Vol. 93, No. 24, December 11, 1981. 8 pages. View this issue
The Pacific Citizen’s December 11, 1981 issue followed the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians. The front page reported that JACL expected to preview the preliminary draft of the commission’s final report, with redress chair Min Yasui saying JACL hoped to study it before forming its official position. Frederick Katayama covered the New York hearings, where testimony ranged from Seabrook Farms to Peruvian Japanese internees and a sharp exchange with Commissioner William Marutani. Page 2 continued the testimony and reported that nine Midwestern chapters raised $28,068 for the redress effort. The front page also told of Peter Nakahata of Mill Valley, Calif., who received a Carleton College scholarship.
Elsewhere, Ron Wakabayashi wrote on the 40th anniversary of Pearl Harbor, and Bill Marutani wrote about the Military Intelligence Language School and its Nisei linguists. Margo Rutledge Kissell reviewed a book by Dayton cartoonist Pete Hironaka. Harry Honda’s column previewed the Holiday Issue, and PSWDC news included Cary Nishimoto’s election as district governor.
What’s in this issue
National
- CWRIC Draft of Final Report to Be Previewed by National JACL, page 1. The Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians may have its life extended to Dec. 31, 1982, and JACL anticipates being allowed to review the preliminary draft of its final report. Redress chair Min Yasui said JACL hopes to study the proposed draft to formulate its official position before the report is finalized.
- Hawaiians Have Highest Cancer Rate in U.S., page 1. A study found Hawaiians had the highest cancer incidence rates among groups studied in Puerto Rico and ten states, with colon-rectum cancer being most common followed by breast and lung cancer. Japanese and Hispanic populations showed the highest incidence of stomach cancer, particularly in areas with large foreign-born populations like Detroit and San Francisco-Oakland.
- L.A. Agencies Feel the Sting of Reagan’s Federal Cutbacks, page 1. Federal budget cuts by the Reagan Administration have severely impacted Asian Pacific American community programs in Los Angeles, including mental health, drug abuse, family planning, and refugee services. Agency directors expressed concern over loss of funding, staff layoffs, and uncertainty about the future of community services.
- Japan Third in World for Developments, page 4. The Japanese Science and Technology Agency reported that Japan accounts for a significant percentage of world exports, ranking third after West Germany and the U.S. in 1977 trade figures.
- U.S. Opens Up Files on WW2 Germ Warfare, page 8. John W. Powell disclosed in the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists that American POWs were among thousands of Chinese killed by Japan’s germ warfare experiments in WW2 North China, with U.S. officials later granting war crimes immunity to Japanese researchers in exchange for data. Separately, a former Japanese Lt. Gen. revealed a 1933 experiment using high electric current on Chinese prisoners in Jilin Province.
Community
- PSWDC Trust Fund Allocates $5,700 for Community Use, page 1. The 16-year-old PSWDC-JACL Trust Fund, now over $100,000, generated approximately $12,000 for community use and administrative expenses this year according to chairman Dr. Roy M. Nishikawa. Distributions included funds for Nisei Relays, National Conference of Christians and Jews, Asian Pacific Youth Coalition, and Asian Images, among others.
- Oakland Councilman Ogawa to Seek Open District Seat, page 1. An Oakland city councilman is running again for a fifth term but may not seek the district 7 seat he has held for 16 years. He may instead try for an at-large seat recently vacated by another councilman.
- County Affirmative Action Officer Under Fire, Resigns, page 3. Los Angeles County Affirmative Action Officer Mike Ishikawa resigned amid a District Attorney conflict-of-interest investigation, stating his resignation was partly due to concern for the affirmative action office’s future. Ishikawa accused CAO Harry Hufford of undermining minority hiring programs, a charge Hufford denied.
- Chicago Attorney Hurt in Auto Mishap, page 3. Harry K. Mayeda, a prominent Nisei attorney and founder of the Japanese American Resettlement Committee in Chicago, was seriously injured in a four-car crash on Lake Shore Drive. He survived with broken ribs, wrists, and severe contusions and was recovering at Passavant Hospital.
- Man Shot Near Gardena Cafe, page 3. Kichisaku Nohara of Torrance was shot and killed in the parking lot of Yue’s Cantonese Restaurant in Gardena, with sheriff’s investigators suspecting robbery as the motive. Nohara, who coached baseball for neighborhood children, was approached by a group of young men before being shot.
- Karate Class Nabs Robber, page 3. A would-be purse snatcher in Santa Clara fled into a karate studio parking area and was subdued by students after a motorist alerted them to the chase. Police arrived to arrest the suspect without incident.
- Denver Sansei Killed in Crash, page 4. Lee Higa, 26, suffered fatal head and chest injuries in a head-on auto accident on Brighton Blvd. in Denver on Nov. 19. Police reported Higa was driving south when the collision occurred.
