Redress bills in Congress and plans for Amache and Puyallup memorials

Vol. 97, No. 8, August 19, 1983. 8 pages. View this issue

Redress filled the front page of this issue. Congressman Mike Lowry introduced HR 3387, a bill stipulating $20,000 tax-exempt payments to Americans of Japanese or Aleut ancestry registered in the prohibited military zone in 1942, alongside Sen. Alan Cranston’s S 1520. Other front-page stories covered a Census Bureau paper on the 1942 question of names and addresses and resistance among governors to the CWRIC recommendations. Bill Marutani wrote on justice delayed, and Bill Hosokawa described plans for a memorial at Amache, with a dedication set for Sept. 3.

Also in these eight pages: the announcement of Karen Seriguchi as the new Pacific Citizen editor, and Ron Wakabayashi’s and Chuck Kubokawa’s accounts of the Pan American Nikkei conference in Lima. Jon Takasugi profiled comedian Bob Matsueda, who performed in Little Tokyo, and the sports page followed a Bakersfield judo champion aiming for the 1984 Olympic team.

What’s in this issue

National

• Lowry Bill Stipulates Pay to ‘All Registered’ by EO 9066, page 1. Congressman Mike Lowry introduced HR 3387, a redress bill stipulating $20,000 tax-exempt payments to all Americans of Japanese or Aleut ancestry registered in the prohibited military zone in 1942. The bill, similar to Sen. Alan Cranston’s S 1520, also establishes a trust fund for community services from unclaimed payments.

Community

• Nisei School Official Reinstated After Grand Jury Investigation, page 1. Teddy T. Saiki, a former Stockton Unified School District purchasing director whose dismissal was urged by a grand jury, has been reinstated to a new position after agreeing to retire in February 1984. A settlement agreement removed negative evaluations from his personnel file and restored his back pay.
• Japanese Women Scholars to Conduct 1st Research in U.S., page 1. A group of Japanese women scholars led by Professor Teruki Kachi of Shoin Women’s University is conducting the first research into the postwar lives of Japanese immigrants who were interned during WWII. Several hundred first- and second-generation Japanese Americans will be interviewed this summer.
• Donor of 3.5 Acres to Asian Nursing Home Given Ovation, page 2. Angelo Tsakopoulos, a Greek immigrant who donated land for an Asian Nursing Home, received an ovation at a Sacramento forum. The $1.7 million, 99-bed facility project has gained momentum after years of inactivity, though fundraising remains a critical challenge.
• Bella Vista Optimist Honors Scholars, page 2. The Bella Vista Optimist Club of Montebello held its 13th annual Glenn N. Nishizawa Memorial Scholarship presentation, awarding scholarships to Judy Kwan and June Katayama. A special $125 award was also given to Rudy Arciniega.
• Nisei CPA Firms Face Merger Pressures Amid Japanese Business Growth, page 3. Sho Iino’s accounting firm, one of the first Nisei CPA offices in Southern California, is exploring a merger with a larger firm to better serve growing Japanese corporate clients. Other professional firms, including law and accounting practices, have also merged recently to meet rising demand for bilingual, culturally knowledgeable services.
• Puyallup Memorial to Be Unveiled, page 3. A bronze memorial by George Tsutakawa commemorating the WWII internment of Japanese Americans at the Puyallup Fairgrounds, once called ‘Camp Harmony,’ will be dedicated Aug. 21. The ceremony will feature speeches from state legislators and performances by Seattle Taiko.
• Olivers to Hear Judge Takasugi, page 3. U.S. District Judge Robert Takasugi will be the guest speaker at the 23rd annual Olivers Awards dinner in Montebello. The Olivers club was founded in Little Tokyo in 1917 to provide recreational programs for Nisei youth.
• West L.A. JACL Slates Benefit Fun Night, page 6. The West Los Angeles JACL will hold a scholarship benefit steak dinner and fun night on Aug. 27 at the Japanese Institute of Sawtelle. The $12 donation includes dinner and game chips, with reservations due by Aug. 24.

