Hirabayashi’s coram nobis case, redress and mail-order brides

Vol. 101, No. 20, November 15, 1985. 12 pages. View this issue

The final briefs in Gordon Hirabayashi’s coram nobis case led the Japanese American incarceration coverage in this 12-page issue. Frank Abe reported that Hirabayashi’s attorneys argued the government suppressed intelligence reports contradicting claims of military necessity, while the government said no misconduct occurred. The front page also carried J.K. Yamamoto’s report on a Los Angeles panel about mail-order brides and abuse, with JACL program director Lia Shigemura speaking, and a report on two men indicted in the death of Cambodian refugee Bun Vong in Medford, Massachusetts.

Redress ran through the commentary pages, with Grayce Uyehara reporting on a legislative planning meeting hosted by Sen. Daniel Inouye on HR 442 and S 1053, and Yosh Nakashima questioning the campaign’s new strategic plan. Bill Hosokawa wrote about a visit by Prince Hiro to Denver. Chapter news included Florin JACL’s 50th anniversary and plans in Salt Lake City, and a page 8 story told how a $2 bamboo suitcase went from the Tsukamoto family’s camp years at Jerome and Gila to the Smithsonian.

What’s in this issue

National

• Mail-Order Brides Potential Victims of Abuse, Say Panelists, by J.K. Yamamoto, page 1. Panelists at a Nov. 2 program in Los Angeles discussed how Asian immigrant women are vulnerable to exploitation through mail-order bride companies due to isolation, unfamiliarity with U.S. law, and racist/sexist marketing stereotypes. JACL program director Lia Shigemura detailed the origins of the mail-order bride industry and called for public education and action to protect these women.
• Two Indicted in Cambodian’s Death, by P.C. Staff, page 1. John Febbi and Scott Arsenault were indicted on manslaughter and assault charges for the killing of Cambodian refugee Bun Vong in a road-rage incident in Medford, Massachusetts. Bun Vong died after 11 days in a coma, and a cross-complaint has been filed against the surviving victim, Som Bunyoen, which his attorney calls a tactic to shift blame.
• New Republic Claims ‘Jap’ Not a Slur, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The New Republic magazine responded to a protest letter from JACL national director Ron Wakabayashi over its use of ‘Japs’ in a headline, defending the term as a national nickname rather than an ethnic slur. Wakabayashi called the magazine’s response ‘absurd.’
• AP Coalition Gives Redress Donation, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Asian Pacific American Heritage Council voted to contribute $1,000 to JACL’s redress program, with its president expressing hope the gesture would encourage other organizations to follow suit. APAHC, a coalition of 19 groups, also recently honored astronaut Ellison Onizuka and campaigned for a National Asian Pacific American Heritage Week.
• Thoughts on Trade, by Mariko Yamagami, page 8. Columnist Mariko Yamagami examines the complex U.S.-Japan trade imbalance, explaining the economic and political factors behind the roughly $50 billion trade deficit with Japan and the risks of protectionist measures. She explores proposed solutions including increased Japanese government spending, defense spending, and foreign aid, while questioning the fairness of criticism directed at Japan compared to other trade-surplus nations like West Germany.

Incarceration & Redress

• Arguments Given in Hirabayashi Case, by Frank Abe, page 1. Attorneys for Gordon Hirabayashi and the Justice Dept. filed final briefs in his coram nobis case, with Hirabayashi’s team arguing the government suppressed intelligence reports that contradicted claims of military necessity for Japanese American incarceration. The government countered that no misconduct occurred and that the evidence represented only internal dissenting views not adopted as policy.
• The Suitcase and the Smithsonian, by P.C. Staff, page 8. A $2 bamboo suitcase purchased by Mary and Alfred Tsukamoto in 1934 traveled with the family through their wartime incarceration at Fresno, Jerome, and Gila before being donated to the Smithsonian Institution for an exhibit on the Japanese American experience. Other donated artifacts include handmade packing crates, a dresser, and totes crafted by internees from scavenged camp materials.
• Hirabayashi Case: Arguments Detailed on Government Misconduct, by Frank Abe, page 12. This continuation details the dueling legal arguments in Gordon Hirabayashi’s coram nobis case, with his attorney Rod Kawakami accusing the government of altering Gen. DeWitt’s Final Report to hide its racial basis and suppressing the Ringle and Munson intelligence reports. Government attorney Victor Stone countered that no misconduct occurred, defending reliance on decoded ‘Magic’ cables as justification for wartime actions, while Kawakami argued no evidence ever substantiated claims of Japanese American espionage.

