The January 1985 issue: Nakasone, the new redress bill and the 1984 year in review

Vol. 100, No. 1, January 4, 1985. 32 pages. View this issue

The Pacific Citizen opened 1985 with JACL President Frank Sato and Vice President Rose Ochi meeting Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone in Los Angeles to talk about U.S.-Japan relations, reported by Karen Seriguchi. The front page also carried the introduction of H.R. 442, the Civil Liberties Act of 1985, by Reps. Robert Matsui and Norman Mineta, and a census report on how Asian immigrants compare with other immigrants in education and income. Redress was the main thread: Minoru Yasui wrote on what the redress and lobbying efforts needed to raise, and pages 7 to 9 ran a 1984 chronology covering hearings, the coram nobis cases of Korematsu, Yasui and Hirabayashi, and the Vincent Chin case.

Other pieces include Mary Norton’s history of vigilante attacks on Japanese farmers in Arizona, Dr. Franklin Odo’s two essays on Japanese Americans in Hawaii, and Glen S. Fukushima’s commentary on U.S.-Japan relations. Readers will also find the resolutions of the Honolulu national convention, chapter installation news, and a note introducing new assistant editor Bob Shimabukuro.

What’s in this issue

National

• Asians Better Off Than Other Immigrants, Except Japanese, page 1. Recent census data shows Asians in the U.S. are generally more educated than other immigrant groups, with India-born and Taiwan-born residents having the highest rates of college graduation. However, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Laotian immigrants earn below the national median income despite relatively high education levels among Japanese immigrants.
• Onizuka to Go Up in Partial Secrecy, page 1. Air Force Major Ellison Onizuka will become the first Asian American astronaut when the space shuttle Discovery launches Jan. 23, but the mission will be subject to unprecedented media restrictions due to its classified military payload. Despite the secrecy, some reports suggest Onizuka may later be sent on a worldwide goodwill mission and could become a focus of a Japanese television documentary.
• The Vincent Chin Case and Anti-Asian Violence in 1984, page 9. This chronology covers the Vincent Chin manslaughter trial and subsequent federal civil rights conviction of Ronald Ebens, as well as numerous other incidents of anti-Asian violence across the country during 1984, including killings, beatings, and vandalism targeting Asian Americans and Southeast Asian refugees. It also documents community responses and government investigations into discrimination affecting Asian Americans in employment and education.
• Asian Americans and Politics in 1984, by J.K. Yamamoto, page 9. This chronology documents increased Asian American political activity in 1984, including support for presidential candidates Jackson, Mondale, and Hart, and the election of numerous Asian American candidates to local and state offices nationwide. It also tracks debates over immigration legislation and ethnic slurs and stereotypes in media that drew community protest throughout the year.

JACL

• JACL Representatives Meet With Nakasone, by Karen Seriguchi, page 1. JACL President Frank Sato and Vice President Rose Ochi met privately with Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone during his Los Angeles visit, discussing U.S.-Japan trade relations and their impact on Japanese Americans. Nakasone assured the group he would work to improve U.S.-Japan relations, and Sato called the meeting significant given JACL’s priority on this issue after redress.
• PC’s Administrative Independence From National JACL, by Clifford Uyeda, page 4. PC Board Chair Clifford Uyeda explains the historical tension between National JACL Headquarters’ authority to supervise PC staff and the PC Board’s responsibility for the publication, as outlined in conflicting JACL bylaws. He describes how the National Council granted PC greater administrative and financial independence at the Honolulu convention, intended to foster a healthier, cooperation-based relationship rather than one based on rule interpretation.
• Constitutional Amendments and Resolutions from the 28th Biennial Convention, page 9. This document records the constitutional amendments and resolutions considered at the August 1984 JACL national convention in Honolulu, covering topics from PC’s editorial independence to National Board composition. Key resolutions address Korean minorities in Japan, political action committees, the Simpson-Mazzoli immigration bill, redress legislation support, and restitution to Native Hawaiians.
• The Inagaki Chapter of the Biennium: Seattle and San Diego Honored, by Robert Shimabukuro, page 13. Seattle JACL won the George Inagaki Citizenship Award for its extensive redress program, including securing compensation for dismissed state and city employees, installing a Puyallup Fairgrounds monument, and confronting the Seattle mayor over affirmative action hiring. San Diego JACL, the runner-up, was recognized for community programs including assistance to the local Hmong community and completion of the Kiku Gardens Retirement Project.

