Redress funding, Reagan’s Congress and chapter news in early 1981

Vol. 92, No. 4, January 30, 1981. 8 pages. View this issue

Rep. Norman Mineta told a San Jose Rotary Club that President Reagan would face more trouble in the Republican-controlled Senate than in the House, and the front page carried that story alongside news of Japan’s prime minister speaking with Reagan by telephone. The same page followed Dr. Carole Fujita’s second ruling in her discrimination case and reported that Frank F. Chuman and Dale Minami were named to California legal posts. On page 4, John Tateishi outlined the $240,450 the National Committee for Redress needed to prepare for Commission hearings on wartime relocation.

Inside are installation news from the Imperial Valley, Las Vegas, Lodi, Contra Costa and Golden Gate chapters, and plans for the 1981 National JACL Youth Conference at UC Irvine. Columns came from Bill Hosokawa on the Twin Cities, Bill Marutani on the Amish, Jin Konomi on Shogun and Robert Kono on Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Naomi Kashiwabara’s genealogy column traced the Nikaido brothers’ roots to Kagoshima.

What’s in this issue

National

• Mineta Sees More Woes for Reagan in Senate than House, page 1. Rep. Norman Mineta told the San Jose Valley Rotary Club that President Reagan will face more problems with the Republican-controlled Senate than the Democrat-controlled House. He predicted a compromise on taxes producing a smaller income tax cut and doubted Congress could quickly ease interest rates hurting the auto industry.
• Japan Premier Due to Meet Reagan, page 1. Japanese Prime Minister Zenko Suzuki and President Reagan held a telephone conversation on Jan. 22 following Reagan’s inauguration. Japanese government and business circles expressed concern over Reagan’s tough stance on Japanese car sales and agricultural trade issues.
• Fujita Wins Another Decision, page 1. The Los Angeles County civil service commission ruled for the second time that Dr. Carole Fujita had been discriminated against in denial of promotion at Harbor/UCLA Medical Center. Despite the ruling, no guarantee of promotion or back pay has been granted, and a benefit luncheon drew 700 supporters to her cause.
• Sansei Attorney Infuriated by State Assemblyman’s Insult, page 1. California Assemblyman Walter Ingalls falsely told a caller that attorney Steve Nakano had committed suicide and joked about a Buddhist ceremony, infuriating Nakano who was actually alive. The incident, reported in the Sacramento Bee, drew condemnation from Democratic leadership including Caucus chairman Douglas Bosco.
• Chuman Mentioned for Supreme Court, page 1. Frank F. Chuman, former National JACL president and legal counsel, has been named among candidates for two vacancies on the California Supreme Court. The vacancies arose from the death of Justice Wiley Manuel and Justice William Clark’s appointment to the Reagan administration.
• Dale Minami to Sit on High State Panel, page 1. Gov. Brown appointed attorney Dale Minami, 34, of Oakland to the Fair Employment and Housing Commission, replacing Michael Vader. Minami, directing counsel of the Asian Law Caucus, will serve a term expiring in 1984 pending Senate confirmation.
• Top Court Backs English-Only Rule, page 1. The Supreme Court left intact a ruling allowing employers to fire workers for not speaking English on the job except when necessary with customers, in a Texas case involving Gloor Lumber & Supply Co. Hector Garcia had been fired in 1975 for speaking Spanish at work.
• Calif. GOP Nisei Attend Inaugural, page 1. Japanese Americans who supported Reagan’s earlier gubernatorial campaigns attended his presidential inaugural ceremonies, including Yo Takagaki, Paul Bannai, Harry Kubo, and Isamu Minami. They also discussed plans for greater Japanese American involvement in the new administration.
• Mineta to Chair Smithsonian Art Group, page 3. Smithsonian Secretary S. Dillon Ripley appointed Rep. Norman Mineta to chair the Smithsonian’s Visiting Committee for the Freer Gallery of Oriental art. Mineta has served on the Smithsonian’s Board of Regents since January 1979.