JACL

• JACCC Artists-in-Residence Named, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Japanese American Cultural and Community Center received a California Arts Council grant to fund an artist-in-residence program featuring four artists: dancer Fujima Chiseye, calligrapher Takusen Inoue, koto player June Kuramoto, and puppeteer Michiko Tagawa. The program will include workshops tied to Japanese festivals like Oshogatsu, Children’s Day, and Obon.
• Legislators’ Letter, by Wilfred H. de Cristoforo, page 6. A letter to the editor describes a letter co-signed by Congressmen Mineta, Matsui and Panetta to House colleagues summarizing redress justifications prepared by Salinas JACL’s Redress Committee. The writer highlights this as a significant tool for educating representatives about the wartime injustice against Japanese Americans.
• PNWDC Reelects Yasuhara as District Governor, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Pacific Northwest District Council reelected Denny Yasuhara as district governor at its Oct. 13 meeting in Jackpot, Nevada, alongside a new slate of officers for 1986-87. A joint meeting with the Intermountain District also included a redress workshop led by LEC chair Minoru Yasui following the Minidoka pilgrimage.
• Golden Gate Chapter Wins NCWNPC Chapter of the Year, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Golden Gate JACL won the ‘best overall programs and activities’ category in the NCWNPC Chapter of the Year awards, recognized for introducing numerous resolutions and activities including surveys, memorial events, and advocacy. The chapter also originated the National JACL Edison Uno Civil Rights Award, to be presented at the 1986 national convention.

Community

• Drug Abuse Program Receives Video Grant, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Asian American Drug Abuse Prevention Unit received a $665 grant from Kaiser Permanente to produce more copies of its video ‘Before It’s Too Late’ and print prevention brochures. The video, narrated by actor Robert Ito, documents a Gardena task force’s work with community members to prevent youth drug and alcohol abuse.
• Sacramento AAJA Chapter Formed, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A new Sacramento chapter of the Asian American Journalists Association was established at an October meeting, becoming the organization’s third new branch this year. A general membership meeting and board election were scheduled for Nov. 17 at KXTV.
• Wada to Speak at Anti-Apartheid Event, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A ‘Free South Africa’ program sponsored by several Bay Area organizations will feature UC regent Yori Wada discussing UC divestment from South Africa and activist Karega Hart. The event benefits the S.F. Rainbow Coalition’s ‘Aid to South Africa’ project.
• Senior Tenants Sought, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Kiku Gardens, a 100-unit senior housing project in Chula Vista, California, is compiling a new waiting list for prospective tenants aged 62 or older meeting income requirements. Interested parties were directed to contact the Kiku Admissions Committee.
• Seabrook Chapter News, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Seabrook JACL will host a ‘Senior Citizen Appreciation Night’ on Dec. 14 honoring local seniors with entertainment and a buffet dinner. The chapter also announced the establishment of the Mary C. Nagao Memorial Scholarship in honor of her decades of service to chapter youth programs, with about $2,000 donated in her memory.
• San Francisco Chapter Plans Spaghetti-Crab Feed, by P.C. Staff, page 6. San Francisco JACL’s third annual ‘Spaghetti-Crab Feed’ fundraiser is scheduled for Dec. 7 at Christ United Presbyterian Church. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door, with an extra charge for beverages.
• Cincinnati Chapter Hosts ‘Focus on Japan’ Workshop, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Cincinnati JACL’s ‘Focus on Japan’ teacher workshop was presented outside Ohio for the first time at Thomas More College in Kentucky, co-sponsored by the college after an impressed professor’s invitation. Thirty-three people registered for lectures and demonstrations on Japanese family, language, and culture.
• Florin Chapter Marks 50th Anniversary, by P.C. Staff, page 6. More than 200 people attended Florin JACL’s 50th anniversary celebration at the Sacramento Hilton Inn, honoring the chapter’s history, past presidents, scholarship recipients, and longtime member Mary Tsukamoto. The event was chaired by Bill Kashiwagi and Alfred Tsukamoto.
• Salt Lake City Chapter to Observe 50th Anniversary and Centennial, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Salt Lake City JACL will celebrate its 50th anniversary and 100 years of Japanese presence in Utah on Nov. 23 at the new Holiday Inn, once the heart of Japanese town. Ted Nagata is compiling a historical photo album tracing early Japanese businesses and institutions in the area.
• JAUA Critical of ‘J.A.P.S.S.’ Hair Salon, by Katie Kaori Hayashi, page 7. Members of the Japanese American United Alliance unanimously criticized the name of a West Hollywood hair salon called J.A.P.S.S., arguing the owners could not have been ignorant of the offensive term. The salon owners had asked the Japanese American community for $15,000 to cover the cost of changing the name, which JAUA members felt the community should not pay.
• Escort Coordinator Hired at LTSC, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Little Tokyo Service Center hired retired businessman George Kamei as the new escort coordinator for the Nikkei Escort/Interpreter Program, which provides transportation for frail elderly or disabled persons. He replaces Amy Amano, who is moving on to other business obligations.

