Redress, Shogun, and a Little Tokyo high rise

Vol. 91, No. 9, October 3, 1980. 12 pages. View this issue

The front page opened with Little Tokyo, where Merit Service Corp. announced plans for a 20-30 story office, condominium and hotel complex. It also carried the JACL Board’s debate over its 1000 Club logo and membership dues, and Hawaii’s primary results, including Sen. Inouye’s easy victory. Inside, Kunio Francis Tanabe offered a Japanese view of the NBC series Shogun, and Harry Honda and Dr. Clifford Uyeda added their own notes on it. Allan Hida wrote a letter on the planned dues increase, and Ron Ikejiri traced New England’s part in passing the Commission Bill on the effects of Executive Order 9066.

Other pages followed the Japanese American Research Project, with Paul W. Ellis on its books, and the first JACL Youth Tour to Japan, reported by Bruce Shimizu. Bill Hosokawa reviewed a family history of the Nishitani clan, Dom Magwili wrote about East West Players, and Miko Kunitaki and Russell Leong covered Asian American women writers. Chapter news filled page 8.

What’s in this issue

National

• Henry Tanaka Papers Given to Library, page 1. The Western Reserve Historical Society received manuscripts and papers from Henry Tanaka for its collection on Japanese Americans in Greater Cleveland. The collection was announced by associate curator of manuscripts John J. Grabowski.
• Sen. Inouye in Easy Primary Victory, page 1. Hawaii’s incumbents, including Sen. Inouye, won primary victories Sept. 20, but political novice Eileen Anderson narrowly ousted Honolulu Mayor Frank Fasi. Several women were nominated in state legislative races, potentially giving Hawaii a record 13 women legislators if elected in November.
• New England’s Record, by Ron Ikejiri, page 4. This Washington Wrap-Up column details the legislative efforts leading to passage of the Commission Bill (Public Law 317) investigating Executive Order 9066’s impact, highlighting New England JACL chapter’s advocacy work. A letter from the New England JACL Chapter credits Eji Suyama and Kei Kaneda for leading the regional redress campaign that saw 87% of New England Congressmen vote in favor of the bill.
• Gov. Brown Signs Pest Control Bill, page 8. Governor Brown signed Assemblyman Paul Bannai’s bill AB 2576 establishing a new class of licensed pest control operators to be registered with county agricultural commissioners. The law becomes effective Jan. 1, 1981.
• Teenage Crime Rate Climbing in Japan, page 9. Minors arrested or questioned for criminal offenses in Japan totaled 76,277 in the first half of 1980, the worst figure in National Police Agency records. Over 75% were for robberies or thefts, with increases also noted in school violence and heinous crimes.
• Police Net Captures Li’l Tokyo Burglar, page 9. Over 50 burglaries were reported in Little Tokyo over several months, prompting action by the Asian Task Force of the LAPD. One culprit, Maurice Benjamin, 23, was apprehended after being spotted on a rooftop by Detective Sam Masuda.
• Osaka Parents Lose Court Battle to Break Adoption, page 10. Japan’s Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling that it had no jurisdiction over a case involving an Osaka couple’s infant daughter adopted by a Hawaiian Japanese American couple. The baby was born at a clinic known for controversial adoption arrangements, and the parents claim they were pressured into the adoption.
• Japan Birthrate Still Lowering, page 12. Japan’s birthrate dropped below 1966 levels during the first half of 1980, according to the Health-Welfare Ministry. The rate was 11.0 per 1,000 people compared to 14.2 in 1979, with 789,892 babies born during the period.

