Redress hearings and a resignation at JACL headquarters

Vol. 90, No. 97, June 13, 1980. 8 pages. View this issue

Redress and a leadership question at JACL headquarters shared the front page. A House Judiciary subcommittee heard testimony June 2 on HR5499, the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians Act, with a mark-up set for June 9. House Majority Leader Jim Wright and Reps. Norman Mineta and Robert Matsui testified in support. John Tateishi gave a personal account of the hearing, and another report followed the testimony of Mike Masaoka and the Pribilof Islanders. Dr. Clifford Uyeda wrote to clarify the resignation date of Karl Nobuyuki, and a second story said the personnel matter had gone to JACL legal counsel Frank Iwama.

Also inside: Jarvis blasted for an anti-Japanese slur, two Nisei women who became mayors in Southern California, and the coalition’s campaign against the confirmation of Howard Way after the removal of Jiro Enomoto. The commentary pages carried Bill Marutani on JACL’s budget process and Bill Hosokawa on foreign loan words in Japan.

What’s in this issue

JACL

• Date of Resignation, by Dr. Clifford Uyeda, page 1. JACL National President Clifford Uyeda clarifies the confusion surrounding Karl Nobuyuki’s resignation date, stating that June 1, 1980 was the effective voluntary resignation date given orally and confirmed by Nobuyuki. Uyeda explains the EXECOM’s offer to pay Nobuyuki’s salary through the fiscal year as separation pay once conditions of his resignation are met.
• JAY Interest Up for Sac’to, by Bruce Shimizu, page 6. The 1980 JACL Japanese American Youth National Conference will be held July 22-27 at California State University, Sacramento, hosting 250 youth for workshops on Japanese American history and contemporary issues. Featured speakers include Jerry Enomoto, Professor Roger Daniels, and entertainer George Takei, who will appear at the closing banquet and dance.

National

• Headquarters Administration in ‘Difficult’ Bind, Says Uyeda, page 1. The personnel matter involving Karl Nobuyuki’s departure has been referred to JACL legal counsel Frank Iwama, while Nobuyuki has secured his own private counsel. Iwama clarified the reasons originally reported for Nobuyuki’s resignation involved difficulty with budget and management policies.
• House Subcommittee Acts Fast on Own Pair of Redress Bills; Heard June 2, Mark-up June 9, page 1. The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Administrative Law and Governmental Relations heard testimony June 2 on HR5499, the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians Act, with a mark-up session scheduled for June 9. House Majority Leader Jim Wright, along with Reps. Norman Mineta and Robert Matsui, testified in support, calling the WWII internment an everlasting shame upon America.
• Asians Set to Protest Way for Top Job, page 1. JACL and the Coalition of Concerned Californians are campaigning against the confirmation of Howard Way as secretary of the Youth and Adult Corrections Agency after he removed Jiro Enomoto from his post. A statewide letter-writing campaign and planned testimony at a Senate Rules Committee hearing aim to block Way’s confirmation.
• Jarvis Blasted for Anti-Japanese Slur, page 2. Howard Jarvis, after the defeat of Proposition 9, used the derogatory term ‘Japs’ in comparing public employees to Pearl Harbor attackers, sparking outrage from JACL and Los Angeles officials. JACL regional director John Saito and City Councilman David Cunningham demanded a public apology, citing a pattern of anti-Japanese remarks by Jarvis during his campaign.
• Enomoto Controversy: Coalition Pushes to Defeat Way’s Confirmation, page 5. The Coalition of Concerned Californians criticizes the disrespectful treatment of Jiro Enomoto by Howard Way, noting the Governor later apologized for how the firing was handled but declined to reverse the decision. The Coalition argues defeating Way’s confirmation is necessary to demonstrate the power and unity of minority communities in California.

Community

• So. Calif. Blessed with Two Nisei Women Mayors, page 1. Eunice Sato was elected mayor of Long Beach by a 5-4 council vote, becoming the first woman and first minority mayor of the city, while Carol Kawanami was elected mayor of Villa Park in April, believed to be the first Japanese American woman mayor in the U.S. Both women have long histories of community and civic involvement including JACL ties.
• From Pacific Southwest: Tribute to Patrick Kiyoshi Okura and Memories of Boyle Heights, by John J. Saito, page 6. John Saito recounts a banquet honoring Patrick Kiyoshi Okura, where Dr. Harry Kitano spoke about Okura’s brother Babe, who was killed serving with the 442nd RCT. Saito reflects on his own memories of Boyle Heights and a community figure, Mr. Quackenbush, who provided outings for Nisei youth before the war.
• Incumbents Fare Well in Cal. Primary, page 8. Nikkei political incumbents, including Assemblyman Paul Bannai, generally fared well in California primary elections, with several candidates advancing toward the November general election. Rep. Robert Matsui and Rep. Norman Mineta both won their primaries decisively.
• Treaty Centennial Scholarships, page 8. The Japanese American Treaty Centennial Scholarship fund will present $9,750 in cash grants to 39 high school seniors of Japanese ancestry in Southern California, commemorating the U.S.-Japan friendship treaty signing. Since 1960, the fund has awarded a total of $89,950 to 675 students.