Community

• Japanese Village Plaza to Unveil Ceramic Mural, page 1. A ceramic mural of eight vintage photos depicting Issei life will be unveiled at Japanese Village Plaza on Feb. 7 with Rep. Norman Mineta, Mayor Tom Bradley and Councilman Gil Lindsay attending. The project was funded through federal and city grants with assistance from Friends of Little Tokyo Arts, Toyo Miyatake, and Visual Communications.
• Dr. Terry Hayashi Retires from California First Bank Board, page 1. Dr. Terry Hayashi retired as of Dec. 31 from the California First Bank board after 28 years of service and was named director emeritus. He is the only living prewar national JACL president, having served in the 1952-54 biennium, and continues practicing dentistry in Berkeley.
• Bank Program Aids Sansei to Become Branch Manager, page 2. Ken Kasamatsu became the first Sansei branch manager in Sumitomo’s Southern California operations, promoted to the Puente Hills office in Hacienda Heights. He joined Sumitomo’s officer trainee program in 1969 after attending USC graduate school.
• Portland Nisei Named to Bank Post, page 2. William S. Naito, known for his role in renovating historic buildings in downtown Portland, was named to the board of directors of the Portland branch of the Federal Reserve Bank. Naito operates businesses with his father and brother including Norcrest China Co. and other development projects.
• Golden Gate JACL Re-elects Cabinet, page 6. Golden Gate JACL, San Francisco’s second JACL chapter, unanimously reelected its officers including president Sumi Honnami at its annual meeting. Formed in February 1980, the chapter focuses on issue-oriented advocacy for Japanese American and civil rights.
• Contra Costa JACL Installation, page 6. Jack Imada of El Cerrito will become Contra Costa JACL’s 1981 president at an installation dinner at Spenger’s Fish Grotto in Berkeley. Superior Court Judge Ken Kawaichi will be the guest speaker.
• Florin JACL Redress Meeting, page 6. Chuck Kubokawa, NC-WNPDC chair on redress, will speak at a community meeting on redress-reparation co-sponsored by Florin JACL and the local Buddhist church. The meeting will be held Feb. 10 at the Florin Buddhist Church.
• Las Vegas JACL Installs Frazier, page 6. Don Frazier was installed as the 1981 Las Vegas JACL president at the annual dinner held at Minnie Woo’s Latitude 20 Restaurant. He succeeds George Goto as chapter leader.
• Lodi JACL Installation Dinner, page 6. Lodi JACL will hold its installation dinner Jan. 30 at the New Yorker restaurant with regional director George K. Kondo as guest speaker. Wesley Daijogo is the 1981 chapter president, with George Kishida Jr. and Dr. Chris Iwata co-chairing.
• Nisei History Class to Teach in Gardena, page 8. A popular six-week community class on Japanese American history will resume Feb. 4 at Gardena Valley Baptist Church, taught by Yuji Ichioka of UCLA. The class, offered free of charge, requires reservations through UCLA’s Asian American Studies Center.

JACL

• City Treasurer Hara Voted Seattle JACL President, page 1. Lloyd F. Hara, Seattle’s city treasurer, was elected 1981 president of Seattle JACL, one of the oldest JA organizations in the nation founded in 1921. Hara, a longtime public servant with a background in finance, held an executive retreat for the chapter board and aims to boost attendance and transparency at board meetings.
• PSWDC to Host Tri-District April 3-5 at L.A., page 1. The Pacific Southwest District Council will host the 5th JACL Tri-District Conference at the L.A. Hilton Hotel over the April 3-5 weekend. District governors and host committee met to finalize plans amid concerns over the loss of two Nikkei assemblymen in Sacramento.
• JACCC Cultural Affairs Commission Formed, page 3. The JACCC board announced formation of a Commission on Cultural Affairs to run Japanese-speaking cultural programming, chaired by Katsuma Mukaeda with Master Yajuro Kineya IX and Rev. Kanshu Ikuta as executive officers. The commission will plan cultural exchanges and has recommended appointing a theater director as JACCC continues fundraising to pay off its $2 million mortgage.
• JACCC ‘Challenge’ Drive Nets $160,000, page 3. The JACCC’s ‘$2 Million Challenge’ fund drive has raised approximately $160,000 toward reducing the mortgage on its Center Building, which was dedicated in March 1980. Numerous donors contributed amounts ranging from $5 to $10,000, including new ‘benefactor’ and ‘patron’ level gifts.
• Nat’l JACL Youth Confab Set for June 22-27 at UC Irvine, page 6. The 1981 National JACL Youth Conference is expected to draw 200 Asian Americans from across the country to UC Irvine the week of June 22-27. Chair Ron Tajii led a tour of the campus for PSWDC officials and plans workshops on culture and career topics.
• JACL-Carleton College Scholars to Earn 4-Year Award, page 6. A new cooperative project between JACL and Carleton College will provide up to four students full financial need scholarships starting fall 1981. Carleton, a selective liberal arts college in Minnesota, ranks 12th nationally in National Merit Scholars enrolled.
• Pro Nimura Heads Imperial Valley, page 6. Pro Nimura was sworn in to his fourth term as Imperial Valley JACL president at the annual installation dinner in Westmoreland, Ca. National vice president Vernon Yoshioka served as installing officer, noting JACL’s historic agricultural roots in the Imperial Valley.

