Redress hearings in Congress, with Aleut testimony

Vol. 99, No. 2, July 13, 1984. 8 pages. View this issue

Redress was the subject of the front page. A House subcommittee heard testimony on HR 4110, and the Pacific Citizen reported on what Alaskan Aleuts told it about the forced evacuation of 881 people during World War II. It also covered the witnesses who defended the wartime incarceration (often called internment), and the reply from JACL redress chair Minoru Yasui. Page 8 continues the hearings with more opposing testimony, and the paper noted that statements from John Tateishi, Floyd Shimomura, Yasui and Kubo would follow the next week. A Senate hearing on S 2116 was set for Aug. 16 in Los Angeles.

Elsewhere, Bill Hosokawa reviewed a book on the relocation of Canadian Nikkei, and Ron Wakabayashi wrote about JACL’s finances. Hank Sakai told readers why recent issues ran small. Little Tokyo’s 100th birthday celebration, a Seattle redress check given to a nursing home, and the Asian/Pacific Caucus plans for the Democratic convention are also inside.

What’s in this issue

Incarceration & Redress

• Aleuts Recount Treatment at Hands of U.S. Government, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Alaskan Aleuts testified before a House subcommittee about the forced evacuation of 881 Aleuts during WW2, describing inadequate shelter, high death rates, and looting of their villages. Witnesses endorsed CWRIC recommendations including a trust fund, per capita payments, church restoration, debris removal, and return of Attu Island.
• Redress Bill Attacked; Witness Says Nisei Spied for Japan, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Three witnesses defended the wartime internment before a House subcommittee, with former NSA officer David Lowman citing intercepted ‘Magic’ cables as evidence of Japanese American espionage. JACL redress chair Minoru Yasui rebutted the claims, arguing that Japan’s Foreign Service did not trust or rely on Japanese Americans as spies.
• Senate Schedules Hearing in L.A., by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs will hold hearings on redress bill S 2116 on Aug. 16 at the V.A. Hospital auditorium in Los Angeles. The subcommittee is chaired by Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska.
• Aleuts (Continued), by P.C. Staff, page 2. William Ermaloff described high death rates and governmental neglect at the Ward Lake camp where Aleuts were relocated, and noted little protection was given to Aleut property during their absence. The CWRIC’s recommendations, if enacted by Congress, are intended to help restore Aleut communities like Nikolski.
• Hearings Continued: Congressman Calls Internment ‘A Reasonable Precaution’, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Additional witnesses at the House subcommittee hearing opposed redress legislation, including Ken Masugi, who called the CWRIC’s reasoning anachronistic and the proposed redress fund unconstitutional, and Rep. Samuel Stratton, who defended internment as a reasonable wartime precaution. The article notes that testimony from Tateishi, Shimomura, Yasui, and Kubo in support of redress would be covered in the following week’s issue.

Community

• J-town Celebration Set, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Little Tokyo Centennial Committee will hold a celebration banquet on July 20 at the Bonaventure Hotel to mark Little Tokyo’s 100th birthday. The event honors community contributors and tickets are available through the Little Tokyo Business Assn.
• Buddhist Scouts to Gather for Nembutsu Camporee, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Buddhist Churches of America scouting committee announced a Nembutsu Camporee at Camp Herms in El Cerrito, Calif., Aug. 31-Sept. 2, marking the 8th anniversary of the American Shin Buddhist movement. The event is open to all scouting members with a $5 registration fee due by July 20.
• Redress Check Given to Keiro, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Sumiko Haji Kuriyama, awarded $5,000 by the city of Seattle for being fired during WW2, donated her redress payment to Seattle Keiro Nursing Home. She dedicated the gift to her parents and to her brother Tom Haji, who died in action during WW2.
• French Camp JACL Bazaar Set, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The French Camp chapter’s annual JACL Bazaar will be held July 14 at the Community Hall featuring food booths, games, and prizes. Numerous committee members are listed for food, raffle, publicity, and games.
• Marina Chapter Plans First Annual Picnic, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Santa Monica-based Marina chapter will hold its first annual picnic on July 22 at Marine Park, featuring a potato sack race, water balloon toss, and tug of war. Tennis courts and softball fields will also be available.
• Fresno Chapter to Honor A.L.L. Scholarship Winners, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Winners of the A.L.L. JACL scholarships will be honored at a dinner on July 15 at Inakasushi restaurant in Fresno. Reservations for the $10 dinner can be made through Debbie Shikami.
• Brazilian Team Arrives in California, by P.C. Staff, page 8. A Sansei Brazilian baseball team from Sao Paulo, led by manager Antonio Kuwahara, arrived in Oakland for a West Coast tour including games against Tri-City, Lodi/Florin youths, and Gardena Asahi. The schedule includes community events and a stop in Los Angeles organized by JACL regional director George Kondo.

Commentary

• To Our Readers and Contributors, by Hank Sakai, page 2. The Pacific Citizen Board chair explains that recent issues were smaller due to a broken typesetting machine that is outdated and hard to repair. He appeals to readers for donations to fund new equipment and an upcoming move to larger office space.
• The Relocation of Canadian Nikkei, by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. Hosokawa reviews Toyo Takata’s book ‘Nikkei Legacy,’ detailing the harsher treatment of Japanese Canadians during WW2 compared to Japanese Americans, including seized property, forced labor camps, and deportation pressure. He highlights the long road to full citizenship rights, delayed voting rights until 1948, and the eventual resettlement and success of the community centered in Toronto.
• Operating Within the Budget, by Ron Wakabayashi, page 5. In his Musubi column, Wakabayashi discusses a positive JACL financial audit and credits past treasurers George Kodama and Hank Sakai, along with former president Jim Tsujimura, for fiscal discipline that eliminated the organization’s debt. He notes the national budget remains tight, limiting funding for programs like redress despite the improved financial outlook.

National

• Nurse Dismissed During WW2 Repaid by San Joaquin County, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Edna Fujimoto Yabuno, forced to resign from her nursing job in 1942 due to her Japanese ancestry, was awarded $5,000 in compensation by San Joaquin County supervisors. She was the only claimant under a 1983 county ordinance, and plans to use the money to help her newly graduated attorney son.
• Shimomura First to Speak to Ethnic Coalition in ‘Breakthrough’ Forums, by From Heritage News Service, page 3. JACL president Floyd Shimomura addressed a Chicago forum on ethnic and women’s groups, calling redress ‘a sacred issue’ and describing JACL’s role in reducing anti-Asian sentiment from U.S.-Japan trade tensions. The forum was part of a series designed to build a shared national agenda among ethnic, minority and women’s organizations ahead of the presidential election.
• A/P Caucus Announces Plans for Democratic Convention, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Asian/Pacific Caucus of the Democratic National Committee, formed in 1983, will participate in candidate selection and platform discussions at the San Francisco convention, having secured over 80 Asian/Pacific delegates nationwide. A detailed schedule of receptions and meetings hosted by prominent Asian/Pacific elected officials was announced for the convention week.

JACL

• Greetings from Hawaii, by Edgar Hamasu, page 4. The 1984 Convention Chair welcomes mainland JACL members to Hawaii, reflecting on the 25th anniversary of statehood and the importance of continued vigilance for civil rights. He expresses hope that the convention fosters shared learning between Hawaii and mainland JACL members.
• Himeno Seeks 2d Term as V.P. for Planning, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Miki Himeno, national JACL vice president for planning and development since 1982, runs unopposed for reelection, having overseen student aid, veterans affairs, and women’s concerns committees. She emphasizes continued support for redress and U.S./Japan relations and has a long record of community involvement in the Monterey Park/Alhambra area.

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