Redress moves forward: local ordinances and the Commission’s recommendations

Vol. 97, No. 2, July 8, 1983. 12 pages. View this issue

Redress was the main subject of the July 8, 1983 issue. The front page reported that San Joaquin County passed Ordinance 3028 to compensate Japanese Americans forced out of civil service during World War II, following the work of Supervisor Richard S. Yoshikawa. Washington State also signed a $5,000 compensation law, and eleven Western governors passed a redress resolution. Pages 6 and 7 print the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians recommendations in full, with its addendum on the ‘Magic’ cables and Executive Order 9066. Sen. Alan Cranston recalled his visits to Tule Lake and Heart Mountain, and an editorial roundup collected newspaper views on the Commission’s proposals.

The issue also followed the Mitsue Takahashi teaching case, with an appellate court report, a letter from school board member Fred Kishi, and reader letters. Other pages cover the Minority Health Fair program, the video project on aging, JACL members bound for Peru, and Barry Saiki’s column on Japan.

What’s in this issue

National

• San Joaquin County Joins State WW2 Redress Move, by P.C. Staff, page 1. San Joaquin County passed Ordinance 3028 to compensate Japanese Americans forced to leave civil service during World War II, following the efforts of Supervisor Richard S. Yoshikawa. Claimants are eligible to receive $1,250 each year for up to four years, joining Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento and Alameda counties in similar legislation inspired by Assemblyman Patrick Johnston.
• 38 State of Washington Nikkei Eligible for Compensation, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Washington State Gov. John Spellman signed a law granting $5,000 to Japanese Americans dismissed from state jobs during World War II. The JACL Pacific Northwest Regional office is seeking the whereabouts of listed individuals so they can claim payments.
• VFW National Commander ‘Never’ for Redress, Apology, by P.C. Staff, page 1. VFW national commander-in-chief James R. Currieo declared there should never be reparations or apology for Japanese Americans removed from the West Coast during WWII, while praising the heroic service of Nisei soldiers. He blamed wartime privations on the former imperial Japanese government rather than the U.S. government.
• Appellate Court Backs School Board in Mitsue Takahashi Case, page 1. The California State Appellate Court, 5th District, unanimously upheld the Livingston Union School District’s dismissal of teacher Mitsue Takahashi for incompetency due to lack of classroom discipline. The court found the district’s actions complied with Education Code procedures despite the absence of uniform evaluation guidelines.
• Takahashi Case Continued: Appellate Court Details, page 5. Continuing coverage details the specific allegations against teacher Mitsue Takahashi regarding classroom discipline problems, including disruptive student behavior and lack of control noted by observing administrators. The appellate opinion found substantial evidence supported the Commission on Professional Competence’s findings justifying her dismissal.
• U.S. Industrialist Calls for 10,000 Students to Japan Annually, page 10. Sheldon Weinig, chairman of Materials Research Corp., told the Japan America Society of Southern California that 10,000 American university students annually should study in Japan to improve business relations, compared to the current 450. He noted Japan has roughly 15,000 students studying in the U.S. and advocated for a Pacific Basin scholarship program.

Incarceration & Redress

• CWRIC Views Firm Despite Cables in ‘Magic’, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians issued an addendum stating that newly reviewed ‘Magic’ cables do not alter its February 1983 conclusions that no documented espionage or sabotage was committed by Japanese Americans. The addendum responds to news reports suggesting the cables might have changed the Commission’s findings about Executive Order 9066.
• Western Governors Support Redress, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Eleven governors at the Western Governors Conference in Kalispell, Montana unanimously passed a redress resolution introduced by Washington Gov. John Spellman supporting compensation for Japanese Americans. Spellman plans to introduce a similar resolution at the National Governors’ Conference in Portland, Maine.
• CWRIC Recommendations: Full Text of Commission Report, page 6. The Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians released its recommendations calling for a Congressional apology, a $1.5 billion fund to pay $20,000 to each of approximately 60,000 surviving internees, and a foundation to educate Americans about the injustice. The report concludes that Executive Order 9066 was not justified by military necessity but resulted from race prejudice, war hysteria, and failure of political leadership.
• Aleuts Recommended for Redress Fund, page 7. The Commission recommended Congress establish funds for Aleuts evacuated during WWII, including a $5,000 per capita payment to survivors and a fund to rebuild Aleut communities and churches damaged during the war. Commissioner Lungren dissented from these Aleut-related recommendations.
• ADDENDUM: Full Text Continued – Magic Cables Analysis, page 7. The continuation of the Commission’s addendum provides detailed analysis of specific ‘Magic’ cables and testimony from John J. McCloy, concluding that no evidence shows the cables influenced the decision to issue Executive Order 9066. The addendum also lists numerous Caucasians convicted of espionage during WWII to argue that individual espionage does not justify mass exclusion of an entire ethnic group.

