Sen. Al Song Up for Farm Board Seat, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The chairman of California’s Board of Food and Agriculture resigned in protest over Gov. Brown’s appointment of former legislators Alfred Song and Jerome Waldie to the state Agriculture Labor Relations Board. Song, a Korean American attorney, was the first Asian elected to the California State Legislature.
• Conviction in Chinatown Slaying Upheld, by P.C. Staff, page 11. A California state Court of Appeal refused to overturn the conviction of Melvin Ka Yu for the 1977 Golden Dragon restaurant massacre in San Francisco’s Chinatown, which killed five bystanders including Sansei law student Paul Wada. The court ruled that accomplice testimony was sufficiently corroborated by independent evidence of Yu’s motive.
• Matsunaga Named Trade Adviser, by P.C. Staff, page 12. The Education Ministry received a list of 95 additional kanji characters for everyday use, bringing the total to 1,945. This follows the postwar designation of 1,850 characters for daily use to simplify written Japanese.

Community

• Washington Monument Site of Asian Festival, by P.C. Staff, page 1. President Reagan proclaimed May 4-10 as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week, and Washington D.C.’s Asian-Pacific American Heritage Council is staging its third annual festival on the Monument Grounds. Rep. Daniel Akaka will be keynote speaker, with cultural performances and a kickoff reception for Asian/Pacific American members of Congress.
• Rochester, Minn., Mayor Chuck Hazama Faces Runoff, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Incumbent Rochester, Minnesota mayor Chuck Hazama will face challenger Willard Knapp in the May 19 general election after winning the April 21 primary. Hazama, the first Nikkei mayor elected east of the Rockies, resigned his YMCA director post to seek a second term.
• ‘Why Get Involved in Politics?’ on Tap, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Japanese American Democratic Club is sponsoring a community education event at JACCC featuring Nikkei professionals who work on staff for elected Los Angeles officials. Speakers will discuss their roles and the implications of Proposition 13 and the fiscal crisis on Asian Americans.
• Sac’to JACL Show at RR Museum Opening, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The California State Railroad Museum in Old Sacramento celebrates its opening May 2-10 with ethnic groups participating, including a Sacramento JACL-sponsored performance of Minyo musicians and Taiko drummers. The event includes a parade, museum dedication, and pageant with vintage locomotives.
• Heritage Week Roundup, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Various Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week events are detailed across the country, including programs at the Justice Department, Los Angeles Mayor Bradley’s committee events, Oakland Museum film premieres, and celebrations in San Jose, Detroit, Chicago and other cities. Activities include cultural festivals, exhibits, and panel discussions throughout May.
• Walnut Grove Reunion Near, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Former residents of Walnut Grove, a prewar rural community of 200 Japanese American families, are organizing a reunion event. Sign-ups are being accepted for the gathering.
• Suzume No Gakko, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The San Fernando Valley JACC will sponsor a Suzume No Gakko cultural school program in late June and early July, ending with a picnic. The program includes soroban instruction among other activities.
• Ms. Sansei-Cal Pageant Set July 18, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The 17th annual Ms. Sansei-Cal pageant is scheduled for July 18, and the American Japanese Literary Award competition rules were announced. Word count requirements for submissions were specified.
• Two Youths Guilty in Murder of Joe Miyoshi, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Two 13-year-old robbers were convicted in the ambush murder of a Nisei store owner in South Los Angeles, among the youngest convicted murderers authorities have prosecuted. Had they been tried as adults, they could have faced the death penalty; sentencing was scheduled for May 1.
• Senior Housing Approved in Torrance/Gardena Area, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A 100-unit housing project for senior citizens and the handicapped, developed by the Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute, was unanimously approved by the Torrance City Council after earlier objections from the planning commission and neighbors were overcome. HUD approved a $4.4 million loan for the project.
• Condominium Development in Little Tokyo Announced, by P.C. Staff, page 3. An agreement was signed for Little Tokyo’s first market-rate housing development, Tokyo Villa, a 208-unit project to be built on a two-acre site between Alameda and Central Ave. Plans call for 30% of units to be available to moderate income buyers.
• May 15 Deadline for June 7 Jr. Olympics, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Application forms for the 1981 NCWNP-DC Jr. Olympics track meet, to be held June 7 at Chabot College, are available with an entry deadline of May 15. Winners will be eligible for the JACL state meet later in June.
• AADAP Bids Ron Wakabayashi Farewell, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Asian American Drug Abuse Program held an appreciation dinner for Ron Wakabayashi, JACL’s national director and former AADAP executive director. Community leaders gathered to honor him with tributes and recognition.
• Rep. Mineta Addresses Detroit Honors Dinner, by P.C. Staff, page 8. About 90 people attended a Detroit JACL event to hear Rep. Norman Mineta speak on the Washington scene and redress. The dinner also included recognition awards for several chapter members and an update on the chapter’s redress fundraising efforts.
• New England Audience Pleased with ‘Hito Hata’, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Friends of Visual Communications in the Greater Boston area hosted a successful showing of the film ‘Hito Hata’ at Harvard University. Executive producer Steve Tatsukawa answered audience questions after the screening.
• Health Care Book Ready for JACL-CBS, by P.C. Staff, page 8. All 4,800 subscribers to the Northern California-Western Nevada JACL CBS Blue Shield Health Plan will receive a health guide book called ‘Take Care of Yourself.’ Chairman John Yasumoto cautioned the book is meant as a guide and not a replacement for professional medical care.
• Security Set Up in Japan Center, by P.C. Staff, page 11. A special uniformed security foot patrol began operating in San Francisco’s Nihonmachi area to curb a recent increase in assaults and holdups. The Nihonmachi Merchants Association established the patrol following positive results from a similar Christmas season security effort.
• Eastern Hotel Teaches Japanese, by P.C. Staff, page 12. Hotel Du Pont in Wilmington, Delaware started a personnel training program teaching employees basic Japanese language skills. The 15-week course cost the hotel $8,000 and trained 15 employees in simple Japanese dialogue.
• Calif. Trade Mission in Japan Seeking Capital Investments, by P.C. Staff, page 12. A California state trade mission led by Floyd Mori held seminars in Tokyo, Osaka and Shizuoka to promote California as a destination for Japanese capital investment. Mori expressed hope that several companies would make actual investments following the seminars.

