Vincent Chin’s killing and JACL’s decision to back the CWRIC redress recommendations

Vol. 97, No. 4, July 22, 1983. 8 pages. View this issue

The Pacific Citizen covered two national stories in this July 22, 1983 issue. The front page reported on the killing of Vincent Chin in Detroit and the protests that followed, as supporters pressed for federal civil rights prosecution after his killers received only probation and a fine. It also reported that the National JACL Board, chaired by Hank Sakai, voted to support the CWRIC’s recommendations on redress. Congressman Robert T. Matsui praised that decision and condemned a VFW leader’s statement opposing reparations.

Inside are the full text of the JACL position statement on redress, a report on the National JACL Committee for Redress meeting, and commentary on the Japanese American incarceration (often called internment) from Bill Hosokawa, Bill Marutani, William Hohri and others. A page 8 report described a reception for Lily Chin, Vincent Chin’s mother. Other pages covered the Amache Memorial reunion, a 442nd diorama at the San Francisco Presidio and the first Los Angeles Taiko Matsuri.

What’s in this issue

National

• Protesters, Supporters Demand Justice in Race-Related ‘Murder’ of Vincent Chin, page 1. The killing of Vincent Chin, an American of Chinese ancestry beaten to death in Detroit, has sparked unprecedented public solidarity and protest among Asian Americans nationwide. American Citizens for Justice and supporters are pushing for federal civil rights prosecution after the killers received only probation and a fine.’
• Statement by VFW Chief Condemned by Congressman, page 1. Congressman Robert T. Matsui condemned VFW national commander James R. Currieo’s statement opposing reparations and apology for Japanese Americans interned during WWII. Matsui called the remarks evidence of racist ignorance and urged VFW members to repudiate them.
• Japan Unveils Instant, Two-Way Translation System, page 2. Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT) has developed an automatic English-Japanese two-way translation system called LISP, aiming eventually for voice recognition capable international telephone translation. The system uses built-in dictionaries of vocabulary, grammar, and translation rules between the two languages.

JACL

• JACL Reviews CWRIC’s Recommendations, by Hank Sakai, page 1. The National JACL Board met July 8-10 to evaluate the CWRIC’s recommendations and voted to support a unified redress bill in Congress. The Board also addressed membership, the Vincent Chin case, the Betty Waki case, the Mitsue Takahashi case, and other organizational matters.
• Matsui Praises JACL for Approach to Redress Issue, page 1. Congressman Robert T. Matsui praised JACL’s decision to fully support the CWRIC findings and recommendations as a strong, reasoned approach to redress. He noted that JACL’s original support for creating the commission was validated by the thorough, authoritative report it produced.
• JACL Position Statement: National JACL Position on Redress, page 3. The National JACL Board unanimously adopted a resolution to support the CWRIC’s recommendations and urged legislation be drafted in conformity with them. The resolution also called for future consideration of including all 120,000 affected individuals and the issue of heirs.
• National JACL Committee for Redress Meeting Background Review, page 3. The National JACL Committee for Redress met July 8, 1983, in San Francisco with all district representatives present to discuss redress guidelines and the CWRIC’s final recommendations. The committee also reviewed pending litigation including the NCJAR class action suit and coram nobis cases.
• Washington Activities June 16-25, 1983 and Comparisons of CWRIC vs JACL Guidelines, page 6. A detailed report describes the premature leak of CWRIC’s recommendations and subsequent introduction of the Lowry and Cranston redress bills in Congress. The National JACL Committee for Redress compared CWRIC recommendations against JACL guidelines on compensation amounts, eligibility, and trust fund structure before making its final recommendations.

Military & Veterans

• Australia Plans to Restore ‘Zeke’ Found in South Pacific, page 2. A Japanese Zero fighter wreck found at Gasmata, New Britain Island, believed to have been flown by ace pilot Saburo Sakai, is being restored by the Australian War Memorial Museum. Sakai recounted his wartime combat experiences, including an encounter with a B26 bomber, and hopes to visit Australia to see the restored plane.
• 552 FA, 232 Engr, 442 Anti-Tank Co. Diorama Depicting WW2 Action Put on Display, page 3. Brian Buhl created a diorama depicting WWII combat actions of the 442nd’s Anti-Tank Company, 552nd Field Artillery, and 232nd Combat Engineers for the San Francisco Presidio Army Museum. The diorama was dedicated June 24 with attendance from Army officers and veterans’ families.

