Redress hearings in Congress and the Vincent Chin civil rights trial

Vol. 98, No. 25, June 29, 1984. 12 pages. View this issue

Redress led the front page. The House Judiciary subcommittee heard testimony on HR 4110, including a statement from Rep. Norman Mineta, who was held in camp as a child, and later testimony from Rep. Robert Matsui, Bill Kochiyama and Mike Masaoka. Opposition came from Rep. Dan Lungren and John J. McCloy. The Pacific Citizen also reported that the U.S. Conference of Mayors endorsed the CWRIC’s recommendations and that the Justice Department dropped its appeal in the Korematsu case. Minoru Yasui reviewed the coram nobis cases on page 5, and a federal jury heard conflicting testimony in the civil rights trial of Ronald Ebens and Michael Nitz for the killing of Vincent Chin.

Also inside: Harry Honda’s Little Tokyo Life installment on First and Main, a dispute over the novel and TV drama Sanga Moyu between Barry Saiki and James T. Araki, and Bill Marutani’s advice to JACL delegates ahead of the August convention. Cherry Kinoshita and James Shimoura shared the JACLer of the Biennium award, and G. Tim Gojio was named JACL’s new Washington representative.

What’s in this issue

Incarceration & Redress

• Congress Hears Testimony From Former Internees, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The House Judiciary subcommittee heard testimony on HR 4110, a redress bill, including an emotional statement from Rep. Norman Mineta who was interned as a child and described the loss of constitutional rights suffered by Japanese Americans. Mineta rebutted arguments about delayed redress claims and read from a letter written by his father about leaving San Jose for internment.
• Coram Nobis Cases, by Minoru Yasui, page 5. Minoru Yasui reviews the status of coram nobis cases including Hirabayashi, Korematsu, and his own Yasui case, noting the government’s withdrawal of its Korematsu appeal and ongoing appeals in the Yasui case. He also discusses the dismissal of the NCJAR class action suit and stresses that congressional action remains necessary for redress.
• House Hearings Continue on HR 4110, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Continued coverage of House subcommittee hearings on redress legislation featured testimony from Rep. Robert Matsui about his family’s wartime losses, as well as from veterans Bill Kochiyama and Mike Masaoka advocating for redress on behalf of Nisei soldiers. Opposition came from Rep. Dan Lungren and former assistant war secretary John J. McCloy, who defended Roosevelt’s internment order as justified by security concerns.

National

• Conflicting Stories Heard in Chin Trial, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A federal jury heard differing testimony in the civil rights trial of Ronald Ebens and Michael Nitz for the killing of Vincent Chin in 1982. Prosecutors argued the killing was racially motivated while the defense claimed it was a fight between intoxicated men, with witnesses disputing whether racial slurs were used before the attack.
• U.S. Conference of Mayors Endorses Redress, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Approximately 300 U.S. mayors approved a resolution supporting the CWRIC’s recommendations for monetary compensation to interned Japanese Americans, submitted by Seattle mayor Charles Royer. The resolution passed smoothly through committees despite concerns about cost, and will next go to the National League of Cities for consideration.
• Gov’t Drops Korematsu Case, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The U.S. Justice Department will withdraw its appeal of the 1983 district court decision granting Fred Korematsu’s petition for a writ of error coram nobis. Judge Marilyn Hall Patel had ruled that government misconduct prevented a fair trial in Korematsu’s 1942 case.
• New PM Regrets Internment, by P.C. Staff, page 1. John Turner, newly elected Canadian prime minister, stated that Japanese Canadians deserve an apology and symbolic compensation for their WW2 suffering. He made the statement in response to a survey by the National Assn. of Japanese Canadians.
• Judge Denies Noguchi Old Job, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Dr. Thomas Noguchi’s bid to regain his position as Los Angeles county coroner was denied by a superior court judge who said he was not fit for the top position. Noguchi’s attorney vowed to appeal and called the demotion purely political.
• Rep. Apologizes for Remark, by P.C. Staff, page 1. U.S. Rep. Jim Shannon met with Chinese American community members to apologize for a remark about Reagan’s China trip referencing ‘short Communists.’ Shannon acknowledged that even inadvertent remarks can fuel discrimination.
• Inouye Floated as Potential VP, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Hawaii senator Daniel Inouye has been mentioned as a possible Democratic vice presidential candidate. Inouye downplayed the speculation, saying he cannot take it seriously despite it being flattering.
• For the Record, by P.C. Staff, page 11. A correction notes that Miss Sansei California pageant contestant W. Yasukochi is actually sponsored by the Golden Gate Memorial Post No. 9879, correcting information published in the June 15 issue.
• Government Appointments: Ishimaru and Ito, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Stuart Ishimaru, a San Jose native who worked for the CWRIC, was appointed assistant counsel to the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Civil and Constitutional Rights chaired by Rep. Don Edwards. Lance Allan Ito, a Los Angeles deputy district attorney, was appointed to the California Council on Criminal Justice by the Senate rules committee.
• Vincent Chin Trial: Testimony Details Fatal Attack, by P.C. Staff, page 12. Detailed trial testimony revealed conflicting accounts of the confrontation and chase that led to Vincent Chin’s fatal beating, with witnesses disputing whether racial slurs were used and whether Nitz held Chin during the attack. The defense challenged witness credibility and blocked certain evidence, while community observers noted the defendants’ selective memory lapses during testimony.