Incarceration & Redress

• Census Bureau Declares Names and Addresses ‘Not Furnished’ in 1942, page 1. A Census Bureau background paper concludes that the Bureau did not furnish names and addresses of Japanese Americans to war authorities in 1942, contrary to claims in some books. The paper details why such a disclosure would have been impractical and illegal, and was shared with the Washington JACL Office.
• Governors Show Resistance to CWRIC Recommendations, page 1. Washington Gov. John Spellman’s redress resolution faced opposition at the National Governors Association conference from governors including Richard Lamm of Colorado, who wanted the resolution limited to an apology. The debate reflected broader tensions over federal budget priorities amid rising deficits.
• Amache Camp Memorial, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Hosokawa describes plans for a memorial at the former Amache WWII internment camp in Colorado, noting controversy over watered-down inscription language after opposition from a California critic. A dedication ceremony is planned for Sept. 3 at the campsite, with a reunion banquet to follow in Denver.

Arts & Entertainment

• Bob Matsueda: Fighting Racial Stereotypes as Stand-up Comic, by Jon Takasugi, page 2. Sansei comedian Bob Matsueda performed to a capacity crowd at the Amerasia Bookstore in Little Tokyo, using comedy to confront racial stereotypes and Asian American experiences. He donates his performances as community benefits and is working on a second album, ‘Bob Matsueda: Live in J-Town’.

Obituaries

• Joe Amano, M.D., Dies at 57, page 2. Dr. Joe Amano, a WWII Army veteran and physician in Ogden, Utah, died of a heart attack at age 57. He was a graduate of the University of Utah College of Medicine and headed the Davis County Medical Society in 1978.
• Mosaburo Shinoda, Flower Grower Founder, Dies at 98, page 2. Mosaburo Shinoda, founder of M. Shinoda, Inc., a wholesale flower growing company in San Leandro, California, died July 26. He is survived by several children including Aiko Shinoda and Rose Mariko Mayeda.

Commentary

• Justice Delayed, by Bill Marutani, page 4. Marutani’s East Wind column condemns those who use racist arguments equating Japanese American incarceration with wartime actions of the Japanese military, calling for justice and clearing the names of Nikkei affected by WWII incarceration. He compares the quest for redress to historical cases like Jim Thorpe’s reinstated Olympic medal.
• ‘Soroche’ a Greater Headache Than Peru’s ‘State of Emergency’, by Chuck Kubokawa, page 4. Kubokawa recounts the Pan American Nikkei Association conference in Lima, Peru, describing the political tensions, logistical challenges, and cultural differences encountered, including altitude sickness (‘soroche’) experienced by delegates visiting Cuzco. He also notes the death of a Canadian Issei delegate during the conference and the warm support shown by Peruvian Nikkei hosts.
• 774400 Lessons from Lima, by Ron Wakabayashi, page 5. Wakabayashi reflects on his experience at the Pan American Nikkei Convention in Lima, including a humorous mix-up with a look-alike Peruvian attorney, Isac Higa. He discusses the convention’s role in fostering cooperation and shared history among Nikkei communities across the Americas.
• Mi Casa es Su Casa, by Ron Shibata, page 6. Shibata recounts a visit to Portland, Oregon, where Homer Yasui and his wife extended warm hospitality during an impromptu vacation stop. He reflects on the friendships formed through JACL involvement across the country.
• Mini-news Italiano, by Frank Fukazawa, page 8. Fukazawa shares humorous observations from his travels in Rome, including the slow pace of international conferences, safety versus theft concerns, currency confusion, and the art of bargaining in Italian markets. He also notes unexpected restaurant charges that confuse tourists unfamiliar with Italian customs.

JACL

• Karen Seriguchi Named Pacific Citizen Editor, page 6. Karen Seriguchi was announced as the new editor for the Pacific Citizen by National JACL Director Ron Wakabayashi and PC Board Chair Henry S. Sakai. She has previously written for the Pacific Citizen and Seattle International Examiner and worked as an editor for several organizations before joining JACL staff in 1980.
• Aug. 3 Update, by Ron Ikejiri, page 6. The JACL Washington Office has hired the public relations firm Wise and Wrenn to help create a national citizens organization educating the public about CWRIC findings and recommendations. JACL redress director John Tateishi is preparing a brief summarizing the commission’s findings for distribution by Sept. 30.

Sports

• Bakersfield Sansei Seeks Spot on ’84 U.S. Olympic Judo Team, page 8. Dr. George Tatsuno, a third-degree black belt and chiropractor, won the masters division of the U.S. National Judo Championships, positioning him favorably for the 1984 Olympic team. Tatsuno, who overcame a career-threatening back injury through chiropractic care, now balances his own training with helping coach other Olympic hopefuls.

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