Redress and the fired California state workers, May 1982

Vol. 94, No. 18, May 7, 1982. 12 pages. View this issue

Redress ran through this 12-page issue. The front page reported that the JACL National Committee for Redress, as co-sponsor of California Assembly Bill 2710, was seeking the 314 state civil service employees of Japanese ancestry who were fired in 1942. The bill would allow salary loss claims, and a later page explained how those claims would be filed. John Tateishi defended the JACL leadership of 1942, and Min Yasui, chair of the National Redress Committee, profiled the Imperial Valley farm community, where three Japanese American farmers remain. Letters from Violet Kazue de Cristoforo, Gary Glenn and Reid D. Allen weighed in on the campaign.

Other pages covered the planned 1982 JACL national convention, Bill Hosokawa’s column honoring Shig Wakamatsu, and Ron Wakabayashi’s look at the JACL Youth Program. Readers will also find the Tule Lake reunion, where about 550 people had registered, the book Desert Exile by Yoshiko Uchida, and the dispute over Dr. Thomas Noguchi’s demotion.

What’s in this issue

JACL

• JACL Seeks Whereabouts of 314 Fired Calif. Employees, page 1. The JACL National Committee for Redress is seeking to locate former California state civil service employees of Japanese ancestry who were fired in 1942 under SCR 15, as co-sponsor of AB 2710 which would authorize salary loss claims. The bill passed its first committee hearing and will be heard by the Assembly Ways and Means Committee on May 12.
• Mits Kawamoto Hospitalized, page 6. National JACL vice president for planning and development Mits Kawamoto was hospitalized after suffering a heart attack on April 24. He was placed in intensive care at Immanuel Medical Center in Omaha.
• JAYS ’80 Yearbook Refund Due, page 6. Due to losses from the 1980 JAYS Sacramento Youth Convention, the planned yearbook was never produced, and National Youth Director David Nakayama will coordinate refunds. Those who paid a $5 deposit can choose a refund or credit toward 1982 membership.
• Big Whing-Ding Planned for Convention, page 9. After comments that JACL conventions aren’t fun anymore, organizers including Tak Kawagoe, Sue Jio Okabe, and Betty Yumori are planning a National 1000 Club Whing-Ding themed ‘A Nite in Tokyo’ for the convention. National representative Aki Ohno, who helped organize a 1971 International Whing-Ding in Tokyo, will assist with the event.

National

• U.S.-Japan Trade Friction Easing, page 1. Vice President George Bush told the Foreign Correspondents’ Club in Tokyo that the U.S. and Japan are moving toward ‘head-on decisions’ rather than ‘head-on collisions’ over trade. Japan will announce measures May 7 to further liberalize import quotas and wants talks on five agricultural items before a June Paris meeting.
• Justice Dept.’s Rights Division Criticized for Racial Policies, page 1. William Bradford Reynolds, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, was accused in a congressional hearing of contributing to a climate of increased racism by reversing civil rights remedies. Reynolds defended the administration’s record, saying it opposes mandatory quotas and busing in favor of other remedies.
• Hayakawa Introduces English Proficiency Bill for Schools, page 1. Sen. S.I. Hayakawa introduced the ‘Bilingual Education Improvement Act’ to give local school districts flexibility in choosing teaching methods for non-English speaking students. Critics say the bill is part of a Reagan administration effort to reduce federal aid for bilingual education.
• Noguchi Transferred to New Position, page 1. Dr. Thomas T. Noguchi was transferred from the coroner’s office to a similar autopsy position in the Health Services Department after being demoted by the Board of Supervisors. Noguchi said he would pursue ‘every legal avenue’ and appeal to the Civil Service Commission to win back his old job.
• Author Says U.S. Knew Japan Planned Attack on Pearl Harbor, page 8. Historian John Toland’s new book claims U.S. Navy intelligence discovered Japanese aircraft carriers heading toward Hawaii five days before the Pearl Harbor attack, and that President Roosevelt withheld the information to ensure a surprise attack that would trigger public war support. Two former Japanese naval officers in Tokyo disputed Toland’s claim, saying radio silence was maintained by the fleet.
• Smithsonian Plans Museum of Asian and African Cultures, page 8. The Smithsonian Institution, with Rep. Norman Mineta on its Board of Regents, has planned a $75 million museum complex called the Quadrangle featuring Near and Far Eastern Art and African art galleries. South Korea and Japan have each contributed $1 million toward the project, with about $24 million raised so far.
• Japan Retains Restrictions on Produce from ‘Medfly’ Area, page 10. The Japanese government said it will not ease restrictions on produce shipments from a seven-county quarantine area in California despite U.S. efforts to show the Mediterranean fruit fly problem has been resolved. Lemons remain the only exception under a policy agreed to in January.
• Survey Shows Mixed Feelings Toward Japanese, page 12. A Harris Survey found a majority of Americans believe Japanese import competition harms American business and labor, while also believing Japanese products benefit U.S. consumers and are high quality. The survey also found Americans hold much more favorable views of Japanese people than they did 11 years ago, despite largely unchanged attitudes about WWII-era events like Pearl Harbor and the atomic bombings.
• Noguchi Must Wait for Commission Hearing, page 12. Dr. Thomas Noguchi must wait until a commission hearing, possibly as early as this month, to contest his demotion, remaining confident of victory. A fundraising dinner organized by his supporters, CARP, raised about $7,400 plus $8,000 in donations to launch an advertising campaign presenting his side of the dispute.