JACL

• Yasui on Coast-to-Coast Trip, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Minoru Yasui of Denver, chairman of the National JACL Redress Committee, traveled across the country meeting with JACL leaders and Commission members including Judge William Marutani. Yasui and his wife True planned to attend John Tateishi’s testimonial dinner in San Francisco on May 1.
• Chicago Credit Union Marks Strong Year Despite ’80 Crisis, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Chicago JACL Federal Credit Union reported a successful year with total assets reaching $693,243 at its 34th annual meeting. A 6% dividend was declared and life insurance coverage was increased from $2,000 to $3,000.
• 6 Days and 5 Nights in Sunny Southern Cal for Only $125, by Ron Tajii and Patty Honda, page 10. Organizers describe the upcoming 1981 JACL National Youth Convention at UC Irvine, June 22-27, which will feature workshops on Asian American issues alongside social activities like beach outings and dances. The convention is open to all youth ages 14-22 and costs $125 per person covering room, board and activities.
• Pan Asian Raises $1,200 for Redress, by P.C. Staff, page 12. Pan Asian JACL donated $1,200 to the PSWDC redress fund as a result of the ‘Yuki Yaki’ dinner roast of Yuki Shimoda held at the Tri-District Conference. The check was presented to redress chair Harry Kawahara at an event honoring Ron Wakabayashi.

Arts & Entertainment

• From Brazil: ‘Gaijin, a Brazilian Odyssey’, by Peter Imamura, page 3. The film ‘Gaijin, a Brazilian Odyssey’ by Tizuka Yamasaki dramatizes the struggles of Japanese immigrants who arrived in Brazil in the early 1900s, centering on a young woman named Titoe. The 32-year-old filmmaker based the film partly on her own family history and spent eight years researching it.

