Vol. 102, No. 14, April 11, 1986. 8 pages. View this issue
Washington Gov. Booth Gardner signed HB 1415 and the front page reported the result: local governments could now pay compensation to Japanese American employees dismissed in 1942, and the Seattle School District released $5,000 to 27 former school clerks. Ed Suguro wrote that story. The New York City Council also unanimously adopted Miriam Friedlander’s resolution backing redress bills H.R. 442 and S. 1053. A UCLA study led by Don Nakanishi found that Asian Pacific voters in L.A. County were not a solid bloc for either party, with the story continued on page 8. The West Hollywood City Council also asked a hair salon to change a name its resolution called an ethnic slur.
The commentary pages looked at the 91-year-old Issei veteran Ernest Kinzo Wakayama, a debate between Edwin Y. Mitoma and Ed Suguro over JACL’s role in U.S.-Japan relations, and Ron Wakabayashi’s column on the April 1986 National Geographic feature. Elsewhere: a search for relatives of six Amache war dead, a Stockton reunion, and Loni Ding’s new documentary on Nisei soldiers.
What’s in this issue
Incarceration & Redress
- State Bill Allows Payments to Ex-School Clerks, by Ed Suguro, page 1. Washington Gov. Booth Gardner signed HB 1415, authorizing local governments to pay monetary compensation to Japanese American employees dismissed from their jobs in 1942. The signing enabled Seattle School District to release $5,000 payments to 27 former school clerks forced to resign because of their ancestry.
Community
- City Asks Salon to Change Name, page 1. The West Hollywood City Council unanimously passed a resolution recommending that J.A.P.S.S., a local hair salon, change its name, which was created from the initials of its five co-owners. The resolution calls the name an ethnic slur, though it is not legally binding, following months of picketing by NCRR and Marina JACL.
- Utah Republican Runs for House, page 2. Salt Lake County commissioner M. Tom Shimizu announced his candidacy for Utah’s 2nd Congressional District seat, seeking the Republican nomination. Born in Los Angeles and a Korean War veteran, Shimizu has served as county commissioner since 1981 and supports Reagan’s deficit reduction plans and a strong national defense.
- Keiro Home Construction to Start, page 2. The Seattle City Council unanimously approved the sale of land parcels to Nikkei Concerns, completing acquisition needed for construction of the new 150-bed Seattle Keiro Nursing Home. A groundbreaking ceremony is planned for May 10, with completion slated for early spring 1987.
- Stockton Nikkei to Hold Reunion, page 2. Former Stockton-area Japanese American residents, many who have not returned since WW2 internment, will gather for the Stockton Grand Reunion over Labor Day weekend. Nearly 400 people have pre-registered from across the country for the event coordinated by local JACL chapters and churches.
National
- NYC Council Supports Redress, page 1. New York City Council member Miriam Friedlander’s resolution supporting redress for Japanese Americans interned during WW2 was unanimously adopted by the city council. The resolution calls on Congress to enact redress bills H.R. 442 and S. 1053, and Friedlander sent copies to the city’s congressional delegation urging support.
- Neither Party Has Monopoly on A/P Vote in L.A. County, Study Shows, by J.K. Yamamoto, page 1. A new UCLA study found that Asian Pacific Americans in L.A. County do not represent a solid voting bloc for either major party and are still realizing their full political potential. The study, led by Don Nakanishi, found Democrats outnumbered Republicans among Asian Pacific voters by a wide margin, challenging common assumptions about Japanese American party preference.
- Vote Study Reveals Political Complexities for Asian Pacific Americans, page 8. Continuing coverage of the UCLA voter registration study details findings including low overall registration rates among Asian Pacific communities and a notable 15% with no party preference. Researcher Don Nakanishi noted the Japanese American electorate showed unexpectedly strong Democratic preference, contrary to assumptions based on wartime internment grievances or high median income.
Military & Veterans
- Info on Amache War Dead Sought, page 2. Nisei Post 185 of the American Legion in Denver is seeking relatives of six men from the Amache internment camp who were killed in action during WW2 to confirm their identities. The names would be added to the Nisei War Memorial in Denver’s Fairmount Cemetery, which currently lists 81 names, with a dedication ceremony planned for Memorial Day.
Commentary
- Appeal from an Issei Vet, page 4. The columnist shares the story of 91-year-old Ernest Kinzo Wakayama, a WWI veteran who was incarcerated in multiple camps during WW2 despite his military service, and later moved to Japan. Wakayama’s poignant testimony before the Commission on Wartime Relocation seeks an accounting and redress before his death.
- Don’t Ignore U.S.-Japan Relations, by Edwin Y. Mitoma, page 4. Responding to Bill Marutani’s columns, the author argues that JACL should not ignore U.S.-Japan relations since friction between the two countries has historically affected Japanese Americans’ civil rights. He suggests JACL form internal committees to educate members on all aspects of the relationship rather than disregarding it.
- Let’s Not Get Involved, by Ed Suguro, page 4. The author argues JACL should not become involved in U.S.-Japan trade and foreign policy issues, citing lessons from history about dual loyalty confusion before Pearl Harbor. He lists fourteen points explaining why Nikkei are not necessarily experts on Japan and risk being seen as representatives of the Japanese government.
- A ‘Graphic’ Display, by Ron Wakabayashi, page 5. The columnist discusses the April 1986 National Geographic feature on Japanese Americans, the first contemporary ethnic American feature of its kind in the magazine’s nearly 100-year history. He describes the project’s background, including writer Gene Oishi’s original involvement and photographer Mike Yamashita’s extensive work shooting 400 rolls of film.
Arts & Entertainment
- Loni Ding’s New Documentary on Nisei Soldiers, page 5. Film director Loni Ding, known for her documentary ‘Nisei Soldier,’ is working on a new 75-90 minute documentary about Japanese American soldiers in WW2, including Nisei linguists who served with U.S. intelligence in the Pacific. The author recounts meeting Ding in Tokyo and watching her acclaimed earlier film about Japanese Americans who were ‘liberators abroad, prisoners at home.’
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