Community

• Kawada Plays at 1st Annual Taiko Matsuri, page 3. The First Annual Los Angeles Taiko Matsuri at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center featured taiko groups from Los Angeles and San Francisco along with renowned performer Kimico Kawada and her Miyarabi Taiko of Okinawa group. The near-sellout event included performances by the L.A. Matsuridaiko Aiko-kai and the San Francisco Taiko Dojo, celebrating its 30th anniversary.

Incarceration & Redress

• Amache Memorial Reunion Fete and Dedication Sept. 3-4, page 3. The Amache Memorial Project will hold a reunion and dedication September 3-4 in Denver, including a chartered bus trip to the former camp site and a dinner-dance. Details on pricing and registration deadlines were provided by organizer Susumi Hidaka.
• Class Action Suit, by William Hohri, page 4. William Hohri discusses the NCJAR class action lawsuit against the government, noting the Commission’s recommended compensation has been reduced from earlier redress proposals. He argues the lawsuit remains a high-risk but self-determined path toward just compensation defined in clear legal terms.
• Fight for Justice: Lily Chin and Supporters Rally for Son Vincent, page 8. A reception for Lily Chin, mother of slain Vincent Chin, drew over 450 attendees and raised about $13,000 to support pursuit of justice in the case. Speakers including Secretary of State March Fong Eu, Councilman Gilbert Lindsay, Councilman Art Snyder, and Fred Fujioka called for continued action against racism and for federal prosecution of Chin’s killers.

Commentary

• Get the Facts First, Distort Them Later, by Marshall Sumida, page 4. A letter writer questions whether the Constitution is treated as a mere piece of paper, citing John McCloy’s 1942 remarks dismissing constitutional concerns during the internment decision. The writer argues facts of constitutional violation should not be ignored regardless of political consensus.
• Commission Condemns McCloy, by Joan Z. Bernstein, Arthur J. Goldberg, Edward W. Brooke, page 4. Former CWRIC commissioners rebut John McCloy’s claims about disparate treatment of Japanese versus German and Italian Americans during WWII, noting no proven disloyalty existed among Japanese Americans on the West Coast. They defend the Commission’s thorough, authoritative report and recommendations for redress.
• Redress Wrongs with Cash, by Walt Sakai, page 4. An editorial from The Oregonian argues reparations of $20,000 to each of 60,000 surviving internees are appropriate given the documented injustices of WWII internment. It cites precedents including German reparations and payments to Iran hostages as justification for compensation.
• Compensation Overdue, by Jim Watanabe, page 4. An editorial from The Spokesman-Review argues that compensation for Japanese American internees is long overdue despite the difficulty of measuring their suffering in dollars. It urges Congress to act on the Commission’s recommendation of $20,000 per survivor without further delay.
• JACL Redress Legislation, page 5. The author discusses the National JACL Board’s historic decision to adopt the CWRIC recommendations as official legislative policy, framing it as a responsible rather than an easy choice. The piece argues that pursuing realistic legislative goals offers the best hope for achieving meaningful redress despite political challenges ahead.
• Hawaii’s WW2 Internees, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Bill Hosokawa reviews the book ‘Ganbare!’ by Patsy Sumie Saiki, detailing the lesser-known internment of about 1,500 Japanese Americans from Hawaii during WWII. The book recounts roundups of community leaders, detention camps, and the resilience of internees despite harsh treatment.
• The Custom of Bargaining, by Bill Marutani, page 5. Bill Marutani reminisces about accompanying his Issei mother on shopping trips where she practiced the old-world custom of bargaining over prices. He contrasts this with his modern wife’s embarrassment at his own attempts to negotiate prices in department stores.

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