Rhodes Scholar Nina Morishige and the push for redress in 1982

Vol. 94, No. 2, January 15, 1982. 12 pages. View this issue

Nina Morishige, an 18-year-old pianist and mathematics student at Johns Hopkins University, was the front-page news: the Pacific Citizen reported that she became the first Nisei woman to win a Rhodes Scholarship and planned to study physics at Oxford. Inside, John Tateishi laid out JACL’s 1982 redress strategy, and a series installment told the story of the Aleuts’ wartime evacuation and internment, continued with testimony from CWRIC hearings. Columns from Bill Hosokawa, Bill Marutani, Ron Wakabayashi and Harry Honda filled the commentary pages.

Other pages carried a Musubi column imagining a monument to Executive Order 9066, an announcement of a Tule Lake reunion for May 28-31, and news of a New York JACL meeting marking the 40th anniversary of the order. Readers will also find a look at Little Tokyo’s changing skyline, a report from JACL in Japan, and chapter installation news from Milwaukee, Contra Costa and Placer County.

What’s in this issue

National

• Nisei Woman Wins Rhodes Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Nina Morishige, an 18-year-old pianist and mathematics student at Johns Hopkins University, became the first Nisei woman to win a Rhodes Scholarship. She plans to pursue a master’s degree in physics at Oxford University in England with the scholarship’s $6,000 annual stipend.’
• New Alien Law Eliminates Annual Address Reporting, by P.C. Staff, page 1. President Reagan signed amendments to the Immigration and Nationality Act eliminating the requirement for aliens to report their addresses annually, though they must still notify the INS of address changes within ten days. The law also created a separate 20,000 immigration quota for Taiwan, distinct from mainland China’s quota.’
• 2nd World Try by Balloonists Fails, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Balloonists Maxie Anderson and Don Ida’s second attempt to circle the globe in the Jules Vernes balloon failed when a helium leak forced an emergency landing in northern India. Both pilots, including Colorado Nisei Don Ida, were unhurt and may attempt another flight next winter.’
• Import Auto Quotas Had Little Effect, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Senator John Danforth acknowledged that voluntary limits on Japanese auto imports have failed to resolve America’s trade imbalance or revive its struggling auto industry. 1981 was the worst year in two decades for American auto sales, with imports capturing a record 27.1% of the shrunken U.S. market.’
• Sen. Hayakawa Faces Uphill Battle for Re-election This Fall, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Senator S.I. Hayakawa, 75, acknowledged having only one staff member—his son Alan—on his re-election campaign, raising questions about his preparedness for the race. He criticized Governor Edmund Brown Jr. over delays in combating the Mediterranean fruit fly while defending his use of Senate staff for a campaign appearance.’
• Japan Magazine Mum on Allen Resignation, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Following National Security Adviser Richard Allen’s resignation over a $1,000 payment from Japanese magazine Shufu No Tomo, the magazine declined further comment on the controversy. Japanese journalist Fuyuko Kamisaka, who had been involved in the incident, said she believed Allen’s resignation was fair given his broken promises regarding interview arrangements with Nancy Reagan.’
• Call Tamura Back to Sit on High Court, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Retired Justice Stephen K. Tamura of Santa Ana was chosen by Chief Justice Rose Bird to fill a temporary vacant seat on the California Supreme Court for reapportionment lawsuit hearings. Meanwhile, Justice Cruz Reynoso was appointed by Governor Brown to permanently fill a separate vacancy.’

