Trade friction with Japan and the push for redress lobbying

Vol. 94, No. 14, April 9, 1982. 8 pages. View this issue

Trade friction between the United States and Japan led the April 9, 1982 issue. The front page reported that a growing number of Japanese officials, including Susumu Nikaido, Kiichi Miyazawa and Akio Morita, said they saw rising anti-Japanese sentiment in the U.S., while both sides traded blame over the $18-billion trade deficit. Page 8 continued the story with Japanese officials and Dow Chemical on the same dispute. In commentary, John Tateishi wrote about Redress Phase 4 and a Washington lobbying arm, and Ron Ikejiri wrote about the Voting Rights Act extension.

Elsewhere in the issue: Representatives Norman Mineta and Robert Matsui questioned the INS about immigration raids in Little Tokyo, and Lou Tomita laid out the schedule for the 27th biennial JACL national convention in Gardena. Bill Hosokawa and Bill Marutani had columns on page 5, and chapter news, arts listings and the 100th/442nd/MIS Museum luncheon filled the community pages.

What’s in this issue

National

• Friction Builds in U.S.-Japan Trade, by P.C. Staff, page 1. An increasing number of Japanese officials and citizens are expressing alarm over what they view as rising anti-Japanese sentiment in the United States, driven by trade friction. Japanese leaders and press criticized American rhetoric while also acknowledging some Japanese trade barriers, with both sides trading blame over the $18-billion U.S.-Japan trade deficit.
• Charges Against L.A. Coroner Noguchi Revealed, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors revealed detailed charges against Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner Dr. Thomas Noguchi, leading to his 30-day suspension effective March 29. Noguchi plans to appeal to the Civil Service Commission, while county officials suggest the suspension could lead to his dismissal.
• Mineta, Matsui Question INS on Raids in Li’l Tokyo, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Representatives Norman Mineta and Robert Matsui sent a letter to INS Commissioner Allan Nelson expressing concern over recent immigration raids in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, which included warrantless stops of individuals. The congressmen demanded explanation and questioned whether the raids were properly approved and conformed to policy.
• U.S. Chemicals Have No Problem in Japan: Dow, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Dow Chemical plans to sell its share of a 31-year joint venture with Asahi Chemical while retaining control of two Styrofoam plants in Japan. Dow Pacific president Robert Lundeen stated that American chemical companies face no real problems in Japan, contrary to complaints from other U.S. industries.
• Trade Friction Continued: Officials Express Resentment, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Japanese officials including Asahi Shimbun editor Yasushi Hara and MITI’s Naohiro Amaya voiced frustration over what they see as unfair scapegoating of Japan in trade disputes, citing American weaknesses like high interest rates and lagging industrial restructuring. GATT Secretary General Arthur Dunkel added that Western nations must raise productivity rather than blame Japan alone for trade imbalances.

JACL

• Nomination Open for JACLer of Biennium, Inagaki Prize, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Nominations are now open for the JACLer of the Biennium award and the George J. Inagaki Citizenship Chapter awards, announced by recognitions committee chair Homer Yasui. The JACLer award honors contributions to JACL’s growth, while the Inagaki Prize rewards chapters promoting better citizenship, with a July 12 deadline for both.
• Final Countdown Starts for 27th Biennial Convention, by Lou Tomita, page 5. Convention Planning Board Chair Lou Tomita details the schedule for the upcoming JACL National Convention in Gardena, including workshops, awards luncheons, a special ‘Day in Gardena’ event, and a Hawaiian luau. Numerous volunteers and committee chairs are credited with organizing the week-long event beginning August 9.