Community

• Fighting Sexual Harassment Against Asian Women, by J.K. Yamamoto, page 2. A panel discussion at Amerasia Bookstore featured three Asian women discussing their experiences with sexual harassment, including Noriko Ellen Okamoto’s fight against pornographic content in a Vassar course and Peggy Joslyn’s and Eun Chong Kerr’s workplace harassment cases. Speakers emphasized the need for community support and grassroots organizing to combat persistent stereotypes of Asian women and sexual harassment.
• New Housing Project Accepting Applications From Nikkei Seniors, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Eden Issei Terrace, a new senior housing project in Hayward, California, is accepting applications for its 74 one-bedroom and 25 studio units expected to open in November. The project features Japanese-influenced design, a koi pond garden, and will have East Bay Japanese for Action providing bilingual social services.
• Volunteer Gardeners Rewarded, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Members of the Southern California Gardeners Federation who volunteered to landscape grounds at Japanese Memorial Hospital and Keiro Nursing Homes were given health screenings as a token of appreciation. The hospital set up the program to reciprocate for the volunteers’ many hours of service.
• Chapter Pulse: Marysville, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Marysville chapter is hosting ‘Tea and Symphony,’ an evening of chamber music featuring koto player Kazusa Shimaoka and other musicians at St. John’s Episcopal Church. Tickets are available in advance for the July 6 event.
• Chapter Pulse: San Diego, by P.C. Staff, page 7. San Diego’s community picnic will be held July 4 at Bonita Basin in Mission Bay Park with activities from 11 a.m. until dusk. The chapter will provide soda and beer, and a fishing derby weigh-in will be held at 1 p.m.
• Nikkei Honored as Distinguished Teacher, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Jane Nakaue, a 23-year veteran English teacher at Oakland High School known for strict discipline, was honored as a Distinguished Teacher after being credited by Presidential Scholar Todd Flynn for contributing most to his education. Nakaue attended ceremonies in Washington D.C. with other honored teachers and scholars.

Arts & Entertainment

• Toyo Miyatake Exhibit Ready, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A photo exhibit honoring the publication of a book on photographer Toyo Miyatake’s life and work in Little Tokyo opens at Weller Court’s gallery. The book, published in Japan, documents Miyatake’s career and is expected to be available in the fall.

