Redress in the Senate and the 1988 Democratic campaigns

Vol. 106, No. 16, April 22, 1988. 8 pages. View this issue

Redress was the thread through the front page of this issue. The Pacific Citizen reported on a Los Angeles forum where representatives of the Dukakis, Gore and Jackson campaigns, including Rep. Norman Mineta, spoke with Asian Pacific Americans about redress legislation and other concerns. Grayce Uyehara followed the redress bill S. 1009 as it reached the Senate floor, with Sen. Spark Matsunaga giving the opening statement and Sen. Jesse Helms expected to lead opposition. Rita Takahashi covered House hearings on how Asian Pacific Islanders would be counted in the 1990 census.

The opinion pages ran a run of letters about John Mooring’s article on the World War II incarceration and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, including the story of Minidoka’s volunteer fire department. Bill Hosokawa profiled Yoshi Teramoto, a Mexican Nisei in Guadalajara, and Jimmy Tokeshi wrote about the habit of enryo. Other front-page items covered Sen. Daniel Inouye’s bid for Senate Majority Leader and Robert Sakaguchi’s candidacy for a national JACL office.

What’s in this issue

National

• Dukakis, Gore and Jackson Reps Meet with APAs, by Laurie Mochidome, page 1. Representatives of Democratic presidential candidates Dukakis, Gore and Jackson met with Asian Pacific Americans in Los Angeles to address redress legislation and other community concerns. The forum revealed agreement on hate crimes and judicial appointments, but diverging views on the Kennedy-Simpson immigration bill.
• Action Initiated on S. 1009, by Grayce Uyehara, page 1. Action began on the redress bill S. 1009 in the Senate, with Sen. John Glenn as Democratic floor manager and Sen. Spark Matsunaga giving the opening statement. Republican opposition led by Sen. Jesse Helms was expected to introduce weakening amendments as the floor debate continued.
• House Census Subcommittee Meets, by Rita Takahashi, page 1. The House Subcommittee on Census and Population held hearings on the 1990 census questionnaire, addressing controversy over the Census Bureau’s proposed change from a check-off to a write-in format for Asian Pacific Islander identification. Rep. Robert Matsui and community advocates argued the write-in system would create confusion and inaccuracies compared to the check-off system.
• AJA Income Above Average, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A Commerce Department report showed Japanese Americans have higher than average annual household incomes compared to the national average and other Asian/Pacific American groups. The figures were based on 1980 census data.
• Inouye Eyeing Majority Leader, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Sen. Daniel Inouye is considered the favorite to become the next Senate Majority Leader following Robert Byrd’s announcement to step down. Inouye faces competition from Sens. J. Bennett Johnston and George Mitchell for the position.

JACL

• Sakaguchi Announces Candidacy, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Robert Sakaguchi announced his candidacy for National JACL vice president of Membership Services and 1000 Club at the Mountain Plains District meeting. Sakaguchi is a transportation planner and Broomfield, Colo. councilman active in Nikkei and Asian American communities.

Commentary

• Japan’s Embarrassing So. African Trade, page 2. Japan has become South Africa’s largest trading partner despite government embarrassment and international condemnation of apartheid, with trade reaching $4.27 billion in 1987. Analysts attribute the increase largely to the strong yen, though Japan’s sanctions remain largely symbolic and full of loopholes.
• Letters to the Editor: Supporting Communication, by William Hohri, Jack and Aiko Herzig, Chizu Omori, Michi Weglyn, Yuriko Hohri, Nelson Kitsuse, Sam Ozaki, Harue Ozaki, Goji and Sally Tashiro, page 4. A group of readers wrote in support of the Pacific Citizen’s commitment to free press principles amid criticism directed at the editor. They argue that dialogue and a free press are essential counterpoints to devotion to any single viewpoint.
• Hamamoto Needed to Do Homework, by Tomoye Tatai, page 4. A reader comments on a young man not permanently hired by the Santa Monica Police Department who claimed discrimination was a thing of the past. The letter writer argues this reflects a lack of awareness and questions whether Japanese American parents failed to prepare their children for ongoing racial realities.
• Mooring I, by Noboru Endow, page 4. A reader points out a typographical error in a previous article about John Mooring’s claims regarding the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, noting the original source said 800 internees, not 80. The letter writer otherwise enjoys reading the Pacific Citizen.
• Mooring II, by Stephanie K. Miyashiro, page 4. A detailed rebuttal to John Mooring’s article argues that the WWII incarceration of Japanese Americans violated American principles, and that protest against injustice constitutes true loyalty rather than disloyalty. The writer contends the redress movement seeks recognition of historical injustice consistent with American values of liberty and justice.
• Mooring III, by Norio Mitsuoka, page 4. Another reader rebuts John Mooring’s article, emphasizing that the core wrong of the evacuation was unequal treatment under the law, not statistical arguments. The writer recounts a story about Minidoka’s fire department volunteers and criticizes Mooring for failing to acknowledge the sacrifices made by interned Japanese Americans.
• Nisei Ten Doren: Emperors, page 5. A reflective column explores the Japanese imperial era-naming system (nengo) and the confusion it creates when calculating birth years, connecting to a discussion of a Japanese Supreme Court case on fetal poisoning from mercury contamination. The author muses on the literal translations of imperial titles and Japanese court language.
• Similar Roots, Similar Experiences, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Bill Hosokawa profiles Yoshi Teramoto, a Mexican Nisei living in Guadalajara whose life story parallels that of Japanese Americans despite being raised speaking Spanish. The column highlights similarities in immigrant experience, family structure, and cultural adaptation between Japanese communities in Mexico and the United States.
• Exorcising the Enryo Demon, by Jimmy Tokeshi, page 5. A humorous column explores the Japanese American cultural habit of ‘enryo,’ or self-restraint, particularly around taking the last piece of food on a shared plate. The author traces this behavior to childhood conditioning by traditional parents and urges readers to overcome the ingrained guilt.

Community

• Tso Realizes Dream, Launches AADI, page 2. James Tso launched the Asian American Development Institute (AADI) at a Washington, D.C. banquet to promote Asian Americans’ contributions in science, technology and business. Rep. Norman Mineta gave the keynote address and was honored with a plaque for his efforts advancing science and technology for Asian Americans.

Obituaries

• Peter S. Fujioka, 72, Detroit, Mich., page 3. Peter Fujioka, a retired insuranceman and community leader who relocated from Heart Mountain to Detroit in 1943, died suddenly on April 9. He co-founded the Detroit JACL chapter in 1946, served multiple terms as chapter president, and was active in civil rights committees.

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.