Community

• Merit Service Corp. Reveals Plan for 20-30 Floor High Rise, page 1. Merit Service Corp., a subsidiary of Merit Savings, announced plans for a 20-30 story commercial office building, condominium and hotel complex in Little Tokyo. Bruce Kaji appointed Yukio Matsumoto president of Merit Service Corp. and William Wheeler vice-president.
• Kumasaka Can’t Unseat Incumbent, page 1. 38-year incumbent State Rep. John O’Brien won Washington state primary against two challengers including Kumasaka, who came in a strong second. In a neighboring district, incumbent John Eng defeated three challengers.
• Themes Set for Women’s Congress, page 1. Themes from the UN Decade for Women Conference at Copenhagen will be discussed at a conference Oct. 3-4 at CSU Dominguez Hills, expected to draw 3,000 women. Sue Kunitomi Embrey will coordinate a panel on the effects of war on women.
• Kawaichi Named to Superior Court, page 1. Gov. Edmund Brown Jr. appointed Oakland municipal Judge Ken Kawaichi, 39, to the superior court bench for Alameda County. Kawaichi was the first Sansei jurist in the state when first named by Brown in 1975.
• PNW Actions, by Dr. Richard Doi, page 2. The Pacific Northwest District Council passed resolutions recommending a dedicated PC column for district/chapter communications and urging future JACL conventions be held at college or university campuses to reduce delegate costs. The National Board took these recommendations under consideration.
• Mineta, Matsui Speak in Denver, page 2. Over 100 people attended an event in Denver featuring discussion of the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians (CWRIC), expected to be staffed by December 1980 with public hearings planned for 1981. Min Yasui coordinated the event with several community sponsors.
• Nisei Controlled Bank Organized, page 2. Pacific Heritage Bank, capitalized at $3.5 million, has been formed in Torrance with Vincent H. Okamoto, former Gardena city councilman, as chairman of the board. The bank received Federal Reserve approval in June.
• Garden Dedicated, page 2. The City of Hayward dedicated a new Japanese garden with a koto program and demonstrations attended by Fremont-area residents. Details of the ceremony and participants were included.
• FINE—New Group, page 2. JACL international relations chairman Chuck Kubokawa plans to continue an information exchange network following a recent convention workshop. The group, called FINE, aims to foster ongoing international relations dialogue.
• Ben Matsui Ranking Nisei in Cal First Bank Organization, page 2. Ben Matsui, senior vice president at California First Bank, was assigned to the Office of the President responsible for financial planning activities including core deposit business development. A 442nd veteran and USC graduate, Matsui previously served as manager of several bank branches before his promotion.
• ‘Kappa-Za’ Children’s Theater to Perform, page 2. Monterey Park Sister City is sponsoring Kappa-Za Children’s Theater’s production of ‘The Prince and the Pauper’ on Oct. 18 at East L.A. College. Performances will be held at 2 and 6 p.m.
• Placer County Goodwill Dinner Set, page 8. KPIX-TV anchorwoman Wendy Tokuda will be the guest speaker at Placer County JACL’s goodwill dinner at Placer Buddhist Church. Chapter president Alfred Nitta noted this is JACL’s oldest public relations event of its kind in the country.
• Fremont JACL Reunion Planned, page 8. Former and current Fremont JACL members are being sought for a reunion event on Oct. 25 at Francesco’s Restaurant. The chapter traces its history back to 1934 as the Washington Township JACL.
• 3 Nikkei Presented Humanitarian Award, page 8. The Los Angeles Human Relations Commission presented Katsuma Mukaeda, Katsumi Kunitsugu, and Tritia Toyota its Bicentennial Humanitarian Award in ceremonies at City Hall. This was the first of a year-long series honoring Angelenos for contributions to city life.
• Alameda JACL Issei Appreciation Event, page 8. Alameda JACL will celebrate the 88th birthdays of three Issei community members with a bento luncheon prepared by Yamato Sukiyaki. Orders needed to be placed by Oct. 1 with chapter coordinators.
• Sacramento JACL Ochazuke Party and Media Advocacy, page 8. Sacramento JACL’s annual Ochazuke Party benefit talent show was scheduled for Oct. 11 at Burbank High auditorium. The chapter also joined the Coalition Against Asian Stereotypes in the Media, boycotting the film ‘The Fiendish Plot of Fu Manchu.’
• Sonoma JACL Youth Redress Workshop, page 8. JACL Youth of Sonoma County Chapter held a workshop on redress on Oct. 4 at Enmanji Memorial Hall featuring John Tateishi as speaker. The CBS documentary ‘Guilty By Reason of Race’ narrated by Walter Cronkite was also shown.
• West Valley JACL Bridge Tournament, page 8. The annual West Valley JACL bridge tournament was scheduled for Oct. 24 at the Community Center in El Paseo de Saratoga Shopping Center. Interested players were asked to contact chairperson Helyn Uchiyama.
• Nikkei Donations Boost Asian Shelf at Placer County Library, page 9. The Auburn-Placer County Library’s collection of Japanese-language books grew to over 150 volumes through community donations and purchases. Local citizens and organizations contributed books on gardening, history, and philosophy among other subjects.
• Keiro-kai Potluck Supper Planned, page 10. Eden Township JACL’s annual Keiro-kai potluck supper was scheduled for Oct. 4 at the Eden Japanese Community Center, featuring two Japanese films. No admission was charged for the event.

