Redress, a National Geographic article and a tribute to John Tateishi

Vol. 102, No. 13, April 4, 1986. 12 pages. View this issue

The front page carried news about the push for redress. Rep. Robert Matsui circulated the National Geographic article “Japanese Americans: Home at Last” to members of Congress, including the Judiciary subcommittee hearing the redress bill, H.R. 442. The same page reported on a dinner of over 200 people honoring John Tateishi, who had resigned as National JACL redress director, with speakers Floyd Shimomura, Wendy Tokuda and Rose Ochi. Page 6 followed with more of the evening, including remarks by Ron Wakabayashi.

Elsewhere in the issue, Lillian C. Kimura wrote on the role of JACL staff, and Clifford Uyeda reviewed the documentary “Yankee Samurai” about the 100th Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and the French town of Bruyeres. Several pieces discussed the late astronaut Ellison Onizuka, including a proposal to name a street in Little Tokyo for him. Page 10 has George Takei on supporting Asian American actors.

What’s in this issue

National

• Matsui Circulates National Geographic Article in House, page 1. Rep. Robert Matsui distributed copies of the National Geographic article ‘Japanese Americans: Home at Last’ to members of Congress, including those on the Judiciary Subcommittee hearing redress bill H.R. 442. The article, written by Arthur Zich with photos by Michael Yamashita, chronicles the Japanese American experience from Issei immigration through the internment to present-day perspectives, quoting numerous scholars, survivors, and community figures.
• APA Democratic Council Forms, page 2. Asian Pacific Democratic leaders announced the creation of a National Democratic Council of Asian and Pacific Americans following a March 4 meeting of community representatives. Thomas Hsieh of San Francisco was selected as interim chairman, with the new council to receive support from the Democratic National Committee.
• Bush Backs Saiki’s Candidacy, page 2. Vice President George Bush endorsed Hawaii congressional candidate Patricia Saiki and contributed $2,000 to her campaign through his political action committee. Saiki is seeking to succeed Democratic congressman Cecil Heftel, who is running for governor.

Community

• Harassment Leads to Shooting in Philadelphia, page 1. Four white men screamed racial slurs and threw rocks at a Vietnamese family’s home in Philadelphia, prompting the family to open fire, slightly wounding one person. Several people on both sides were arrested and charged with offenses including ethnic intimidation and aggravated assault, amid ongoing racial tension involving Southeast Asian refugees in the area.
• Seniors Oppose Firing of Director, page 1. The board of Asian Counseling and Referral Service in Seattle considered forming a task force after seven Asian Pacific elderly associations voted to withdraw support following executive director Theresa Fujiwara’s firing of Evelyn Priestley, head of the Pacific Asian Elderly Service Development Project. Several longtime ACRS employees resigned amid the conflict, and Priestley has hired an attorney to appeal her termination.
• Monterey Park Incumbent Fearful of ‘Divisiveness’ in City Election, by J.K. Yamamoto, page 1. Monterey Park city council candidate Lily Chen expressed concern about ‘divisiveness’ stirred up by Frank Arcuri’s ‘Official English’ campaign in the upcoming city election. Arcuri and his supporters argue for making English the city’s official language, while opponents like Chen say the real goal is to eliminate bilingual services for non-English-speaking residents.
• Corporate, Asian Pacific Leaders Talk About Issues, by J.K. Yamamoto, page 2. A symposium held by Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics, So. Calif. Gas Co., and NCCJ brought together corporate and Asian Pacific community leaders to discuss issues of representation and services. Speakers including William Ouchi, Rose Ochi, and representatives from various Asian Pacific communities addressed political underrepresentation, economic disparities, and the need for corporate involvement in addressing community needs.
• ‘Onizuka St.’ Proposal Discussed, by J.K. Yamamoto, page 3. No final decision has been made on renaming Weller St. in Little Tokyo after astronaut Ellison Onizuka, despite erroneous press reports that the city council had approved it. Some Little Tokyo merchants oppose the renaming due to the cost of changing stationery and signage, suggesting a statue instead, while others propose the JACCC plaza as an alternative site.
• Theater Company Offers Classes, page 3. The Asian American Theater Company in San Francisco announced an eight-week series of theater classes beginning April 14, covering improvisation, scene study, acting preparation, and singing. A weekend bodywork workshop on massage and movement techniques is also being planned.
• Reunion Planned in Northwest, page 3. Former Japanese American residents of Bellevue and Woodinville, Washington, who were sent to Pinedale Assembly Center and then Tule Lake during WW2, will gather for a reunion August 17-19. The event will include golf, bowling, a banquet/dance, and a picnic at the Best Western Greenwood Inn.
• Health Fair Expo Offers Free Screenings, page 6. The ninth annual Health Fair Expo will visit 108 locations across the region from April 11-20, offering free health screenings including blood pressure, vision, and anemia tests. The event is sponsored by the American Red Cross, KNBC, Chevron USA, and the Hospital Council of Southern California.
• Coro Changes Seminar Deadline, page 9. The Coro Foundation rescheduled its Seminar Course in Public Affairs for Asian/Pacific Community Leaders, moving the application deadline to May 2 and the program dates to May 31-July 18. The program is open to 12 individuals from the Bay Area who wish to develop leadership skills in public affairs.
• Supervisor Candidate Airs Views, page 10. San Francisco supervisorial candidate William Gee addressed the Asian Pacific American Coalition-USA, outlining his positions on bilingual education, housing, health services, and redress for Japanese Americans. Gee, a retired dentist and former chair of the S.F. Commission on Aging, criticized state budget cuts to human services under Gov. Deukmejian.
• Class on JA History Starts Apr. 15, page 10. Professor Yuji Ichioka will teach a seven-week community class on the origins and causes of Japanese immigration starting April 15 at the San Fernando Valley Japanese American Community Center. The course covers topics from early student-laborers to the immigration of Japanese women between 1885 and 1920.