Commentary

• Sanga Moyu Overcriticized, by Barry Saiki, page 4. Columnist Barry Saiki, writing from Japan, defends the novel and TV drama ‘Sanga Moyu’ against criticism from Clifford Uyeda and Yuji Ichioka, arguing the Kibei story told by author Yamasaki captures legitimate internal conflicts many Kibei faced. Saiki shares his own family’s complex wartime experiences across Japan, Hawaii and the U.S. to illustrate the diversity of Nikkei loyalty and experience.
• The Choices in August, by Bill Marutani, page 4. Columnist Bill Marutani urges JACL convention delegates to vote based on candidates’ records and qualifications rather than provincial loyalty to district candidates. He stresses that the national organization is at a critical crossroads and needs courageous, imaginative leadership rather than business as usual.
• An Underused Resource, by Henry Tanaka, page 5. Columnist Henry Tanaka argues that JACL underutilizes the Pacific Citizen as a communications tool and suggests regular reports from national committees and the national office to improve member communication. He proposes a monthly ‘Report from National’ and quarterly committee reports to keep members better informed.
• Letters: Progress Report on Sanga Moyu, by James T. Araki, page 9. University of Hawaii professor James T. Araki describes his role in connecting author Toyoko Yamasaki with research resources for her novel on Japanese Americans and defends ‘Sanga Moyu’ as valuable entertainment and education despite stereotypical elements. He argues the show poses little risk of influencing American public opinion given its limited audience reach.
• Letters: JACL Nominees Timetable, by Katherine Reyes, page 9. Golden Gate Chapter president Katherine Reyes requests that the Pacific Citizen reverse its publishing schedule to run presidential candidate profiles first rather than last, giving chapters more time to study candidates before the convention. The editor responds that profiles of presidential candidates will run in the next issue.
• Letters: Whereabouts Sought, by Kitty Hisatomi, page 9. Kitty Hisatomi seeks help locating Esthel Maibori, a 1934 graduate of Pendleton High School, so she can be invited to her class’s 50th reunion on Aug. 11, 1984. Interested parties are asked to contact Hisatomi in Pendleton, Oregon.

In-Depth

• A Remarkable Career, page 5. Yasu Iwasaki traveled alone from Japan to the U.S. in 1920 to study English at Simpson College, later returning to Japan to teach English at Kassui school in Nagasaki for decades. She survived the atomic bombing of Nagasaki and continued teaching generations of Japanese women, receiving a distinguished alumnus award from Simpson 64 years later.
• First & Main, by Harry Honda, page 6. This installment of the Little Tokyo Life series examines the history of the First and Main Street intersection in Los Angeles, once a hub of Japanese American business and community life in the early 1900s. The area hosted numerous Issei-run hotels, shops, and organizations until Japanese businesses moved to First and San Pedro in the 1920s and the area was eventually absorbed into city hall expansion after WW2.

JACL

• Washington D.C. Chapter Raises Capital for JACL Redress Campaign, by Lily Okura, page 5. The Washington D.C. JACL chapter held a dinner raising $4,806 net for the redress campaign following House hearings on HR 4110. Senators Inouye and Matsunaga, along with Representatives Mineta and Matsui and numerous other congressmen, expressed support for redress at an earlier reception.
• Kinoshita and Shimoura Tie for JACLer of the Biennium, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Cherry Kinoshita of Seattle and James Shimoura of Detroit were named co-recipients of the JACLer of the Biennium Award for their contributions to redress efforts and civil rights work respectively. Kinoshita championed Washington state redress legislation while Shimoura helped build coalitions in the Vincent Chin case as a founding member of American Citizens for Justice.
• Legislative Counsel Is New Washington Representative, by P.C. Staff, page 8. G. Tim Gojio, a Seattle-born Sansei attorney, will succeed Ronald Ikejiri as JACL’s Washington D.C. representative starting in July. Gojio previously helped draft and pass Washington state legislation compensating Japanese American state workers who lost jobs during WW2.
• Book Party for Author, Contributors, by P.C. Staff, page 9. JACL will host a reception for John Tateishi and contributors to ‘And Justice For All’ on June 29, featuring a program where Tateishi will report on recent House hearings on HR 4110. The public is invited to attend the event in San Francisco.

Sports

• JACL to Host Nikkei Team From Brazil, by P.C. Staff, page 9. A group of Brazilian Sansei teenage baseball players will compete against teams in the San Francisco Bay Area and Southern California in July, hosted by JACL/Pan American Nikkei Assn. Organizers are seeking additional host families to house the players during their visit.

Military & Veterans

• JACL Pioneer Dies, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Jiro Edward Aoki, an early Seattle JACL member who served as chapter president in 1969 and received JACL’s ruby pin for attending every national convention since 1930, died May 29 at age 72. He was also active in several community and religious organizations and ran a cleaning business for 28 years after returning from Minidoka internment camp.

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