Community

• Japanese Themes Popular in Pasadena Rose Parade, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The 93rd Tournament of Roses Parade featured several Japanese-themed floats, including Avon’s Grand Prize-winning ‘Beauty of the Orient’ float depicting Kabuki theater, with 1981 Rose Queen Leslie Kim Kawai riding alongside Mitsusa Bando School dancers. Other notable entries included floats from Glendale, American Honda, and the Lions Club of Japan led by International President Kaoru Murakami.’
• AADAP to Sponsor Family Workshops, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Asian American Drug Abuse Program will sponsor four workshops on the Japanese American family for South Bay and Long Beach residents. The sessions will run on Thursday evenings in January and February at Del Amo Hospital in Torrance.’
• Hawaii Poll Rates Police, Inouye High; Courts Low, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A Honolulu Advertiser poll showed high approval ratings for local police, Rep. Cecil Heftel, and Sen. Daniel Inouye, but very low marks for the state’s criminal courts system. The courts’ poor rating was attributed to unpopular acquittals and the controversial case of Judge Harold Shintaku.’
• Lions President Welcomed, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Kaoru ‘Kay’ Murakami, the first Japanese person elected International President of Lions Club, was honored at a New Year’s banquet at the New Otani in Los Angeles. Murakami, who rode the Lions’ prize-winning Rose Parade float, received recognition from Mayor Tom Bradley and other dignitaries while emphasizing international peace and friendship.’
• Crime Victim Aid Expansion Urged, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Following the robbery and shooting of Japanese tourists in downtown Los Angeles, the County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion to extend California’s victim compensation program to non-residents. Supervisor Kenneth Hahn authored the motion, citing the Miura family’s tragedy as the catalyst for the policy change.’
• Nikkei Village Breaks Ground in SFV, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Groundbreaking occurred for Nikkei Village, a 100-unit federally subsidized senior citizens housing project at the San Fernando Valley Japanese American Community Center. The San Fernando Valley JACL played a major role in securing the project for the area.’
• East L.A. JACLer Hits Vegas Jackpot, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Roy Iida of Alhambra won a $385,000 jackpot at the Flamingo Hilton’s Pot O’ Gold slot machine in Las Vegas, tying the casino’s record. Iida, an East L.A. JACL member, said he was considering retirement from his job as a body and fender repairman.’
• Yasui to Address Milwaukee Jan. 17, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Min Yasui, national JACL redress committee chair, will address the Milwaukee JACL installation banquet on January 17. MDC Governor John Tani will swear in the new chapter officers at the Country Gardens Restaurant event.’
• ‘Hito Hata’ Benefit in Stockton Slated, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Friends of Visual Communication and the Delta College Asian Student Association will hold a benefit showing of the film ‘Hito Hata’ on January 31 at Warren Atherton Auditorium. Tickets are available through various JACL chapters and community organizations in the Stockton area.’
• Milwaukee JACL Chapter Pulse Report, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Outgoing Milwaukee JACL president Allan Hida reported on unfinished initiatives including a community directory and cultural events, while the chapter’s Christmas party drew over 133 attendees. The French Camp chapter will host the NC-WN-P District Council’s quarterly meeting in February, preceded by a New Year’s installation party.’
• Tule Lake Reunion Set May 28-31, by P.C. Staff, page 9. Former internees at the Tule Lake incarceration center will hold their first campwide reunion over Memorial Day weekend, May 28-31. Reunion chairman Tom Takuzo Okubo announced registration details for interested former internees.’
• Calif. Daily News Closes, Not Kamai, by P.C. Staff, page 9. California Daily News, an independent Chinese-language newspaper, published its final issue after a five-month financial struggle for survival. The publisher indicated hopes to resume publication as a weekly once financial problems are resolved.’
• Contra Costa Installation Jan. 23, by P.C. Staff, page 9. Stanford graduate student Yoriko Kishimoto will speak on U.S.-Japan relations at the Contra Costa JACL installation dinner. Jack Imada was re-elected chapter president for 1982.’
• Placer County Elects Kay Miyamura, by P.C. Staff, page 9. Placer County JACL will install Kay Miyamura as its new president, succeeding Alfred Nitta, at a dinner in Auburn. Miyamura serves on the Placer Union High School board and is active with local civic organizations.’
• New York JACL to Focus on EO 9066, by P.C. Staff, page 10. The New York JACL will hold a membership drive kickoff meeting featuring an audio-visual presentation commemorating the 40th anniversary of Executive Order 9066. The event is scheduled for February 13 at the Japanese American United Church.’
• LTPRO to Hold Jan. 23 Fund-Raiser, by P.C. Staff, page 10. The Little Tokyo People’s Rights Organization will host a house party fundraising dance in Los Angeles. The event runs from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.’
• AALDEF Offers Summer Internships, by P.C. Staff, page 10. The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund is accepting applications for its Summer Internship Program designed to give students practical experience in community law offices. The program runs from June to August, with applications due by March 5.’
• PC People, by P.C. Staff, page 11. This roundup of community news briefs covers various Japanese American individuals’ achievements, including Kenneth Aoyama’s appointment to a California vocational education council and Claude Yamamoto’s promotion to a regional Boy Scout executive position. Other items note academic, religious, and artistic accomplishments across the Nikkei community.’