Obituaries

• Justice Tamura, 70, Succumbs, page 1. Stephen Kosaku Tamura, retired justice of the California Court of Appeal and the first Japanese American on the mainland named to an appellate court, died of an apparent heart attack on April 25. He had a distinguished career as lawyer and judge and was honored by the Asian American legal community shortly before his death.

Community

• Buddhists Appeal for Nuclear Ban, page 1. The Buddhist Churches of America national board and Ministerial Association jointly endorsed an appeal for world peace and a total ban on nuclear weapons pronounced by Monshu Koshin Ohtani of Honpa Hongwanji-ha. The BCA is collecting signatures for a resolution ahead of the UN special session on nuclear disarmament in June-July.
• West L.A. to Host DYC Youth Workshop, page 1. The West Los Angeles Sansei JACL is sponsoring a PSWDYC workshop titled ‘Inter-Generational Issues’ on May 15 at the WLA United Methodist Church. Speakers include clinical social worker Laura Shiozaki and Dr. Jack Fujimoto.
• Ethnic Minorities More Challengeable, page 6. Of the judges on the Los Angeles county June 8 ballot being challenged, 60% are from an ethnic minority, according to PSWDC governor Cary Nishimoto, raising concern for JACL. Two Asian American jurists being challenged are Superior Court Judge Ernest Hiroshige and Superior Court Judge Kenneth Chang.
• Salinas JACL Meets to Review Redress, page 6. Salinas JACL members met April 26 at the John Steinbeck Library to review questions posed by the JACL national redress committee. Topics included eligibility for redress and the type of remedies and legislation under consideration.
• Hibakusha Film on Tap at Sebastopol May 8, page 6. A documentary titled ‘Survivors’ about A-bomb survivors in the U.S. will be shown May 8 at Enmanji Hall in Sebastopol. Film producers Steve Okazaki and Frances Politeo will attend the screening.
• JACL Personals, page 6. Satoru Kodama, 93, of Yuba City, possibly the oldest JACLer today, renewed his membership with Marysville JACL, where he has belonged since 1962.
• Reno Amtrak-Sac’to Tour Spaces Open, page 7. San Francisco JACL is sponsoring a Reno Amtrak-Sacramento Capitol Tour June 3-5 with some spaces still available, coordinated by Greg Marutani, Claire Sanpei and Shiz Mihara. Cost is $150 for the three-day tour with a $75 deposit required.
• 550 Registered for Tule Lake Reunion, page 7. About 550 people have registered for the 1982 Tule Lake reunion over Memorial Day weekend in Sacramento, with 1,530 signed up for the Sunday dinner. Former internees from Japan, Hawaii, and the East Coast are among those registered.
• Magazine Focuses on Asian Politics, Life, page 8. A new Asian American magazine, ‘East Wind—Politics and Culture of Asians in the U.S.,’ will be released in May featuring articles on the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Exclusion Act. The premiere issue is available by mail from San Francisco.
• JA History Exhibits Slated by EBJCC, page 8. The East Bay Japanese Community Center is planning a series of activities under the theme ‘Intergenerational Legacy of the Japanese American Community’ over coming months. The programs will include photographs, live theater, and panel discussions showing nearly 100 years of community history.
• Riverside JACL Awards 8 Scholarships, page 9. Riverside JACL announced recipients of its 1982 scholarships to be presented at a graduation potluck dinner May 15, including awards named for Dr. Hideo Inaba, Dr. Mary Oda, and Sannosuke Madokoro. Recipients include students from Redlands, Chino, San Gorgonio, and La Sierra high schools.
• Wine-Tasting Time, page 9. West Los Angeles JACL and Auxiliary will hold their 11th annual wine-tasting benefit at Yamato Restaurant in the Century Plaza Hotel on May 16, with proceeds going toward scholarships. Organizers include co-chairs Eiko Iwata and Mary Yanokawa.
• CARP-Noguchi Fund Thanks Donors, page 9. Concerned Americans for Responsible Progress (CARP) thanked friends and supporters who donated to the recent testimonial dinner for Dr. Thomas T. Noguchi. The group noted the strong community spirit of concern and solidarity encouraged their effort.
• Seattle CETA Funds Hit by Cutbacks, page 10. Further federal cuts to CETA job training programs forced the closure of three local Seattle in-take offices, including one serving the Asian Pacific community. Only two offices will remain, in Auburn and downtown Seattle, with the downtown office retaining bilingual counselors.
• Pacific Heritage Bank Due in Little Tokyo, page 10. Nisei-controlled Pacific Heritage Bank, after only 13 months of operation, has been approved to open its first branch office in the Little Tokyo area. The bank has grown from $3.5 million to over $13 million in total assets, led by board chairman Vincent H. Okamoto.
• Asian Skiers Plan for ’84 Activities, page 10. The second Asian Ski Week was held in Aspen, Colorado, with 95 skiers participating in skiing and evening entertainment. The group is planning its next event for 1984 at Vail, Colorado.
• Rose Pageant at Rose Hill May 8-9, page 10. The 23rd annual Mother’s Rose Pageant and Rose Arrangement Show is expected May 8-9 at Rose Hill, with amateur rose growers and arrangers invited to compete. Entries must be submitted between 7 and 10 a.m. on May 8.
• PC People, page 11. Toni Hiramoto of El Cerrito, a Harvard student, will travel through the U.S. this summer with the 34th annual Japan-America Student Conference promoting mutual understanding between Japanese and American students. The YMCA presented life membership to Dave Tatsuno, a branch member since 1926 who founded a YMCA branch at the Topaz internment camp.
• PC People: Religion and Radio-TV Notes, page 11. Southern California Nisei Ministerial Fellowship awarded $300 scholarships to three seminary students: Tom Fujita, Gary Hayashi, and Jay Uomoto. Japanese show producer John Kubota was featured in a Fresno Bee column for 34 years of hosting Japanese music-talk radio shows.