Incarceration & Redress

• Redress Bill Is Put in House Hopper, page 1. Legislation to provide monetary redress for the 120,000 Americans and permanent residents interned during WW2 was introduced in the House by Reps. Robert Matsui and Norman Mineta, sponsored by Majority Leader Jim Wright. The bill, H.R. 442, named after the all-Nisei combat team, is called the Civil Liberties Act of 1985 and has about 100 co-sponsors.}, {
• Redress Fund-Raising Needs $600,000 Per Year, by Minoru Yasui, page 7. JACL/LEC chair Minoru Yasui outlines the financial challenges facing JACL’s redress efforts, noting that the redress committee needs $300,000 annually while the new lobbying arm JACL/LEC needs another $300,000, for a combined two-year need of $600,000. He describes a fundraising plan targeting 200 prime solicitors to raise $2,000 each from non-JACL sources, since LEC contributions are not tax-deductible.
• Redress Legislation: A 1984 Chronology, page 7. This chronology recaps major 1984 redress developments including the introduction of HR 4110 and S 2116, House and Senate subcommittee hearings featuring both pro- and anti-redress testimony, and the Senate hearing held in Anchorage addressing the Aleut internment. It also tracks the NCJAR class-action lawsuit’s dismissal and appeal, as well as the coram nobis cases of Korematsu, Yasui, and Hirabayashi.
• Support for Redress Grows Nationwide in 1984, page 8. Throughout 1984, numerous government bodies, labor unions, religious organizations, and professional associations endorsed redress legislation, while several cities and counties compensated former employees fired during WW2 due to Japanese ancestry. The chronology also notes Day of Remembrance observances, historical landmark designations at former assembly center sites, and the Canadian movement for redress of Japanese Canadians.

In-Depth

• From Racism to Terrorism: 1934-35, by Mary Norton, page 1. This honor’s thesis examines a campaign of racism and vigilante terrorism against Japanese American farmers in Phoenix’s Salt River Valley during 1934-35, driven by Depression-era economic pressures and anti-Japanese propaganda from the Pacific Coast. The piece argues these events, involving legal harassment and bombing attacks, foreshadowed the later WW2 internment and strained U.S.-Japan relations before the war.
• The Rise and Fall of the Nisei in Hawaii, by Dr. Franklin Odo, page 1. This essay examines the political and economic successes of Japanese Americans in Hawaii, including prominent senators, a governor, and numerous state officials, alongside rising criticism from other ethnic groups who perceive AJA dominance. Odo argues that AJA upward mobility, heavily dependent on public sector employment after WW2, is actually eroding, with data showing AJAs earn less than whites in comparable positions and that AJA professional representation declined between 1970 and 1980.
• A Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Yehan Numata, founder of Mitutoyo Industries, dedicated the Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research in Berkeley, funded by his company’s profits, to translate the Taisho Tripitika Buddhist scriptures into English. The decades-long project involves roughly 70 scholars worldwide and aims to make Buddhist teachings accessible to a broader English-speaking audience.
• Arizona Officials Silent as Violence Against Japanese Farmers Continued, by Mary Norton, page 6. This continuation of the Arizona history piece details a series of bombings and vigilante attacks against Japanese farmers in the Salt River Valley in late 1934, alongside the passivity of Governor Moeur and local officials who refused to seriously confront the violence. The piece describes how the crisis drew national and international attention, ultimately threatening U.S.-Japan relations and federal aid to Arizona before the discriminatory House Bill 78 died in the legislature.
• Ethnic Identity and Community Renewal Among Hawaii’s Japanese Americans, by Dr. Franklin Odo, page 14. Odo discusses the psychological and social impact of WW2 on Hawaii’s Japanese American community, contrasting the island-born “Buddhaheads” with mainland “Kotonks,” and describes growing haole resentment toward perceived AJA dominance in government jobs. He notes a resurgence of interest in Japanese American history and culture in Hawaii, including new museums, oral history projects, and literary and theatrical works, even as demographic projections suggest AJA political influence may decline.
• Nisei Aging and Illness, by Joseph T. Okimoto, M.D., page 16. Psychiatrist Joseph Okimoto distinguishes between normal aging processes and treatable illness, arguing that many assumed effects of aging, such as declining IQ or inevitable senility, are actually myths or the result of reversible conditions like depression. He emphasizes that most elderly people remain functional and that societal stereotypes about aging contribute to social isolation and damaged self-esteem among older individuals.

