Redress, jazz and the press: how the 1988 wartime story was told

Vol. 106, No. 11, March 18, 1988. 8 pages. View this issue

Redress ran through this issue. Mike M. Masaoka’s letter on behalf of the Go For Broke Nisei Veterans Association urged U.S. Senators to pass S.1009, and Marshall Sumida and Joe Oyama looked at how the Los Angeles Times and other papers treated the wartime incarceration (often called internment), including whether military necessity ever existed. The front page profiled jazz musician Glen Horiuchi, in stories by Laurie Mochidome and George Johnston, and reported on Ronald Fujiyoshi’s criticism of Japan’s Alien Registration Law.

Also in these eight pages: an editorial on the National JACL Credit Union’s growth toward $10 million and the Minidoka preservation project, Neal Taniguchi on the 1990 Census, news of George Nakano’s reelection to the Torrance council, and Raymond Okamura on the move from “Jap.” to “Jpn.” in world atlases.

What’s in this issue

National

• L.A.’s Holden Seeks Foreign Investment Limits, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Los Angeles City Councilman Nate Holden proposed barring foreign ownership of U.S. property, with Council President John Ferraro seconding the resolution. Holden said the proposal was meant to address public fears about foreign ownership and national security concerns.
• More Nikkei Men ‘Outmarrying’, by P.C. Staff, page 1. UCLA Professor Harry Kitano’s studies found Japanese American men are increasingly marrying Caucasian women due to greater mobility. Meanwhile, the outmarriage rate for Japanese American women has decreased from 75 percent to 55 percent.
• Japanese Law Unfair, Says Fujiyoshi, by Laurie Mochidome, page 1. Fingerprint refuser Ronald Fujiyoshi criticized Japan’s Alien Registration Law at a Los Angeles press conference, calling it a continuation of discriminatory assimilation policy against Koreans in Japan. Fujiyoshi, who has refused fingerprinting since 1981 and undertaken a hunger strike, described government retaliation including denial of re-entry permits and his ongoing legal appeal.

Arts & Entertainment

• Politics, Music Interest Horiuchi, by Laurie Mochidome, page 1. Jazz musician Glen Horiuchi discusses how politics and the Japanese American community’s historic struggles inform his music, which he calls ‘Japanese American jazz.’ He describes influences from Black liberation movement figures like Malcolm X and jazz greats like John Coltrane.
• ‘Next Step’ Showcases Pianist’s Talent, by George Johnston, page 1. A review of Glenn Horiuchi’s debut album Next Step describes his aggressive, percussive piano style and traditional non-fusion jazz approach. The reviewer praises Horiuchi’s bold technique while noting the album may challenge casual listeners.
• ‘Tokyo Pop’ Looks, Laughs at Modern Japan, by George Johnston, page 2. A review of the film Tokyo Pop, directed by Fran Rubel Kuzui, follows an American woman and a Japanese rocker who become unlikely pop sensations in Japan. The film offers a satirical look at Japanese pop culture and subcultures while exploring themes of authenticity versus novelty success.
• Horiuchi, by Laurie Mochidome, page 5. Continuation of the profile on jazz musician Glen Horiuchi, detailing his family’s connection to the redress hearings and his grandfather’s history as a nanobushi performer interned at Heart Mountain. Horiuchi discusses his upcoming second album, Issei Spirit, aiming to capture Issei immigrant strength and determination.

Community

• Hibakusha Travel Grant Program Applications Now Open, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Hibakusha Travel Grant Program is accepting applications from journalists wishing to visit Japan to report on the aftereffects of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The program, established in 1979, provides round-trip transportation, lodging, and interpreters for approximately one month.
• Nakano Captures Most Votes, Reelected Torrance Councilman, by Alvina Lew, page 3. Torrance City Councilman George Nakano won reelection with the most votes among five candidates for three council seats, winning 43 of 56 precincts. Nakano and his family credit grassroots organizing and a strong volunteer network for the victory.
• ‘Jpn.’ Usage Gains Proponents, by Raymond Okamura, page 6. Rand McNally’s revised world atlases have adopted ‘Jpn.’ instead of the offensive ‘Jap.’ abbreviation for Japan, following a 1984 company decision. Major reference publishers and a 1986 House resolution sponsored by Reps. Mike Lowry and Norman Mineta have also endorsed the ‘Jpn.’ standard.

Commentary

• On the Way to $10 Million, by P.C. Staff, page 4. An editorial traces the history of the National JACL Credit Union from its founding in 1943 to assist camp evacuees through its growth toward $10 million in assets. The piece also recounts the 44th annual credit union meeting in Salt Lake City and discusses the Minidoka relocation center preservation project in Idaho.
• Chin Irritating, by Mack Yamaguchi, page 4. A reader letter criticizes Frank Chin’s portrayal of Mike Masaoka, defending Masaoka and JACL leadership’s wartime decisions. The writer praises the 100th/442nd and MIS veterans as true heroes and asks the editors to carefully vet articles that criticize Japanese American leaders.
• Asking for Redress, by Mike M. Masaoka, page 4. A letter from the Go For Broke Nisei Veterans Association urges U.S. Senators to pass S.1009 to redress wartime internment grievances of Japanese American veterans. The letter emphasizes the veterans’ wartime sacrifices and calls for constitutional vindication nearly 46 years after internment.
• Asian American Identity Crisis in 1990 Census, by Neal Taniguchi, page 4. A columnist criticizes the Census Bureau’s planned ‘short race’ question for the 1990 census, arguing it will undercount Asian and Pacific Islander subgroups and undermine political representation. The piece calls for support of H.R. 3828, sponsored by Rep. Robert Matsui, to require detailed 100 percent tabulation of Asian subgroups.
• Filipino Nisei, by Bill Marutani, page 5. A column discusses Japanese ‘war orphans’ in the Philippines, children of Japanese fathers and Filipino mothers separated during WWII, now seeking relatives in Japan. The author examines the Japanese government’s assistance program and its narrow eligibility requirements for legal marriages only.
• Future Lament of the American Redneck, by Jimmy Tokeshi, page 5. A fictional narrative depicts a Ku Klux Klan-style rally in Mississippi where a speaker rails against redress payments to Japanese Americans, conflating them with wartime enemies. The piece illustrates racist backlash against the 1988 redress legislation.

In-Depth

• He Not Only Made Political Careers… but Broke Them, by Marshall Sumida and Joe Oyama, page 5. The article examines Kyle Palmer, a powerful Los Angeles Times political figure who shaped California Republican politics for decades. It explores the Times’ historical role in promoting wartime Japanese American removal and contrasts it with the paper’s modern reputation for minority hiring programs.
• The Press and Civil Rights Violations, by Marshall Sumida and Joe Oyama, page 5. This continuation examines whether there was real military necessity for Japanese American incarceration, citing Attorney General Biddle’s observations about delayed evacuation calls. The article argues the absence of martial law on the West Coast proves there was no genuine wartime emergency justifying internment.

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