Community

• Mike Shiosaki Fair Trial Fund Started, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A fair trial fund was started for Bingham County Sheriff Mike Shiosaki, who faces a sexual harassment lawsuit and a separate suit over firing seven employees. Masa Tsukamoto is spearheading the fundraising effort, drawing comparisons to past fair trial funds for Dr. Thomas Noguchi and Wendy Yoshimura.
• JACCC to Sponsor Photo Show on Japanese American Families, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Japanese American Cultural and Community Center will sponsor ‘The Japanese American Family Album Project,’ a photo documentary depicting Nikkei families from several regions, funded by a National Endowment for the Humanities grant. The project aims to tour major cities and is seeking participating families from the Los Angeles area.
• Miss Sansei Calif. Pageant Slated, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The 18th annual Miss Sansei California Pageant will be held July 17 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel with the theme ‘America’ dedicated to the Issei. The pageant, choreographed by Helen Funai and co-produced by Johnny Yune, will feature 15 finalists competing for a $1,000 scholarship and a trip to Japan.
• Task Force to Focus on Alcoholism, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Pacific Asian Alcoholism Task Force will hold an informational workshop focusing on alcohol use and abuse in the Asian American community on April 14 at Union Church in Little Tokyo. Guest speakers include UCLA professor Dr. Harry Kitano and Dr. Herb Hatanaka of the Pacific Asian Alcohol Research Project.
• ‘Asian Week’ Slated at UC Irvine, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Asian students at UC Irvine will celebrate their cultures with music, art, and traditional cooking during Asian Week, April 12-17. The event is organized through the UCI Cross Cultural Center.
• Six Asian Judges Unopposed June 8, by P.C. Staff, page 3. While Sansei Judges Ernest Hiroshige and Jon Mayeda face challengers in the June 8 primary, six other Asian American judges will run unopposed, including Hiroshi Fujisaki, Edward Kakita, Robert Higa, Madge Watai, Jack Tso and Kathryn Doi Todd. Another Asian American judge, Kenneth Byung-Cho Chang, faces an opponent for a Superior Court seat.
• Mondale to Be Guest at Brunch for Mineta, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Former Vice President Walter Mondale was invited to address an April 18 Sunday brunch fundraiser for Rep. Norman Mineta at the LeBaron Hotel in San Jose. Tickets for the event are $20.
• Hokoyama Named USC APASSO Head, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Former JACL acting National Director John D. Hokoyama has been appointed director of the Asian Pacific American Student Services office at USC. Hokoyama previously served as JACL’s acting director and associate director, and holds degrees from Loyola in English and educational administration.
• Mile-Hi JACL Installs New Officers, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Mile-Hi JACL Chapter held its annual installation dinner on March 13, with National JACL Director Ron Wakabayashi installing new officers including Dr. William Takahashi as president. The evening featured a videotape of ‘Return to Amache’ by Dalton Tanonaka highlighting JACL’s redress efforts.
• Hollywood & Wilshire to Fete 1000ers, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Hollywood and Wilshire JACL chapters will host a champagne brunch honoring 1000 Club members on April 18 at the Sheraton Town House. Honorees include Judge John Aiso, actor George Takei, and numerous other longtime supporters.
• PSW Nisei Relays Entry Forms Out, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Entry forms for the 31st annual Pacific Southwest JACL Nisei Relays, to be held June 6 at Santa Ana College, are being distributed to JACL chapters. Forms must be submitted by May 22 with a $5 fee, with Orange County having been last year’s champions.
• BCA Elects First Oregonian as Head, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Herb Osaki of Portland was installed as president of the Buddhist Churches of America, becoming the first Oregonian to lead the 100,000-member Jodo Shinshu organization. A longtime Portland JACLer and biology teacher, Osaki previously chaired the BCA’s Northwest District Council and served as national vice president.
• Ft. Lupton Hosts MPDC Session, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Mountain Plains District Council will meet in Ft. Lupton, Colorado on April 16-17, with Dr. Michael Ego addressing the Saturday banquet on aging and retirement topics. National JACL vice president Mits Kawamoto will also speak, with workshops planned on aging and ways & means.

Commentary

• Redress Phase 4: A Major Move, by John Tateishi, page 2. Tateishi argues that implementing a 501(c)4 lobbying arm represents a major commitment by JACL to pursue redress legislation seriously. He explains that a Washington D.C. presence and concerted lobbying effort, beyond letter-writing, is necessary to successfully pass redress appropriation through Congress.
• Letterbox: Membership Concerns, by Barbara Yasui, page 4. A reader expresses frustration over unanswered inquiries about JACL membership policies and dismissal of members, criticizing the organization’s handling of complaints. The letter also questions an article about Floyd Mori, challenging the premise that race rather than qualifications should factor into political support decisions.
• Washington Wrap-Up: Voting Rights Act, by Ron Ikejiri, page 4. Ikejiri discusses the Voting Rights Act extension bill, S. 1992, which passed the House 389-24 and now awaits Senate action despite opposition from President Reagan, Attorney General Smith, and Senator Orrin Hatch. The bill extends bilingual election provisions and pre-clearance requirements, and readers are urged to write senators in support.
• East Wind: Being Mistaken for a Tourist, by Bill Marutani, page 5. Marutani reflects on the danger of Japanese tourists being targeted by muggers worldwide, recounting a close encounter with would-be attackers in Tokyo’s Roppongi district. He notes that certain tourist behaviors, like flashing cash or expensive equipment, may increase vulnerability to crime.
• From the Frying Pan: An Encouraging Development on Nikkei History, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Hosokawa highlights the growing interest of non-Japanese professional historians in documenting Japanese American history, citing Thomas J. Noel’s book on Denver’s Larimer Street and Donald Estes’s research on Issei fishermen in San Diego’s tuna industry. He notes the importance of preserving oral histories despite their limitations, before such information disappears forever.

Military & Veterans

• 100/442/MIS Luncheon Date Changed, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Plans for a gala luncheon benefit for the 100th/442nd/MIS Museum have been changed to Sunday, July 11, at the Hyatt Hotel. The event will include a slide preview of a museum exhibit scheduled for display later at the Presidio of San Francisco and the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History.

Arts & Entertainment

• Brazil’s ‘Gaijin’ to Debut in Chicago, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Chicago JACL’s affirmative action committee will host the local premiere of Tizuka Yamasaki’s award-winning film ‘Gaijin’, about Japanese immigrants in Brazil, on April 15 at Facets Multimedia Center. Proceeds from the screenings will benefit the committee’s work assisting Asian Americans facing employment discrimination.
• Hawaiian Music on Tap Sunday on EWP Stage, by P.C. Staff, page 6. East West Players will present traditional and contemporary Hawaiian music titled ‘Komo mai e lohe ke kani’ on April 11 at their theater. Performers Greg and Maybelle Librando and Elena Malote will showcase slack key guitar, autoharp, ukulele, and hula movements.

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