Commentary

• Cartoonist Pete, by Harry Honda, page 4. PC editor Harry Honda reviews contributing cartoonist Pete K. Hironaka’s new book ‘Report from Round-Eye Country,’ a collection of cartoons spanning 25 years of his work. The column recounts the origin of Hironaka’s first PC cartoon in 1957 and his creative process over the years.
• Speaking Out: Trade Issues, by Chuck Kubokawa, page 4. The JACL International Relations Committee chairman discusses trade imbalance issues between the U.S. and Japan, including the influx of Japanese autos and other goods causing American unemployment. He urges JACL members to counter racist rhetoric with facts and mentions the committee’s work on amending the Japan American Friendship Act.
• Strange Nisei Mission at Ft. McClellan, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Hosokawa relays a reporter’s discovery of archival documents mentioning a company of Japanese Americans stationed at Fort McClellan during WWII to familiarize American troops with Japanese fighting tactics, essentially masquerading as enemy soldiers. He also recounts the story of Yoshio Abe, a Nisei who grew up in Japan, served in the MIS, and later became a disillusioned writer in Japan.
• A Plea for the Simple Life, by Bill Marutani, page 5. Marutani reflects on completing his tax returns early and muses about the complexity of the modern tax system compared to simpler times. He advocates for a flat tax system with a basic exemption and no special deductions or loopholes for corporations.
• Real Ending, by Sachi Seko, page 5. Seko recounts a seven-year-old story about a beautiful woman she met at the Waldorf-Astoria whose father had abandoned the family during internment camp, causing lasting family trauma. The story concludes with a recent chance encounter with the woman’s father, though without the resolution the author had hoped for.
• Readers Write: On Bachi, by Sharon Kato Palmer, page 6. A reader responds to Prof. Wagatsuma’s earlier article on childhood in Japan, describing the concept of ‘bachi’ (karmic retribution) as an influential force among Nikkei across generations. She asks whether studies have been conducted on this phenomenon’s effects on Japanese Americans.
• Chiaroscuro: Reserved for Chapter Presidents – Decision Makers, by Judy J. Niizawa, page 8. The San Jose JACL president discusses the role of women in JACL leadership and reflects on how decision-making is shared within chapters. She calls for surveying chapters about teamwork and shared leadership ahead of the 1982 convention.
• Random Musings: Legacy, by Robert Kono, page 12. Kono reflects on the legacy of the 442nd/100th Battalion and MIS veterans, and discusses the book ‘Beauty Behind Barbed Wire’ documenting art created in WWII internment camps. He argues that the creative resilience shown in camps reflects a broader Japanese cultural trait of finding beauty amid adversity.

Incarceration & Redress

• Introducing the Redress Commission Chair, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Highlights from Commission Chairperson Joan Z. Bernstein’s speech at the Tri-District Conference describe her personal background as a daughter of Jewish immigrants and her approach to leading the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians. She discussed plans for hearings, legal research, and the commission’s mandate to set the historical record straight on the Evacuation.
• Lobby, Power Groups, by M.M. Sumida, page 5. This continuing piece examines how California congressmen and lobbying groups pushed for the evacuation of Japanese Americans during WWII, driven partly by economic self-interest in Japanese-owned properties. The author argues that lobbyists, power groups and the press who incited hysteria should be held accountable for the irreparable harm caused.

In-Depth

• Face, Body and Character, by Hiroshi Wagatsuma, page 6. This academic piece explores traditional Japanese beliefs linking physical features like earlobes, body size, nose shape, and facial characteristics to personality traits and fortune. The author discusses how these beliefs are changing under Western cultural influence while still persisting in some social attitudes.
• Different Places, Different Things, by Hiroshi Wagatsuma, page 7. Wagatsuma explores cultural differences in customs between Japan, Korea, China and the West, including table manners, wedding traditions, and the symbolic practice of folding one thousand paper cranes for wishes of health and happiness. He also compares Japanese and American versions of Aesop’s fable about the lion and the mouse to illustrate differing cultural values.

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