Commentary

• Authentic Soul Food, by Bill Marutani, page 4. Columnist Bill Marutani recounts attending an Indochinese-American Council dinner in Philadelphia featuring diverse Asian American community leaders and Congressman Bob Edgar. He reflects on the food served, including a notable salad, and reminisces about trying unusual dishes like jellyfish, rattlesnake, and duck’s feet, while drawing the line at fried sparrows.
• A Retraction (Of Sorts), by Bob Shimabukuro, page 4. Columnist Bob Shimabukuro writes a column interspersed with play-by-play of a Raiders-Chargers football game, responding to his daughter Mira’s complaint that he portrayed her as a ‘fluffhead’ in a previous column. He clarifies that Mira is actually precocious, witty, and a strong student, while also promoting the upcoming Holiday Issue of the paper.
• A Redress ‘Huddle’, by Grayce Uyehara, page 4. LEC update columnist Grayce Uyehara reports on a legislative planning meeting hosted by Sen. Daniel Inouye discussing the progress of HR 442 and S 1053, including strategies to build coalition support from other civil rights groups. The column continues on the following page with updates on Senate and House committee prospects and a major fundraising dinner planned for January 1986.
• A Royal Visit, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Columnist Bill Hosokawa describes Prince Hiro of Japan’s informal visit to Denver as part of a U.S. tour to learn about the country, including meeting Japanese American youth and sampling Rocky Mountain Oysters. Hosokawa reflects on what the prince’s exposure to American culture and people means for future U.S.-Japan relations when he eventually ascends the throne.
• Thought-Provoking Ideas, by Tom Nakao, page 5. Tom Nakao, a member of JACL’s Leadership Development and Recruitment Committee, summarizes a workshop he facilitated at the Midwest/Eastern/Mountain Plains convention on identifying and developing JACL leaders. The second of two parts covers small-group discussion responses on identifying potential leaders, guiding their involvement, and attracting younger members aged 22-45.
• Pride?, by Clifford Uyeda, page 5. Columnist Clifford Uyeda recounts the harsh and often overlooked realities of the Pilgrims’ early years in Plymouth, including misconduct and theft from Native Americans, contrasted with romanticized historical images. He also discusses modern tensions over Chippewa treaty hunting rights and the delayed granting of U.S. citizenship to Native Americans until 1922.
• Credit to Central Cal, by Fred Y. Hirasuna, page 6. A letter to the editor asserts that an earlier article on HR 442 failed to credit the JACL Central California District Council, led by Tom Shimasaki, for persuading Congressman Pashayan to change his stance on redress payments. The writer notes Pashayan himself credited Shimasaki and the CCDC for his decision to co-sponsor the bill.
• Wherein Lies Reality?, by Yosh Nakashima, page 7. Columnist Yosh Nakashima criticizes the redress campaign’s new strategic plan as merely a rebranding of years-old efforts without proper credit to longtime contributors, warning it could create scapegoats if the program fails. He argues for greater accountability, education of the membership, and genuine teamwork rather than one-sided demands for unity.
• Mail-Order and GI Brides Face Similar Isolation, by P.C. Staff, page 9. Continuing coverage from the Nov. 2 panel, speakers including Sumi Haru and attorney Eileen Kurahashi discussed how media stereotypes of Asian women and the case of Fumiko Kimura, who killed her children, reflect cultural isolation faced by immigrant brides. Kurahashi explained that Kimura’s defense focused on mental disturbance rather than a nonexistent ‘cultural defense’ in American law.

In-Depth

• The Samrai, by Jin Konomi, page 9. This history column examines how the Tokugawa Shogunate’s political manipulation elevated the concept of ‘iye’ (household) to near-religious reverence among the samurai class, driven by the Shogunate’s practice of abolishing daimyo houses that died without heirs. The piece traces how this system led to concubinage, adoption practices, and ultimately fostered a mythologized view of samurai Bushido that was later promoted by the Meiji government.

Obituaries

• Yayoi Arikawa Ono, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Yayoi Arikawa Ono, a charter member of Long Beach JACL and life member of the 1000 Club, died Oct. 20 at her home in Carson, California. She was active in community volunteer work and had received the Woman of the Year Award from the Carson Lions Club; she is survived by her sister and several children and grandchildren.
• George M. Iwanaka, by P.C. Staff, page 11. George M. Iwanaka, 62, a professor of finance at DePaul University in Chicago for 30 years, died Oct. 15. He is survived by sisters and a brother.

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