- Toyota Motors Donates Parts to Schools, page 4. Toyota Motor Sales’ regional office in San Francisco has donated obsolete auto parts to vocational schools and rehabilitation institutions including Folsom Prison. The parts, which would otherwise be scrapped, are used for instructional purposes in auto shop programs.
- Las Vegas Junket, by John Saito, page 6. In this From Pacific Southwest column, John Saito recounts the PSWDC Fourth Quarterly District Council Meeting held in Las Vegas, organized by Kathy Chono. The weekend included business meetings, elections where Cary Nishimoto was named new district governor, and recreational activities at the Flamingo Hilton.
- San Gabriel JACL Officers Installed, page 6. The San Gabriel Valley JACL installed its 1982 officers at a recent installation banquet in West Covina. Benny Taguchi was named president, with Laura Miyake as vice president and Kathy Chong as secretary.
- Dinner for Issei Housing Nets $12,400, page 8. A fundraising dinner for East Bay Issei Housing at the Silver Dragon Restaurant in Oakland raised $12,400. EBIH vice-president Ike Nakamura announced the organization has now acquired $124,700 from various donations.
Incarceration & Redress
- Small Black Group Stirs CWRIC Air in New York, by Frederick Katayama, page 1. At CWRIC hearings in New York, testimony addressed Japanese American employment at Seabrook Farms, the plight of Peruvian Japanese internees, and a proposed garden memorial for redress. Testimony from Clarence C. Reynolds of a small Black organization opposing monetary redress drew hisses and sparked a sharp exchange with Commissioner William Marutani.
- Redress Reports: Seabrook Farms Testimony and CWRIC Hearings Continued, page 2. Continued coverage of CWRIC testimony detailed Japanese American laborers at Seabrook Farms, Peruvian Japanese internment at Crystal City, and testimony from 442nd veterans about discrimination and incarceration. Witnesses including draft resister Jack Tono criticized the JACL’s wartime role, while others debated the Commission’s handling of witnesses and testimony.
JACL
- Midwest Chapters Raise $28,068 for Redress Fundraising Effort, page 2. A check representing funds raised by nine Midwestern JACL chapters for the redress effort was forwarded to the national office in San Francisco. Hi Tanaka of the Midwest Redress Committee commended the chapters for their diligent fundraising efforts totaling $28,068.
- PSWDC Appoints New Legal Counsel, page 6. Diane Furukawa, a prominent Los Angeles Sansei attorney, was named legal counsel for the Pacific Southwest District Council under new District Governor Cary Nishimoto. The appointment was ratified unanimously by the district executive board on Dec. 2.
Obituaries
- Fred Muto, Longtime Flower Grower, Dies at 69, page 3. Fred Muto, a longtime San Fernando Valley wholesale flower grower, died suddenly on Dec. 3. He served as San Fernando JACL president in 1947 and was active on the JACL Blue Shield executive committee, survived by his wife Katy, son Larry, and daughter Janice.
Commentary
- On Dec. 7, by Ron Wakabayashi, page 4. In this Musubi column, the author reflects on the 40th anniversary of Pearl Harbor and anticipates renewed prejudice against Japanese Americans, including incidents involving Yonsei students. He references the film ‘Tora! Tora! Tora!’ and notes the irony of Japan’s trade surplus with the U.S.
- Year-End Notes, by Harry Honda, page 4. In this From the Editor’s Desk column, Harry Honda discusses staffing changes, the upcoming Holiday Issue content including Mike Masaoka’s recollections of the 1942 evacuation, and format changes planned for 1982. He also notes updates to the PC subscription system and membership expiration tracking.
- The Disappearing Art, page 5. A reflective piece on traditional Japanese American foods from childhood such as warabi, matsutake, and mochi, contrasted with new foods discovered later in life like snapper soup and soft-shell crabs. The author muses on the nutritional richness of foods eaten during difficult economic times, including items foraged in the wild near internment camps.
Arts & Entertainment
- Pete Hironaka: ‘Incisive and Occasionally Serious’, by Margo Rutledge Kissell, page 4. Longtime Dayton cartoonist Pete Hironaka has published a collection of sketches called ‘Pete Hironaka’s Report from Round-Eye Country,’ reflecting on his life from a Nisei community in California through wartime incarceration in Arizona to his career in Dayton. The book combines humor and heritage, recalling people who inspired him despite the prejudice he experienced.
Military & Veterans
- A Secret to All But the Nisei, by Bill Marutani, page 5. In this East Wind column, the author recounts a visit from Paul Sakai, a retired colonel who served with the Military Intelligence Language School after recovering from dysentery suffered in North Africa combat. Marutani reflects on an MIS exhibit at the Presidio honoring 6,000 Nisei linguists, noting that while Tokyo never learned of their work, Japanese Americans in camps knew of their contributions through the Pacific Citizen.
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