JACL

• Former Redress Director Saluted, page 1. Over 200 friends and associates gathered at a Hotel Meridien dinner sponsored by NCWNP District Council JACL to honor John Tateishi, who resigned as National JACL redress director earlier in the year. Speakers including Floyd Shimomura, Ernest Weiner, Wendy Tokuda and Rose Ochi praised his contributions to the redress movement.
• Tateishi Honored at Redress Dinner, page 6. At the dinner honoring John Tateishi, speakers including Ron Wakabayashi, state and city officials, and Tateishi’s wife Carol praised his leadership in the redress movement despite criticism he faced. Tateishi received commendations, letters from Congress members, and a certificate for a personal computer purchased with dinner proceeds.

Commentary

• Osaka: Day Two, page 4. The author recounts a visit to Osaka Castle, describing its reconstruction history, artifacts, and comparing it to Himeji Castle, along with memories of being stationed in Osaka with the U.S. Army in 1946. The piece also describes a disappointing boat tour near the castle.
• Defining the Role of Staff, by Lillian C. Kimura, page 4. New York JACL president Lillian Kimura discusses the proper relationship between JACL national staff, regional directors, and the National Board, arguing that confusion over board roles and responsibilities—not lack of job descriptions—is the real problem. She calls for regional staff to be more fully integrated into the organization’s power structure rather than treated as afterthoughts.
• Ten Years of ‘Years’, by Peter Suzuki, page 4. A letter marking the tenth anniversary of Michi Weglyn’s book Years of Infamy calls for JACL and universities to organize forums or seminars honoring the work’s impact. The writer argues Weglyn and her book deserve significant recognition.
• Onizuka and the Hi no Maru, by Quinn Okamoto, page 4. A letter from a Sansei living in Japan describes a Japanese magazine article claiming astronaut Ellison Onizuka carried Japanese flags into space intending to present one to the Japanese emperor. The writer expresses ambivalent feelings about the story and seeks other Japanese Americans’ reactions to this account of Onizuka’s reported connection to his Japanese heritage.
• Recipe for Success, page 5. The column profiles Yaeko Katagiri Davis, a Japanese war bride who mentored two young Japanese cooks, Ken Shimizu and Tiger Takashima, helping them open a successful Japanese restaurant called Yae’s in Orlando, Florida. The piece highlights her business advice and nurturing role in building the family-run restaurant’s clientele.
• A Peace-Loving Man, by Michi Nishiura Weglyn, page 5. A letter describes Takashi Nagase, a former Imperial Japanese Army interpreter, who has devoted decades to atonement and reconciliation efforts related to the infamous River Kwai Death Railway, including building schools, farms, and a temple near the bridge. The writer praises Nagase’s humanitarian work and encourages readers to support his efforts.

Military & Veterans

• The ‘Samurai’ Liberators, by Clifford Uyeda, page 5. The column reviews the premiere of ‘Yankee Samurai,’ a documentary by Katriel Schory about the lifelong bond between the French town of Bruyeres and the 100th/442nd veterans who liberated it in WW2. The film and accompanying program featured testimonials from French citizens, veteran Shig Doi, and others reflecting on the war, the internment, and reconciliation between former adversaries.

In-Depth

• An Advocate for Fairness, by Clayton Fong, page 5. Marie Shibuya-Snell, director of California’s Dept. of Consumer Affairs and a former WW2 internment camp internee, discusses her work overseeing consumer protection programs under Gov. Deukmejian’s administration. She credits her commitment to fairness partly to her family’s wartime internment experience and describes her department’s legislative and educational initiatives on behalf of consumers.
• Natto and the Natto Triangle, page 9. The article traces the legendary origins of natto, the fermented soybean food, to an 11th-century Japanese military campaign, and explores its nutritional value and similarity to fermented soy products like Nepal’s kinemah and Indonesia’s tempeh across what scholars call the ‘Natto Triangle.’ It also discusses fermented soybean products’ potential role in addressing world hunger as highlighted at a recent international conference in Japan.

Obituaries

• Kame Imanaga Inouye, Mother of Sen. Daniel Inouye, Dies, page 9. Kame Imanaga Inouye, 82, the mother of Sen. Daniel Inouye, died March 2 at Kuakini Medical Center in Hawaii. Born on Maui, she married Hyotaro Inouye in 1923 and is survived by three children including Sen. Inouye.

Arts & Entertainment

• Takei: Actors Need Support, by John Nakashima, page 10. Actor George Takei discusses the future of Asian American performers, arguing that actors must improve their professional skills while the community must actively support Asian American films and plays rather than just criticizing demeaning roles. He praised colleagues Pat Morita and Haing S. Ngor while criticizing the lack of community support for quality Asian American theater productions.
• Oscar Nominee Gets Inspiration from International Background, page 10. Filmmaker Matthew Patrick, raised in both Japan and Massachusetts, received an Oscar nomination for his short film ‘Graffiti,’ a story about a political dissident artist in an unnamed Latin American police state. Patrick, who previously won a student Oscar for ‘Triptych,’ credits his multicultural upbringing for his interest in internationally-themed filmmaking.

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