Commentary

• Redress Phase 4: JACL ’42 Leadership, by John Tateishi, page 2. The author defends the JACL leadership of 1942 against criticism that they led the Japanese American community into camps, arguing the Evacuation was inevitable and the organization was powerless to stop it. He highlights accomplishments such as negotiating partial bank account unfreezing, keeping families together, and JACL’s broader legislative record on civil rights.
• Racism: Are We Part of the Problem?, by Anne Saito Howden, page 4. The author poses a series of questions about whether racism remains prevalent in American society and whether Japanese Americans themselves harbor racist attitudes toward other minority groups. She questions what strategies JACL and the community should use to combat racism, both external and internal.
• By the Board: Pivotal Nat’l Convention, by Dr. Yosh Nakashima, page 4. With about 100 days until the 1982 National JACL Convention, the author discusses the importance of setting realistic budget and membership goals as JACL membership has been declining. He also previews convention activities planned by the Gardena Valley chapter alongside Nisei Week Festival and the Nisei Veterans Reunion.
• Letterbox: Refocus on Redress, by Mrs. Violet Kazue de Cristoforo, page 4. A Salinas Valley JACL member argues that chapters should prioritize the Redress campaign over social activities and reunions given the crucial legislative moment. She urges Japanese Americans to set aside differences and devote efforts, including personal sacrifice, to supporting Redress.
• Letterbox: Native Americans, by Reid D. Allen, page 4. A reader responds to a Father Drinan article calling Japanese Americans the only minority incarcerated without a hearing, arguing that Native Americans suffered even greater and more permanent injustices without any hearing. He contrasts the restoration of Japanese American civil rights after the war with the Native American’s continued loss of land and culture.
• Letterbox: Being Ready at WDC, by Gary Glenn, page 4. A New England JACL member praises the JACL Washington office staff for their professionalism but argues the office needs to be expanded with additional staff and funding to effectively pursue the redress campaign. He recommends transferring the Redress coordinator to Washington and adding administrative support.
• Letterbox: Attn: Librarians, by Lee E. Stafford, page 4. The widower of Yone Ushikubo Stafford describes his late wife’s effort to privately fund copies of Michi Weglyn’s ‘Years of Infamy’ for libraries nationwide. He asks head librarians missing the book to contact him since copies remain undistributed.
• From the Frying Pan: Shig Wakamatsu: The Alpha-Omega of JARP, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. The column honors Shig Wakamatsu of Chicago for his leadership as chairman of JACL’s Japanese American Research Project (JARP) committee since 1960, crediting him with keeping the historically vital project on track despite years of frustration. The Chicago JACL chapter is seeking the National Ruby Pin Award for Wakamatsu and raising funds to send him and his wife to Japan.
• East Wind: Playing the House Organ, by Bill Marutani, page 5. The columnist argues against turning the Pacific Citizen into a sanitized ‘house organ’ that only promotes JACL leadership’s programs without allowing debate. He contends the newspaper should serve its national readership, including non-JACLers, by supporting open examination of controversial and unpleasant news.
• Musubi: JACL Youth Program Support Encouraged, by Ron Wakabayashi, page 5. The author examines the marginal status of JACL’s Youth Program, noting low membership numbers despite constitutional provisions giving youth significant voting power, and a lack of leadership continuity after the Youth Conference was cancelled last summer. He cites successful examples in Tri-Valley, PSW, and MDC chapters as models for building a more coherent program.
• From Pacific Southwest: No Time Limit, by John Saito, page 6. The author recounts speaking to the Southern California Broadcasters Association about Japanese American community concerns, including employment inequities, but found audience questions focused mostly on his WWII-era experiences from 42 years ago. He reflects on how significant historical events continue to draw public curiosity regardless of time elapsed.