Sports

• San Mateo Girls Lead Team to Jr. Olympics Title, page 3. San Mateo JACL won the Northern California-Western Nevada Jr. Olympics championship, powered by standout performances from its girls’ team at Chabot College. Annette Yamashita of Sequoia broke records and was voted most outstanding athlete, with full results listed for the upcoming North-South JACL championships at Santa Ana College.

Commentary

• Nat’l Officers, by Clifford Uyeda, page 4. JACL President Clifford Uyeda reflects on the upcoming biennium elections at the National Convention in San Francisco, emphasizing that elected officers are accountable to the broad membership rather than individual benefactors. He expresses optimism about the talent pool among Japanese Americans and hopes for respectful debate among differing viewpoints.
• Guest Editorial: Redress for AJAs, by Honolulu Advertiser, page 4. A reprinted editorial discusses the budget constraints affecting the redress commission’s timeline, noting the reduction of commission membership and work period. It argues that despite funding pressures, a thorough investigation into redress recommendations remains necessary.
• Project Kifu, by John Yasumoto, page 4. A letter writer from San Francisco JACL asks why an article on the Project Kifu fundraiser has not been published, noting that raffle tickets cannot be promoted through the mail. He requests continued publicity support for the convention fundraiser.
• That Was to Be Our Cornerstone—Not a Personal Stepping Stone, by Gunnar Olsborg, page 4. A letter writer criticizes calling on Russia to participate in the final days of WWII as shameful, citing ‘Wedemeyer Reports’ regarding limited American manpower and equipment in certain theaters while the war was being won in Europe. The letter reflects on wartime military resource allocation.
• Autos from Japan, by Akira Abota, page 4. A letter from Windsor, Ontario discusses the debate over Japanese automobile imports and productivity imbalances between US and Japanese auto workers, warning this could fuel anti-Japanese and anti-Japanese American sentiment. The writer criticizes the Japan-US Friendship Commission for focusing on academic research rather than active work to reduce ethnic tension.
• Redress—No, page 4. A letter writer recounts his father’s experience pursuing a case through the ACLU and JACL after suffering outside of camp, describing a Board’s decision that no wrong had been committed. Despite the opportunity to pursue courts further, the father declined, and the writer reflects on the family’s difficult journey regarding redress.
• The Cart Before the Horse, by Bill Marutani, page 4. In his East Wind column, Bill Marutani criticizes JACL’s national budget-setting process for prioritizing organizational upkeep costs over programs and services for the people. He argues the organization should first determine its programmatic purposes and only then determine the budget needed to support them, rather than the reverse.
• From the Frying Pan: Foreign Loan Words in Japan Rising, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Bill Hosokawa discusses a Yomiuri survey finding only a small percentage of Japanese adults speak a foreign language fluently, despite widespread use of foreign loan words in everyday Japanese. He details examples of how borrowed English words develop distinct meanings in Japanese usage, such as ‘raisu’ versus ‘gohan’ for rice.
• White Man’s Stereotype of Asia, by Nobuyuki Nakajima, page 5. A Cleveland writer recounts a conversation with a Korean War veteran ashamed of fellow GIs’ conduct toward Japanese women, reflecting on decades of suppressed truth about American military behavior in Asia. He presents a multiple-choice framing of underlying prejudices about gender and military dominance in Asia.

Incarceration & Redress

• Redress Phase 2: The Hearing: A Personal View, by John Tateishi, page 5. John Tateishi recounts his personal experience attending the House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing on HR5499, describing the atmosphere, key witnesses including Mike Masaoka and Reps. Matsui, Wright, and Mineta, and testimony from Aleut representatives about their WWII internment experience. He reflects on the camaraderie among supporters and the hearing’s hopeful outcome for prompt committee action.
• Redress Hearing Testimony Continued: Masaoka, Pribilof Islanders Address Subcommittee, page 8. Mike Masaoka recounted the achievements of the 442nd and Issei/Nisei struggles while criticizing shortcomings of the competing Lowry bill regarding inequitable compensation. Representatives of the Pribilof Islands Association also testified about the WWII evacuation of roughly 850 Aleuts to camps in southeastern Alaska.

In-Depth

• Nisei in Japan: Pearl of Southeast Asia, by Barry T. Saiki, page 8. Barry Saiki describes Singapore as one of Southeast Asia’s most progressive nations, highlighting its nondiscriminatory policies, efficient public housing via the General Provident Fund, and strict anti-litter laws. He also notes the ease of navigating the city for English-speaking visitors and amusing instances of being mistaken for other Asian nationalities while traveling.

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