Commentary

• Joy in January, page 4. A column recounting joyous moments of January including bank receptions, chapter installation dinners, the return of Americans from Teheran, and a New Year party at JACCC. The writer notes the pending challenge of a statistics class final exam.
• Chapter Legislative Liaison, by Ren Ikejiri, page 4. The Washington JACL office is requesting each chapter designate a Chapter Legislative Liaison (CLL) to improve communication and enable rapid response on national legislative issues during the 97th Congress. Issues cited include the ‘Jap’ trademark controversy, redress, and U.S.-Japan trade matters.
• Letters to the Editor, by Various, page 4. Several letters appear including an appeal for help from a Hansen’s disease patient in the Philippines, a reminiscence about a Japanese American friend interned in 1942, and praise for the Pacific Citizen’s Holiday Issue.
• Twin Cities: Its Pleasing Pace & People, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Bill Hosokawa profiles the Japanese American community in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Twin Cities, many of whom settled there after studying at the Military Intelligence Service Language School. He highlights longtime residents including the Tanbara, Nomura, and Hara families who have deeply rooted themselves in Minnesota life.
• The Amish, by Bill Marutani, page 5. Bill Marutani recounts an encounter with Amish people at a Pennsylvania Turnpike rest stop, reflecting on their simple lifestyle, self-sufficiency, and friendly curiosity. He compares their independence and plain living to the Issei generation.
• Learning from Shogun, by Jin Konomi, page 5. Jin Konomi critiques historical inaccuracies in James Clavell’s novel ‘Shogun’ and the claim that European tactics influenced the Battle of Sekigahara. The column details Oda Nobunaga’s innovative massed musket tactics at the Battle of Nagashino as the true source of decisive firepower in Japanese warfare, and references Professor Henry Smith’s book analyzing the novel’s historical liberties.
• San Luis Obispo, by John Saito, page 6. John Saito recounts traveling to Morro Bay for the San Luis Obispo JACL chapter’s installation dinner, reflecting on challenges of engaging younger members in an ethnic organization. He argues JACL remains necessary as long as discrimination persists alongside increasing Nikkei assimilation into mainstream society.

Incarceration & Redress

• Redress Phase 3: Appeal for Funds, by John Tateishi, page 4. The National Committee for Redress outlined its $240,450 budget needed to prepare for upcoming Commission hearings on wartime relocation, noting funds raised so far from various chapters. A letter from former national president Shig Wakamatsu urged Chicago’s Japanese American community to donate generously to support research and legal expertise for the Commission hearings.

In-Depth

• 35 Years Ago, page 4. A historical column recapping news items from January 1946 including Nisei military awards, Tule Lake renunciant hearings, and lifting of restrictions on enemy aliens. It also notes PC columnist Bill Hosokawa’s transition of his wartime column to peacetime topics.
• Random Musings: Toyotomi Hideyoshi, by Robert Kono, page 7. Robert Kono details the rise of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who succeeded Oda Nobunaga as a unifier of Japan, conquering rival daimyo domains and assuming the title of Kampaku. The column covers Hideyoshi’s land survey policies, class separation measures, and his failed invasions of Korea before his death in 1598.
• Genealogy: Nikaido Bros. Really Know Their Roots, by Naomi Kashiwabara, page 8. George Hiroshi Nikaido and Clarence Sakae Nikaido of Southern California can trace their ancestry to Fujiwara Yukimasa and a historic estate in Kagoshima declared a Japanese National Cultural Monument in 1975. Their cousin Susumu Nikaido is a majority party leader in Japan’s Diet who occupies the family estate today.

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