JACL

• 1000 Club Logo May Switch to ‘Shogun’, page 1. JACL is retooling its membership campaign strategy to meet ambitious budget goals, with national 1000 Club chairman Dr. Frank Sakamoto proposing a redesigned club logo featuring a Japanese warrior in armor. The National JACL Board also debated family membership dues reductions, incentive rebate plans, and youth membership structures at its Little Tokyo Tower meeting.
• JARP Set to Honor Pledge to $100 Donors, page 3. With the Issei history book ‘East to America’ now published, JACL-Japanese American Research Project is trying to locate a complete list of $100-plus donors from the early 1960s who were promised complimentary copies. Chapters have been asked to help update donor records at JACL Headquarters.
• Board Actions, page 5. The National JACL Board confirmed George Kodama’s appointment as secretary/treasurer and endorsed various policy guidelines including redress recommendations and bilingual personnel use in government-aided programs. The Board also accepted a PNWDC proposal to hold future conventions at college campuses to reduce costs.
• Support JACL Through United Way, page 8. JACL members are being encouraged to designate the National JACL as a recipient of United Way payroll deduction contributions. The suggestion arose during the recent National JACL Convention.
• Mansfield Welcomes JACL Youth Touring Japan, by Bruce Shimizu, page 9. The first JACL Youth Tour to Japan met with U.S. Ambassador Mike Mansfield in Tokyo, discussing U.S.-Japan relations and the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians Act. Eleven Sansei and Yonsei participants from across California embarked on a 16-day tour, visiting sites and meeting with the newly chartered Japan JACL Chapter.
• This First Tour to Japan by JACL Youth a Success, by Bruce Shimizu, page 12. The article continues coverage of the JACL Youth Tour to Japan, profiling individual participants including James Nakashima, Mark Terasaki, Scott Goishi, and sibling pairs from Thousand Oaks and San Rafael. The tour is described as a success with plans for continuation in future years.

In-Depth

• Buddhism—A Matter of Cultural Adaptation, page 1. Dr. Isao Horinouchi discusses how Buddhism has adapted to dominant cultures wherever it spread, becoming ‘Protestantized’ in Hawaii and the Mainland U.S. He notes declining Buddhist youth participation and suggests the religion must remain flexible to survive among younger generations.
• JARP Books Chronicle Issei and Nisei History, by Paul W. Ellis, Ph.D., page 3. This article details the history and scope of the Japanese American Research Project (JARP), based on a 1,047-person Issei survey and subsequent Nisei and Sansei questionnaires conducted starting in the 1960s. It describes several published and forthcoming JARP-sponsored books including ‘Nisei: the Quiet American,’ ‘East to America,’ and upcoming sociological studies on Japanese American community and ethnic affiliation.
• A Nisei Extension: The Nishitani Clan, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Hosokawa reviews a family history book about Denjiro Nishitani, who immigrated from Japan in 1906, and his wife Jin and their ten children. The article traces each of the ten children’s lives, marriages, and careers, illustrating a story of Nisei upward mobility and American assimilation.