Community

• Buddhists Meet $1.2 Million Goal for Endowment Fund, page 2. The Buddhist Churches of America is raising $15 million, with a portion earmarked for expanding the Institute of Buddhist Studies, a graduate school in Berkeley. The campaign, headed by Hiroji Kariya, aims to help IBS relocate to a larger facility as it grows, with Ryukoku Daigaku offering support.
• Chin Reception Planned in Los Angeles, page 2. A reception for Lily Chin, mother of Vincent Chin, will be held July 9 in Los Angeles, sponsored by local organizers. Tickets are $15 and contacts are provided for information.
• Demoted Coroner Sues for Old Job, page 2. Former Los Angeles County coroner Thomas Noguchi filed a $1 million lawsuit seeking reinstatement after being demoted amid allegations of mismanagement and sensationalizing celebrity deaths. He has since worked at County-USC Medical Center performing autopsies.
• Nisei Balloonist Dies in Crash, page 2. Balloonists Don Ida, 48, and Anderson, 49, died when their balloon crashed in a Bavarian forest near Schweinfurt, West Germany while leading the Gordon Bennett International Race from Paris to Prague. Anderson had been the first balloonist to cross the Atlantic in 1978.
• Nakasone’s Party Given Strong Nod in Elections, page 2. Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone and the Liberal Democratic Party won 136 seats in the 252-seat House of Councilors in Japan’s June 26 elections. Turnout was a postwar low of 57%, attributed to lack of issues and bad weather.
• Housing Help Offered Through HIRES Program, page 2. Little Tokyo’s HIRES (Housing Information and Referral Exchange Service) began a second phase as a clearinghouse connecting those with apartments/houses to rent with those seeking housing near Little Tokyo. The service operates through the Little Tokyo Service Center.
• Kiku Gardens Senior Home in San Diego Seeks Residents, page 3. The 100-unit San Diego Kiku Gardens senior citizen retirement home, to be completed in December 1983, is surveying Nikkei interest in residency, with eligibility starting at age 62. The project, sponsored by San Diego JACL and several churches, will offer rental assistance for qualifying low-income residents.
• Paintings at JACCC, page 3. Recent paintings by Los Angeles artist Hirokazu Kosaka will be on display starting July 9 at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center’s George J. Doizaki Gallery.
• Slide Show on Heart Mountain, page 8. Marina JACL met July 7 to view Bacon Sakatani’s slide show of Heart Mountain Relocation Center, which was first presented at the 1982 camp reunion.
• Eight ELA Scholarships Awarded, page 9. East Los Angeles JACL awarded 1983 scholarships to eight local high school graduates from various schools including Alhambra High, Wilson High, and Roosevelt High. The chapter scholarship committee was chaired by June Kurisu with several other committee members.
• West Valley Picnic Honors Graduates, by May Yanagita, page 9. West Valley JACL honored chapter scholarship recipients Teresa Tauchi, Pamela Shishido, and John Togasaki at their chapter picnic on June 19 at Vasona Lake Park. Ron and Rose Watanabe co-chaired the event with several other volunteers.
• Minyo Dancers Perform at Miss Universe Contest, page 9. Minyo dancers who entertained at the Cincinnati JACL dinner in April performed in a 50-nations extravaganza at the Miss Universe Contest in St. Louis.
• Eunice Sato of L.B. Honored, page 10. Long Beach City Councilwoman Eunice Sato was honored as a ‘Partner in Progress’ at a luncheon sponsored by Reaching Adults and Youth by Success (RAYS) in cooperation with Long Beach Private Industry Council and Long Beach Industry.
• Drunk Driver Found Guilty of Murder, page 10. A 27-year-old Torrance man was found guilty of murder in Los Angeles for crashing into a car and killing driver Earl Etsuo Ueda while driving drunk, marking the first conviction of its kind in Los Angeles. The California Highway Patrol said the driver had sped away at 90 mph to avoid being stopped by officers.
• Nisei Widowed Group in S.F. Area Meets, page 10. The Nisei Widowed Group meets monthly in the San Francisco Bay Area to help widows and widowers cope with loneliness and life transitions, with the July meeting featuring a discussion on financial planning by CPA Richard Kiwata. The support group’s operating expenses are underwritten by local businessman Jack Hirose.
• Hiroshige Prints on Display in Sacramento, page 10. Original Hiroshige woodblock prints of famous Tokaido scenes will be displayed at Crocker Art Gallery in Sacramento from July 9 through August, augmented with items from the gallery’s own collection and private individuals.

Obituaries

• Seattle JACLer Eira Nagaoka, 65, Dies, page 2. Veteran Seattle JACL newsletter editor Eira Nagaoka died June 18 at age 65 after single-handedly editing the monthly publication for years. He is survived by his wife Chizuko, stepdaughters, brothers and sisters.

