Redress hearings, the Hohri ruling and a new Nikkei film

Vol. 104, No. 24, June 19, 1987. 8 pages. View this issue

Redress led the news in this eight-page issue. The House Judiciary Committee and a Senate Governmental Affairs subcommittee scheduled hearings on H.R. 442 and S. 1009 for the same day, the first time a redress bill moved beyond subcommittee level. Bill Hosokawa and the editorial page both took up the Supreme Court’s decision to send the Hohri case back to a lower court on jurisdictional grounds, while Bill Marutani wrote about Japanese Americans who rationalize the World War II incarceration (often called internment). On the front page, J.K. Yamamoto reported on Steven Okazaki’s new film “Living on Tokyo Time.”

Other items include Cherry Kinoshita on teaching the incarceration in Seattle schools, Alan Nishi on JACL’s budget deficit, a report that Japanese Peruvians remained left out of the redress bills, and the 1987 JACL scholarship recipients. A song written to raise money for redress also appeared, along with a story on JACL’s book going to every member of Congress.

What’s in this issue

Arts & Entertainment

• ‘Tokyo Time’ Is About Love—Nikkei Style, by J.K. Yamamoto, page 1. San Francisco filmmaker Steven Okazaki’s new comedy ‘Living on Tokyo Time’ tells the story of a Sansei man who marries a Japanese woman to help her avoid deportation, only to fall for her despite cultural barriers. The film marks a departure from Okazaki’s previous documentary work on Hiroshima survivors and Nisei who contested internment.
• ‘Tokyo Time’ Actress Seeks to Avoid Typecasting, by J.K. Yamamoto, page 2. Minako Ohashi, star of ‘Living on Tokyo Time,’ discusses her acting approach and desire not to be confused with her character Kyoko, a naive country girl very different from her own sophisticated background. A Tokyo native and NYU drama student, Ohashi reflects on the limited roles available to Asian actors in America compared to Japan.
• ‘Steele Justice’ Just Another Asian Exploitation Movie, by Craig Kusaba, page 5. This review criticizes ‘Steele Justice’ as a racist, low-budget action film featuring stereotypical and poorly written Asian American characters amid a plot involving Vietnamese mafia and a disgraced cop. The reviewer notes the film’s absurd plot holes and compares its portrayal of Asians unfavorably to other exploitative films of the genre.

National

• House and Senate Redress Hearings Set for Same Day, page 1. The House Judiciary Committee and a Senate Governmental Affairs subcommittee scheduled hearings on redress bills H.R. 442 and S. 1009 on the same day, marking the first time a redress bill progressed beyond subcommittee level. JACL-LEC officials and Nikkei members of Congress expressed optimism about the bill’s chances of passing the full committee.
• State Resolution Addresses UC Asian Admissions Issue, page 1. Assembly Speaker Willie Brown introduced a resolution aimed at ensuring equal admissions opportunities for minorities at University of California campuses amid concerns about discriminatory practices against Asian American applicants. JACL national director Ron Wakabayashi testified in support, citing data showing qualified Asian Pacific students were being admitted at lower rates than their eligibility would suggest.

Incarceration & Redress

• Calif. Bill Urges President, Congress to Approve Redress, page 1. State Sen. Ralph Dills introduced a joint resolution in the California Legislature urging the President and Congress to enact redress legislation for Japanese Americans interned during WW2. The resolution has numerous co-authors in both the Senate and Assembly, following a similar resolution passed in 1985.
• Japanese Peruvians Still Ineligible for Payments, by J.K. Yamamoto, page 8. Japanese Peruvians who were interned in the U.S. during WW2 remain excluded from redress bills currently before Congress because they were not U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents at the time. Elsa Kudo, interned as a child in Crystal City, Texas, expresses disappointment that her community has been left out despite suffering similar injustices.

Military & Veterans

• 1st JA West Point Grad Dies, page 1. George Shibata, the first Nisei graduate of West Point and first Japanese American jet pilot in the Korean War, died May 20 at age 60. After his military and legal careers, he unexpectedly became an actor, appearing in films like ‘Pork Chop Hill’ and ‘The Ugly American,’ and later served as city attorney for Huntington Beach.