Community

• Leadership Workshops Offered for Asians, page 3. LEAP (Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics) is offering Workshop I, the first in a five-part Leadership Development Series focused on Asian Pacific leadership styles and cultural values. The workshop will be held on two weekends, February 8-9 and April 12-13, with application deadlines of Jan. 18 and March 22 respectively.
• Cable Management Program Offered, page 3. The Walter Kaitz Foundation is accepting applications for 1985-86 fellowships in cable television management aimed at preparing minority men and women for industry leadership positions. The nine-month, experience-based program includes field assignments and a supplemental curriculum taught by cable industry leaders, with an application deadline of Jan. 15, 1985.
• Staff Notes, page 4. PC acknowledges typesetter Mary Imon’s extra efforts during equipment breakdowns over the holidays, and notes the departures of Jon Takasugi to Tozai Times and Henry Mori who assisted during the Holiday Issue season. The paper also introduces new assistant editor Bob Shimabukuro, a Hawaii-born former Portland JACL chapter president with a varied career background.
• Chapter Pulsebeats, page 4. Contra Costa JACL invites members to a Martin Luther King Day candlelight march in Richmond, while Marina Chapter plans a Trivial Pursuit tournament. Philadelphia, San Diego, and Ventura County chapters also report on New Year celebrations, a documentary screening on Japanese American coram nobis cases, and summer/fall chapter events.
• Installations of 1985 Officers, page 11. Numerous JACL chapters across the country, including Carson, Contra Costa, Diablo Valley, Gilroy, Las Vegas, Milwaukee, Monterey Peninsula, Portland, San Fernando Valley, Seattle, Washington, and West Valley, announce their 1985 installation dinners, speakers, and new officers. Featured speakers include JACL national president Frank Sato, Sen. Daniel Inouye, actor George Takei, and Minoru Yasui.

Commentary

• Japanese Americans and U.S.-Japan Relations, by Glen S. Fukushima, page 3. Fukushima argues that Japanese Americans have a self-interest in promoting amicable U.S.-Japan relations and should become more knowledgeable and institutionally involved in bilateral affairs rather than remaining passive. He proposes study groups, a policy studies institute, and careful attention to terminology distinguishing “Japanese Americans” from “Japanese nationals” to strengthen JA participation in international affairs.
• Ft. Snelling, Minnesota, by Bill Marutani, page 4. Columnist Bill Marutani recalls his WW2-era training at the Ft. Snelling military intelligence language school, where he and fellow Nisei students studied Japanese language, military terminology, and geography under intense, competitive conditions. He remembers the camaraderie, the brilliant classmates, and post commandant Col. Kai Rasmussen, though most of the language skills have faded with time.
• Photos Too Small, by Mari K. Hasegawa, page 5. A reader complains that the catalog for the Ansel Adams Manzanar photo exhibit contains almost no reproductions of the actual photographs, unlike other exhibition catalogs she has purchased. She warns other readers to understand what they are paying for before ordering the $15 catalog.
• Sloppy Usage, by Raymond Okamura, page 5. A reader criticizes UCLA researchers and the Pacific Citizen for imprecise use of the term “outmarriage,” arguing that since third-generation Japanese Americans are American by nationality, their marriages to other Americans should not technically count as outmarriages. He contends that conflating nationality with race or ethnicity echoes racist assumptions that contributed to the WW2 incarceration.
• Thank You, by Alice and Hike Yego, page 5. Alice and Hike Yego thank the “Friends of Marshal Hike Yego” committee and attendees for a retirement party held in Rocklin honoring Hike Yego’s law enforcement career. They express gratitude to government officials, organizations, and the committee for the honors, gifts, and a trip to Washington, D.C.
• Honor Roll, by Dr. Frank F. Sakamoto, page 5. A reader questions why the Thousand Club membership Honor Roll list was omitted from the Holiday Issue, noting it has traditionally recognized 1000 Club members annually. The PC general manager responds that the Honor Roll’s cutoff date of Nov. 30 is often too early to capture late contributions before the Holiday Issue deadline.
• Our Choice, by Sandi Kawasaki, page 6. Columnist Sandi Kawasaki responds to an article on Asian American women and the women’s movement, arguing that once bicultural values are established, people cannot simply switch between cultures to suit convenience. She contends that successful, assertive Asian American women may find it harder to attract Asian men, who often prefer more traditional partners, possibly explaining rising rates of mixed marriages among Sansei women.
• Mokusatsu, by Jin Konomi, page 6. Drawing on a Japanese book about Premier Kantaro Suzuki, this column examines how the ambiguous word “mokusatsu,” used by the Japanese press rather than by Suzuki himself, was misinterpreted by the Allies as a rejection of the Potsdam Proclamation, days before the atomic bombings. The piece argues that President Truman had already decided to use the bomb regardless, and that many historians and officials later considered the bombings a moral failing rather than a military necessity.

Obituaries

• In Memoriam: Dennis Roland, page 5. Dennis A. Roland, a retired merchant marine officer and former WW2 Japanese POW who survived the Burmese-Thai ‘Death Railroad,’ has died. Despite his suffering, Roland spent his life preaching compassion toward his former captors and urged Japanese survivors to forgive America for the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
• 1984 Obituaries: Notable Deaths in the Japanese American Community, page 10. This compilation lists notable Japanese Americans and allies who died in 1984, including Hito Okada, father of the JACL 1000 Club and wartime national JACL treasurer, as well as photographer Ansel Adams, Mine Kido, and several community and chapter leaders. It also notes the unsolved murders of chef Masataka Kobayashi and attorney George Yanase.

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