Commentary

• Shogun, by Harry Honda, page 4. Editor Harry Honda discusses ongoing reader interest in the TV series ‘Shogun’ and highlights a Washington Post commentary by Kunio F. Tanabe as among the best analyses. He announces a forthcoming Holiday Issue feature on the historical figure Will Adams.
• Membership Dues, by Allan Hida, page 4. A letter to the editor criticizes JACL’s planned dues increase from $16.50 to $22.75 as poorly timed given difficulty recruiting members at current rates. The writer poses several questions JACL leadership should answer about membership services and spending priorities.
• Library Survey, by Paul W. Ellis, Ph.D., page 4. The writer discusses efforts to ensure school, college, and public libraries in Washington state are stocked with books about Japanese American incarceration history. He suggests JACL chapters nationally conduct similar library surveys as a supplement to the redress campaign.
• Dolphins at Iki, by Hashime Saito, page 4. The writer criticizes a previous letter praising Japan’s potential for environmental respect, arguing Japan’s economic structure and international politics are more complex. He predicts Japan may rebuild its military after Emperor Hirohito’s death to secure oil resources.
• Yoko Shimada, by Dr. Clifford Uyeda, page 4. Uyeda recounts observing actress Yoko Shimada (Mariko in ‘Shogun’) being interviewed in San Francisco, revealing she spoke much of her English dialogue through phonetic memorization without understanding many words. He praises her talent in conveying emotional depth despite the language barrier.
• Giving, and Not Giving, by Bill Marutani, page 5. Marutani expresses skepticism about mass media evangelists’ appeals for money and questions the effectiveness of street solicitors collecting donations. He reflects on how Issei parents approached charitable giving within their community and wonders about Nisei giving patterns today.
• Gangs and Self-Worth, by John Saito, page 8. Saito reflects on the history of Nikkei gang activity in Los Angeles from his youth through the 1960s, noting how postwar resettlement and later the social activism of the 1960s-70s redirected youth energy toward community involvement and identity formation. He suggests finding new vehicles to build self-worth among today’s youth rather than repeating past gang patterns.
• Asian Women on the Move, by David Takashima, page 9. Takashima discusses the changing role of Asian American women in the 1980s, noting more women entering the workforce and professional fields while critiquing persistent submissive stereotypes. He cites an Asian/Pacific Heritage Week luncheon where few women held professional staff positions as an example of ongoing disparity.
• Asian or Asian-American?, by Don Nakahata, page 9. Nakahata questions why JACL imported a fashion designer from Japan for a National Convention fashion show rather than using local Asian-American talent. He argues JACL missed an opportunity to distinguish between ‘Asian’ and ‘Asian-American’ identities.
• Kobayashi Issa, Poet, by Robert Kono, page 10. Kono profiles haiku poet Kobayashi Issa (1765-1827), detailing his difficult personal life including family disputes, the deaths of his children and wives, and his distinctive ‘untamed’ poetic style. Issa is noted alongside Basho and Buson as one of the three great haiku masters of the Tokugawa era.
• Here in America Things Are Done Backwards, by Ed Mitoma, page 10. Mitoma humorously compares cultural conventions between Japan and the U.S., covering differences in gestures, grammar, writing direction, and everyday practices like driving sides and card dealing. He concludes that the historical lack of interchange between the cultures explains these backwards differences.
• Macho Names, by Mas Manbo, page 12. Manbo discusses the trend toward macho and unusual names for Japanese soft drinks like ‘Pocari Sweat’ and ‘Salty Dog,’ as well as the challenges of reading Japanese names correctly. He also notes the Yomiuri Shimbun’s switch to pronouncing Reagan’s name as ‘Ray-gan’ based on the candidate’s preference.

Arts & Entertainment

• Shogun Set Straight: A Japanese View of the NBC Epic, by Kunio Francis Tanabe, page 4. Tanabe offers a Japanese perspective correcting historical inaccuracies in the NBC miniseries ‘Shogun,’ explaining the real history behind characters like Miura Anjin (William Adams) and Toranaga (based on Tokugawa Ieyasu). He notes the character Mariko has no direct historical equivalent but may be loosely based on Hosokawa Gracia.
• On the Eve of East West Players’ 16th Year, by Dom Magwili, page 6. Actor and administrator Dom Magwili reflects on his years at East West Players, America’s pioneering Asian American theater, discussing the frustrations of stereotyped Asian portrayals in mainstream media like ‘Charlie Chan’ and ‘Kung Fu.’ He details the theater’s history since its 1965 founding, its development of Asian American playwrights, and ambitious future goals including touring and a performing arts complex.
• PAAWWW: Caught in the Act of Living, by Miko Kunitaki, page 7. The article profiles Pacific Asian American Women Writers-West (PAAWWW), a group of Asian American women writers who presented a reading titled ‘Caught in the Act of Living’ at Inner City Cultural Center. Members including Momoko Iko, Wakako Yamauchi, and Sue Kunitomi Embrey discuss the group’s mission to create authentic literary representations countering Asian stereotypes in American media.
• Amerasia Bookstore Reading Celebrates Women Writers, by Russell Leong, page 7. At Amerasia Bookstore in Little Tokyo, PAAWWW members presented readings for International Women’s Day including works by Emma Gee, Joyce Nako, Miya Iwataki, Sue Kunitomi Embrey, Momoko Iko, Wakako Yamauchi, and Karen Huie. The event drew prominent community writers and activists who were captivated by the performances.

Incarceration & Redress

• Kagoshima Group on Historic Pilgrimage to Fountaingrove, page 12. Fifteen students and five escorts from Kagoshima, Japan visited Santa Rosa to retrace the path of Kiyoshi Nagasawa, a samurai who settled there from 1875-1934. The visit included tours of Fountaingrove Ranch, Hewlett-Packard, and Sebastiani Winery, with community cooperation from local families and organizations including JACL.

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