Community

• Japanese American History to Be Celebrated During Omatsuri, page 3. Omatsuri, a celebration of over 95 years of Japanese culture in New Mexico, will be held in Albuquerque featuring a ballet about the WW2 internment experience and a ceremony honoring Robert Cullum for his work helping former internees. Over 200 immigrants will be sworn in as citizens during the event, commemorating the 1952 Walter-McCarran Act.
• Oregon Educator Selected as Outstanding Woman by YWCA, page 3. Alyce Yoshikai, director of elementary education for Salem-Keizer public schools, was named Outstanding Woman of the Year by the YWCA at its first annual tribute event. She was praised by the district superintendent for being an effective link between the school district and community.
• Song Being Used to Raise Funds for Redress, page 8. Sansei musicians Edwing and Mikio Sankey of the East West Band composed a song titled ‘Redress—The Time Is Now’ to raise funds for the redress campaign. Cassette tapes are being sold for $3 each, with proceeds supporting the Pacific Southwest District JACL’s redress effort.

Commentary

• By the Board: Educational Benefits of Redress Effort, by Cherry Kinoshita, page 4. JACL’s Cherry Kinoshita discusses the educational value of the redress movement, highlighting a Seattle School District program that trained teachers on incorporating the Japanese American internment experience into curricula at various grade levels. She argues that reaching students through education creates a lasting impact beyond the survivor generation.
• The Buck Doesn’t Stop Here, by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. Bill Hosokawa criticizes the Supreme Court’s decision to send the Hohri case back to a lower court on jurisdictional grounds rather than hearing it on its merits, comparing the delay to tactics used to avoid justice. He notes that the aggrieved internees continue to die while the case languishes in legal limbo.
• Facing Fiscal Facts, by Alan Nishi, page 4. JACL National Treasurer Alan Nishi outlines the organization’s serious budgetary deficit stemming from declining membership, describing budget cuts and new initiatives including a mail solicitation campaign and a 1000 Club Life Committee. He warns that without membership growth, JACL may need further budget cuts or dues increases.
• Interminable Delay, page 5. This editorial criticizes the Supreme Court for failing to address the merits of the Hohri class-action case on behalf of WW2 internment survivors, instead sending it back on jurisdictional grounds. The piece argues that further delays compound the injustice as elderly survivors continue to die while awaiting resolution.
• Self-Hypnotic Irrationality, by Bill Marutani, page 5. Bill Marutani addresses Japanese Americans who rationalize the WW2 incarceration as justified or not harmful, arguing this represents a psychological defense mechanism against trauma rather than truth. He shares his own experience of having blocked out memories of being taken to camp as a child.
• Letters to the Editor, by Shigeo Yuge, James Oda, Howard Okano, Roy T. Uyehata, page 5. Multiple readers respond to recent columns and anti-redress materials, with Shigeo Yuge disputing that the evacuation helped Nisei women’s employment opportunities, and others rebutting David Lowman and S.I. Hayakawa’s anti-redress arguments. Roy Uyehata, a WW2 MIS veteran, challenges Hayakawa’s characterization of wartime dissidents as disloyal.

JACL

• 1987 JACL Scholarship Recipients, page 7. New York JACL awarded scholarships to several students including Jean Shigemitsu, Leo Iizuka, James Kumpel, and Edward Onuma, while San Fernando Valley JACL honored 25 scholars with speakers including National JACL president Harry Kajihara. West Valley, Fowler, and Las Vegas JACL chapters also announced their scholarship recipients for the year.
• JACL Book Sent to Capitol Hill, page 8. K. Patrick Okura of the JACL Masao Satow Memorial Committee arranged to send copies of Bill Hosokawa’s book ‘JACL In Quest of Justice’ to every member of Congress to support the redress movement. Several Nikkei members of Congress agreed to attach personal letters to the books, with the committee requesting donations to cover costs.

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