The Fumiko Kimura sentencing and the push for redress

Vol. 101, No. 23, December 6, 1985. 16 pages. View this issue

The front page carried the sentencing of Fumiko Kimura, who drowned her two children in a suicide attempt. Judge Robert Thomas gave her five years of probation and she was released after serving 10 months. Katie Kaori Hayashi reported the decision, a probation report on page 10 laid out what led to it, and Raymond Okamura’s commentary asked what the case says about the parts of Japanese culture Japanese Americans choose to keep. Redress legislation ran through the issue too: the American Federation of Teachers endorsed it, HR 442 gained three co-sponsors, and Grayce Uyehara described the grassroots lobbying behind them. A JACL Legislative Education Committee fund drive report also appeared.

Elsewhere, the paper covered Democratic Party reaction to Paul Kirk’s proposed federation of Asian Pacific Americans, English-only measures in Alhambra, and Rep. Norman Mineta’s criticism of the closing of two Education Department offices. Columns by Bill Marutani, Bob Shimabukuro and Bill Hosokawa round out the commentary pages.

What’s in this issue

National

• Kimura Sentenced to Probation, Released, by Katie Kaori Hayashi, page 1. Fumiko Kimura, who drowned her two children in a suicide attempt, was sentenced to five years probation by Superior Court Judge Robert Thomas and released after serving 10 months. The judge and deputy district attorney cited her suffering as sufficient punishment, and she was ordered into psychiatric therapy at UCLA.
• Teachers’ Federation Endorses JA Redress, page 1. The executive council of the American Federation of Teachers voted unanimously to support redress legislation in Congress, following an initiative by member Robert Machida. The AFT, with 750,000 members nationwide, will have its lobbying department bring the position to Washington.
• Another ‘English Only’ Rule Debated, page 1. The Alhambra, Calif. city council refused to act on a resolution declaring English the city’s official language, after a crowded and emotional meeting featuring opposition from the city attorney and civil rights groups. An altercation broke out at City Hall between a Monterey Park activist pushing a similar measure and members of the International Committee Against Racism.
• Reaction to Kirk Proposal Lukewarm, by Julia Matisoo, Hokubei Mainichi, page 1. Many Asian American Democrats reacted with skepticism to DNC chairman Paul Kirk’s proposal to form a Democratic National Federation of Asian Pacific Americans after he had earlier removed official party sponsorship of the Asian Pacific Caucus. Local AP Democrats expressed hope but uncertainty about whether the federation would provide the same influence as the former caucus structure.
• House Bill Gains 2 GOP Co-Sponsors, page 1. House redress bill HR 442 gained three new co-sponsors in the past month, including Republicans Rep. Richard Cheney of Wyoming and Rep. George Gekas of Pennsylvania, plus Democrat Rep. Andrew Jacobs of Indiana. Cheney signed on through lobbying efforts of LEC legislative strategy chair Grant Ujifusa.
• Whites Becoming Minority in Calif., page 2. A Population Reference Bureau study projects that California’s non-Hispanic white population will decline from 64% to 47% by 2010, as Hispanic and Asian populations rapidly increase. The report, written by economists Philip Martin and Leon Bouvier, warns of challenges for education and employment as demographics shift dramatically by 2030.
• OCA States Positions on Ethnic Issues, page 3. During its board meeting, the Organization of Chinese Americans re-elected Andrew Chen as president and adopted resolutions opposing English-only laws, changes to affirmative action, and reductions in refugee programs. OCA also announced it will establish a Civil Rights and Justice Watch to monitor anti-Asian discrimination and violence.
• Axing of A/P Office Criticized by Mineta, page 3. Rep. Norman Mineta criticized Education Secretary William Bennett’s decision to abolish the Education Department’s Office of Asian and Pacific Concerns and Office of Hispanic Concerns as shortsighted. Mineta argued the offices symbolized the department’s commitment to minority citizens and called on Bennett to reconsider.
• Flemming Receives Award From ACLU, page 3. Arthur Flemming, who served on the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians, received the E.B. MacNaughton Award from the ACLU of Oregon for his long record of advocating civil liberties. Since serving on the CWRIC, Flemming has advocated redress for Japanese Americans interned during World War II.
• Democrats Continued: Federation Draws Mixed Reactions, page 12. Asian American Democrats including Mabel Teng, Sandy Ouye Mori, and JACL’s Ron Wakabayashi expressed cautious and mixed reactions to Paul Kirk’s proposed Democratic National Federation of Asian Pacific Americans. Some emphasized the need for the new structure to preserve the network and influence previously built by the Asian Pacific Caucus.