Incarceration & Redress

• California Redress: Claims Process Detailed for Fired State Workers, page 5. Continuing coverage explains that under proposed legislation, claimants whose eligibility is confirmed by the State Dept. of Personnel Administration must file each year by May 15 for salary losses, up to $1,250 per year for four years. Survivors of deceased claimants are not eligible to file, and payment awaits the effective date of the 1983 Budget.
• New York CBS-TV to Spotlight Internment, page 6. CBS-TV’s ‘Channel 2: The People’ in New York will discuss the impact of WWII internment of Japanese Americans on the East Coast on May 8. CWRIC executive director Angus MacBeth and government officials from that period will participate.
• P.L. 503 Makes Mockery of the U.S. Constitution, page 7. The article examines how Public Law 503, passed hastily in 1942 without proper congressional review, gave the military unprecedented power over civilians and suspended citizens’ civil rights without due process. It argues the law set a dangerous legal precedent that could be used again to assert military jurisdiction over civilians without declaring martial law.

In-Depth

• Prewar Nikkei Community of 2,100 Families in Imperial Valley Down to 3, by Min Yasui, page 7. National Redress Committee Chair Min Yasui profiles Takanori ‘Pro’ Nimura and the history of over 2,100 Japanese farm families who once thrived in California’s Imperial Valley before WWII, pioneering drainage systems for alkaline soil. After the war only 25 families returned, and today just three Japanese American farmers remain in the Valley.
• Moshi-Moshi: The Emperor & the Japanese, by Jin Konomi, page 10. The column discusses a rediscovered 1880 document, the Kenpo Soko Hyorin, a radical draft constitution and commentary created during a period of intense political agitation in Japan, which proposed democratic ideas decades ahead of their time. Unlike other mock constitutions, the Hyorin controversially treated the Emperor as just another human being rather than a sacrosanct figure.

Military & Veterans

• JACLers Speak to Ohio Students, page 7. Cleveland JACL president Tom Nakao and chapter member May Ichida spoke about redress April 15 at Bowling Green State University, informing students about the WWII internment and JACL’s reparations efforts. Nakao also noted that anti-Japanese racism persists in a more subtle form tied to blaming Japanese automakers for economic troubles.

Arts & Entertainment

• Yoshiko Uchida to Autograph ‘Desert Exile’ at S.F. Book Event, page 8. Yoshiko Uchida will hold an autograph party May 15 at Kinokuniya Book Store in San Francisco’s Japan Center for her new book ‘Desert Exile,’ her first for adults, detailing her family’s prewar Berkeley years and WWII incarceration. Sen. Daniel Inouye called it ‘an important book for all Americans.’

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