Obituaries

• Necrology: December 1980 – December 1981, by P.C. Staff, page 2. An annual compilation listing notable Japanese American community members, professionals, and leaders who died during the past year, including civil rights figure Roy Wilkins and sociologist T. Scott Miyakawa. The list spans community leaders, JACL members, professionals, and veterans from across the United States and Canada.’
• Esther Onoye Sterrett, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Esther Onoye Sterrett, director of nurses at Jeanes Hospital in Philadelphia, died December 15 in Meadowbrook, Pennsylvania. She graduated from the Nurses Cadet Corps and obtained her master’s degree in nursing from UCLA.’
• Jim M. Watamura, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Jim M. Watamura, 69, proprietor of Modern Food Market in Little Tokyo since the postwar era, died January 6 of a heart condition at Cedars Lebanon Hospital in Los Angeles. The Brawley-born Nisei was active in Little Tokyo redevelopment and Nishi Hongwanji.’
• Wataru W. Sutow, MD, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Dr. Wataru Sutow, 69, retired professor of pediatrics at the University of Texas Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute, died December 20. He published nearly 200 papers and directed research examining babies for the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission in postwar Japan.’

Incarceration & Redress

• Redress Phase 3: ’82 Program, by John Tateishi, page 2. JACL’s National Committee for Redress outlines its 1982 strategy focusing on refining redress legislation, establishing legislative contacts outside the West Coast, and compiling political profiles of congressional candidates. The committee seeks direct membership input on specific legislative goals while avoiding premature lobbying until the CWRIC completes its investigation.’
• The Other Internees of World War II, by P.C. Staff, page 2. This fourth installment in a series examines the forgotten World War II internment of Aleuts, tracing their history from Russian colonization through their forced evacuation to squalid camps in southeastern Alaska in 1942. The piece details the harsh conditions, disease, and death the Aleuts suffered while interned, continuing the story on page 3.’
• Aleuts Continued: Ordeal Recalled at CWRIC Hearings, by P.C. Staff, page 3. This continuation details testimony from Aleut witnesses at CWRIC hearings in Seattle, Anchorage, and Alaska describing their wartime evacuation experiences and the destruction of their churches and villages by American forces. Witnesses questioned why only Aleuts were evacuated while Caucasians remained, and called for government compensation and restoration of damaged infrastructure.’