JACL

• JARS Fund-Raiser for ’83 Slated, page 3. Japanese American Republicans will hold their 1983 fund-raising dinner at Miriwa Restaurant on July 15 with state party chair Ed Reineke as main speaker. Tickets are $35 individual and $350 per table, reservable through several contacts.
• Minority Health Fair Program in Full Swing, page 8. National JACL received a Chevron USA grant to promote Minority Health Fairs in Asian communities, with at least ten JACL chapters participating in the program providing health education, screening, and referral services. Program Director Lia Shigemura noted grant monies are still available for chapters interested in participating in the 1983 campaign.
• Input Sought for A/R Videocassette Project, by Dr. Mike Ego, page 9. The JACL Aging and Retirement Committee is continuing its videocassette project despite the death of Henry Ushijima, selecting filmmaker Emiko Omori to produce a video on Nisei aging and retirement lifestyles. The committee seeks input from JACL members through district representatives before project completion in the fall.
• JACL-Hayashi Law Award Deadline, page 9. July 15 is the deadline for the 1983 JACL-Thomas Hayashi memorial law scholarship, with applications to be sent to the Washington JACL Office. The scholarship honors the memory of Thomas Hayashi.
• Over 100 JACLers Peru-Bound to PANA, page 10. A contingent of 116 JACLers, relatives and friends led by National JACL President Floyd Shimomura are traveling to Lima, Peru for the PANA (Pan American Nikkei Association) convention July 14-17. Many delegates are extending their trips with visits to Cuzco, Machu Picchu, Argentina, Brazil and the Galapagos Islands.

Commentary

• Letters: Reactions to the Takahashi Case, by Stanley Kanzaki, Douglas Frago, Martha T. Kajiwara, page 4. Multiple readers wrote in regarding the JACL’s handling of the Mitsue Takahashi dismissal case, with Stanley Kanzaki supporting Takahashi and questioning the school board’s contradictory findings, while Douglas Frago and Martha T. Kajiwara defended the Livingston school board’s actions and process. The letters debate whether JACL overstepped its convention resolution and whether racism played a role in the case.
• From a Livingston School Board Member, by Fred Kishi, page 4. Livingston Union School District board member Fred Kishi defends the board’s 1980 dismissal of teacher Mitsue Takahashi for incompetency, citing the recent unanimous appellate court decision upholding the board, Commission on Professional Competence, and Superior Court rulings. He details the civil suits Takahashi filed against the district and expresses concern that JACL has gone beyond its convention resolution in supporting her case with biased information.
• Keeping Track: Editorial Roundup on Redress, page 4. A collection of newspaper editorials from the Kansas City Star, Philadelphia Inquirer, and Fresno Bee discuss the CWRIC’s redress recommendations, with most supporting compensation for Japanese American internees while the Fresno Bee opposes the $20,000 per-person payment as inappropriate. The editorials debate the adequacy and appropriateness of monetary reparations for the wartime internment.
• Vantage Point: Native Americans in the Media, by Harry Honda, page 5. Harry Honda reflects on his participation in the National Indian Communications Conference in Minneapolis, drawing parallels between Native American journalists today and Nisei journalists of the 1920s-30s. He notes similarities in inexperience, enthusiasm, and pressure from conservative tribal councils compared to the pressure Nisei editors faced from conservative Issei elders.
• Guest’s Corner: Righting an Old Wrong – Cranston Recalls Internment, by Sen. Alan Cranston, page 5. Senator Alan Cranston recounts his personal experience visiting Japanese American internment camps at Tule Lake and Heart Mountain during WWII, describing the injustice suffered by loyal American citizens. He announces his introduction of redress legislation in the Senate to compensate internees and their families for their losses.
• Additional Views of Congressman Daniel E. Lungren, by Daniel E. Lungren, page 10. Commission Vice Chairman Daniel Lungren concurs with the Commission’s overall findings of injustice but argues the ‘Magic’ cables likely played some role in wartime decisions affecting Japanese Americans. He maintains this doesn’t change the fundamental conclusion that race prejudice, war hysteria and political failure caused Executive Order 9066.

Sports

• 1000er Golf Meet Rain or Shine, page 8. The 12th annual Seattle JACL 1000 Club golf tournament will be held July 24 at Jefferson Park Golf Course with dinner following at Perry’s. Entries are being accepted until July 14 by co-chairs Bill Mimbu and Mary Furuta.
• S.D. Kegfest Entry Deadline Extended, page 8. The entry deadline for the San Diego JACL 30th Anniversary bowling tournament July 23-24 at Frontier Lanes has been extended to July 9. The tournament will feature singles Saturday and a No-Tap Fun tournament Sunday.

Arts & Entertainment

• Taiko Festival to Star Japan Artist, page 10. Okinawan taiko drummer Kimico Kawada will perform at the newly-opened Japan America Theatre as part of the first annual Los Angeles Taiko Festival on July 9. She will be joined by the Los Angeles Matsuri Taiko Aikokai and the San Francisco Taiko Dojo in two performances.

In-Depth

• Nisei in Japan: What is Japan Like?, by Barry Saiki, page 12. Barry Saiki explores the complexity of defining ‘typical’ Japan, comparing it to the challenge of defining a typical America given regional and cultural diversity. He discusses Japan’s postwar homogenization through media and transportation alongside persistent traditional and feudal influences, plus commentary from former Ambassador Edwin Reischauer on American individualism versus Japanese discipline.

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