Community

• Nikkei Newspaper Index Published, page 2. The Japanese American Library announced publication of a Japanese American vernacular newspaper abstract-index covering 15 Nikkei vernaculars and 3 Asian American newspapers. The index organizes entries by subject, name, organization, and geographic area, with the 1985 edition to be published in two installments.
• Refugees Need Aid, page 3. Asian Refugee Mediators, a ministry of Agape Fellowship, continues its appeal for furniture, clothing, and household items for Southeast Asian refugees living in the Los Angeles area. Children’s clothing, smaller men’s clothing, and tables and chairs are especially needed.
• Senior Legislature Report, by Mabel Ota, page 5. Mabel Ota reports on the fifth annual session of the California Senior Legislature, where she served as an honorary escort to Gov. George Deukmejian and senior legislators passed 47 bills for the state legislature. Priority bills included a state health plan, in-home services programs, and senior housing initiatives, along with Ota’s own proposal to eliminate community college fees.
• Asian Elected to Teamster Position, page 10. Jan Sunoo, the only known Korean American Teamster official in the U.S., was returned unopposed to his second term as business agent for Retail Delivery Drivers Local 278. Sunoo has been active in Asian American community issues and labor causes including the Vincent Chin case and Watsonville cannery workers’ strike.
• Bilingual Ed. Conference Next Month, page 12. The 11th annual conference of the California Association for Bilingual Education will be held at the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco in January, expecting over 4,000 attendees. Scheduled speakers include Sen. Edward Kennedy, Gov. Mario Cuomo, and Assembly Speaker Willie Brown.

Commentary

• Economics, Eating & Elegance, by Bill Marutani, page 4. Columnist Bill Marutani reflects on the high cost of goods in Japan due to currency exchange rates, praising Singapore Airlines service and comparing dining experiences from inexpensive Chinese food to an elegant small restaurant in Kyoto. He also describes attending a tea ceremony in Beppu and his appreciation for koto music.
• Voyeurs and Exhibitionists, by Bob Shimabukuro, page 4. Columnist Bob Shimabukuro reflects on cultural stereotypes of Japanese Americans as risk-averse ‘voyeurs’ rather than ‘exhibitionists,’ prompted by Ahmad Rashad’s televised marriage proposal to Phylicia Ayers-Allen. He muses that this voyeur tendency may contribute to high outmarriage rates among Asian Americans since voyeurs need exhibitionists as partners.
• About Asian Men, by Peggy Nagae, page 4. A letter writer from Eugene, Ore. praises Bob Shimabukuro’s earlier column on Asian men and stereotypes, noting it raised important questions about erroneous assumptions and self-hate among Asian men. She thanks him for starting the discussion with honesty and persuasiveness.
• How to Lash the Liberals, page 4. A letter writer criticizes The New Republic’s insensitivity to Ron Wakabayashi’s earlier letter regarding use of the slur ‘Jap,’ suggesting the magazine would similarly defend insulting other ethnic groups. The writer calls for recognition of the historical significance and reprehensible nature of the slur.
• From Chicago to China, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Columnist Bill Hosokawa shares a reader’s letter recalling Orson Welles’ 1943 speech at Central YMCA College in Chicago defending Japanese Americans against internment, suggesting California farm interests pushed for internment to eliminate competition. He also relays his brother’s observations about lingering Chinese resentment toward Japan and criticizes Japanese tourists’ behavior abroad compared to their restraint in the U.S.
• Undesirable Culture, by Raymond Okamura, page 5. Okamura argues that the Fumiko Kimura case raises troubling questions about which aspects of Japanese culture should be preserved by Japanese Americans, criticizing the characterization of the drownings as a ‘parent-child suicide’ as a justification. He contends that a child’s right to life cannot be excused by cultural framing, regardless of the mother’s suffering.
• Making a Difference, by Grayce Uyehara, page 8. Uyehara details successful grassroots lobbying efforts that secured new Republican co-sponsors for HR 442, highlighting the work of Dr. Robert Shu Yasui in Pennsylvania and a team in Fresno County that secured Rep. Charles Pashayan’s support. She also discusses coalition-building with the Leadership Conference of Civil Rights and anticipates upcoming House hearings on the redress bill.

JACL

• JACL Legislative Education Committee Fund Drive Report, page 5. The report lists numerous donors and their contributions to the JACL Legislative Education Committee Redress Fund Drive, including amounts from various chapters and individuals nationwide. Total funds raised are tracked alongside chapter-specific totals such as the Pacific Northwest region’s contribution.
• Chapter Pulse, page 9. Brief chapter news roundup covers installation events, holiday parties, and fundraisers across JACL chapters including Florin, French Camp, Mile-Hi, New Mexico, and Stockton. Events include installations of new officers, Christmas parties for children and seniors, and New Year’s Eve celebrations.
• JACL Plans National Speech Competition, page 12. The National JACL Leadership Task Force, appointed by President Frank Sato, planned a 1986 speech and forensic competition for JACL members ages 16-19 to emphasize verbal communication as a leadership skill. District winners will advance to a final competition at the 1986 JACL National Convention in Chicago.

Incarceration & Redress

• Kimura: Mistress’s Threats Preceded Suicide Attempt, page 10. A probation report detailed the events leading to Fumiko Kimura’s suicide attempt, including her husband’s infidelity, threats from his mistress, and Kimura’s deepening depression and feelings of family rejection. Kimura told investigators she believed her children would be hated as an extension of herself, prompting her to take them into the ocean.

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