Commentary

• 1942 as Seen Today, by P.C. Staff, page 3. This editorial argues against judging historical JACL actions during the 1942 evacuation by today’s standards, contending that participants acted according to their understanding at the time. It emphasizes that Japanese Americans’ strength as a community comes from their willingness to move past disagreements and cooperate toward common goals.’
• Separate But Equal, by Peter Imamura, page 3. This column criticizes the Reagan Administration’s decision to grant tax-exempt status to private schools that practice racial discrimination, including institutions like Bob Jones University with histories of banning interracial dating. The author warns that minorities, particularly Sansei with high rates of interracial marriage, should be alarmed by this policy reversal.’
• Getting Set for the Convention, by Harry Honda, page 4. This editorial column previews preparations for the upcoming national JACL convention in the Los Angeles area, noting that Nisei Week festivities will overlap with convention dates in August. National JACL President Jim Tsujimura spoke at the Gardena Valley JACL installation about an upcoming JACL Manual and concerns about potential backlash from agricultural boycotts of Japanese goods.’
• Japan’s Trade Surplus: A Great U.S. Challenge, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Reprinted from the Honolulu Advertiser, this editorial argues that America’s trade deficit with Japan stems from structural issues rather than simple trade barriers, citing experts like Ambassador Mike Mansfield. The piece calls for the U.S. to improve its own productivity, savings rates, and research investment rather than resorting to protectionism.’
• Letterbox: No Guilt, by Roy Iwaki, page 4. A reader writes that Sansei and later generations should not need to feel guilty each Pearl Harbor Day anniversary, arguing that previous generations have already paid the price. The brief letter pushes back against a previous Musubi column’s framing of Day of Infamy remembrance.’
• Letterbox: Holiday Issue ’81 Praise, by Paul Murakami and Ben Oshita, page 4. Two readers write in praising the Pacific Citizen’s December 18-25, 1981 Holiday Issue, particularly an interview with Mike Masaoka, and request additional copies to share with friends. The editor responds that additional copies are available for purchase at $1.50 each domestically.’
• From the Frying Pan: A Yonsei’s Quest, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Bill Hosokawa recounts a conversation with his 11-year-old Yonsei grandson Patrick about their family’s immigration history, tracing back to Patrick’s Issei great-grandfather who left Japan in 1899 to work on railroad maintenance crews in Montana. The column explores Japanese family crest traditions and how Patrick will carry this heritage forward.’
• East Wind: Some Nisei of New England, by Bill Marutani, page 5. Bill Marutani describes meeting a group of Nisei professionals in the Boston area, many of whom had relocated from the Pacific Northwest and California and formed friendships through a chance meeting at a geriatrics conference years earlier. The column reflects on whether East Coast Nisei differ meaningfully from their West Coast counterparts, concluding they share similar experiences despite regional differences.’
• Musubi: E.O. 9066 Monument, by Ron Wakabayashi, page 5. This column imagines a future granite memorial in Washington D.C. commemorating the wartime incarceration of Japanese Americans as a permanent reminder of democracy’s failure. The author reflects on how the redress movement itself serves as a living memorial carried in the hearts of those who have fought for it.’
• From Pacific Southwest: Partly Naked, by John Saito, page 6. John Saito describes the dramatic physical transformation of downtown Los Angeles and Little Tokyo, noting new high-rise buildings like the New Otani, Kajima, and 321 Buildings. He observes that construction has left parts of Little Tokyo exposed, with older buildings like Kuramoto’s garage and historic hotels being demolished for new development.’
• Moshi-Moshi: Konnyaku (One of Two Parts), by Jin Konomi, page 12. This humorous personal essay recounts the author’s initial dread and eventual delight in discovering well-prepared oden at an office Christmas party hosted by a notoriously frugal boss. Despite his childhood aversion to konnyaku, the author finds it delicious, though he later loses money to his boss in a poker game after the dinner.’

JACL

• JACL in Japan Keeps Rolling, by Barry Saiki, page 10. Tokyo JACL chapter president Barry Saiki’s annual Christmas letter details the chapter’s 1981 activities, including panel sessions on Nisei military history, a visit from National JACL President Jim Tsujimura, and a successful buffet-dance fundraiser that contributed to the Redress fund. Saiki also notes departures and visits from various Japanese American community members throughout the year.’

Arts & Entertainment

• Book to Focus on Prewar Asians, by P.C. Staff, page 10. An upcoming anthology titled ‘Turning Shadows into Light’ will explore prewar Asian/Pacific American culture and artistry in the Pacific Northwest. Co-editors Mayumi Tsutakawa and Alan Lau are seeking funding to cover printing costs for the 48-page collection.’

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