Vol. 108, No. 8, March 3, 1989. 8 pages. View this issue
Redress was the main subject of this issue. Reps. Norman Mineta and Robert Matsui urged House leadership to support a $500 million appropriation for fiscal year 1990, and five Mile-Hi JACL members testified in Colorado in support of HB 1263 so that redress recipients would not lose state pension or welfare. The front page also followed the three-year dispute over Professor Don Nakanishi’s tenure at UCLA, with a letter of support from JACL National President Cressey Nakagawa. A photo of skater Kristi Yamaguchi, who placed second in women’s individual competition and first in senior pairs with partner Rudy Galindo at the U.S. championships, ran on the cover.
The editorial page marked Day of Remembrance and the anniversary of Executive Order 9066, with columns from Bill Hosokawa and Bill Marutani and a note from Lillian Kimura on Pacific Citizen board concerns. George Johnston reported on the controversy over a comic book reprint of World War II-era stereotypes of Japanese. Page 5 carries 1980 Census figures on Japanese Americans, and page 8 closes with Newsmakers.
What’s in this issue
National
- Mineta, Matsui Urge Leadership Colleagues for Redress Support, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Reps. Norman Mineta and Robert Matsui urged House leadership to support a $500 million appropriation for redress in fiscal year 1990. They warned that President Bush’s proposed $20 million would only compensate 1,000 people while thousands of eligible survivors are dying each year.
- UCLA’s Chancellor Young Passes Buck on Nakanishi’s Tenure, by P.C. Staff, page 1. After months of promising a decision, UCLA Chancellor Charles Young declined to rule on Professor Don Nakanishi’s tenure case, sending it back to lower-level committees for further study. Campus supporters, including student leaders and faculty, expressed anger over the continued delays in the three-year controversy.
- Basketball Coach Dave Yanai No Longer ‘Obscure’, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A Los Angeles Times feature brought widespread attention to Cal State Dominguez Hills basketball coach Dave Yanai, previously described as working in relative obscurity. Yanai is currently the lone Japanese American coach in college basketball, though not the first, following Bill Kajikawa at Arizona State from 1949-57.
- Newsmakers, by P.C. Staff, page 8. This roundup covers notable Japanese Americans including Ray ‘Chop’ Yasui recognized as ‘Cherry King’ for opening Japan’s cherry market, Seattle soprano Hiroko Muto winning a music competition prize, and artist Paul Horiuchi receiving Washington’s Governor’s Art Award. Also featured is Naomi Iwata Sanchez, a finalist for chancellor of the Seattle Community College District.
Community
- Mile-Hi JACL Testifies Before Colorado’s House, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Five Mile-Hi JACL members testified before the Colorado House Finance Committee in support of HB 1263, which would prevent redress recipients from losing state pension or welfare entitlements. Testimony covered the history of the Civil Rights Bill of 1988, wartime incarceration, Nisei military service, and the psychological effects of incarceration on the elderly.
- Charles Nagao Honored by Seabrook JACL, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Nearly 100 people attended the 1988 Seabrook JACL Keiro Kai, which paid special tribute to Charles T. Nagao for his lifetime of community service and redress work. Speakers included New Jersey officials and former JACL-LEC Executive Director Grayce Uyehara, with featured speaker Alice M. Kale of the Office of Redress Administration providing an update on nationwide outreach efforts.
- NCJASC Shinnen Kai Set for March 11, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Northern California Japanese American Senior Centers, a coalition of 14 Nikkei centers, will host its annual Shinnen Kai at the Mountain View Buddhist Temple. This year’s event is dedicated to the memory of Amy Maniwa, with last year’s gathering drawing 700 seniors.
JACL
- National JACL Sends UCLA Letter Supporting Don Nakanishi Tenure, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL National President Cressey Nakagawa wrote to UCLA Chancellor Charles Young urging that Professor Don Nakanishi be granted tenure, following a National Board vote of support. The Los Angeles Native American Commission also voted to support Nakanishi’s tenure bid, citing implications for other minority faculty.
- JACL Credit Union Annual Meeting Set for March 18, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The National JACL Credit Union will hold its annual dinner meeting in Salt Lake City, featuring a business meeting and election of two Board of Directors positions. As of December 1988, the credit union had 3,070 members and over $9.6 million in assets, distributing nearly $488,000 in dividends in 1988.
- P.C. Board Continued: New Readership and Desktop Publishing, by P.C. Staff, page 5. This continuation piece discusses the National JACL Board’s concerns about attracting new readership, using the Pacific Citizen to expand membership, and exploring desktop publishing to reduce costs and improve efficiency. The Board is also addressing distribution delays for Midwest and East Coast members.
Arts & Entertainment
- Comic Book Reprint Revives WWII Stereotypes of Japanese, by George Johnston, page 3. Eclipse Comics’ Air Fighters Classics reprints WWII-era comics containing racist depictions of Japanese as fanged, orange-skinned subhumans, drawing criticism from JACL members like Trisha Murakawa. Despite a disclaimer acknowledging the stereotypes, the publisher defends the reprints as historical documents, while the PSWDC Civil Rights Caucus considers contacting Eclipse to address the offensive content.
- Comic Books Controversy Continues: Differing Views from Cartoonist and Eclipse Comics, by George Johnston, page 6. This continuation of the comic book controversy story features cartoonist Neal Yamamoto’s more lenient view comparing the issue to debates over removing Tom Sawyer from libraries, while Eclipse’s Cat Yronwode defends the reprints as historical documents. The PSWDC Civil Rights Caucus considers options including requesting Eclipse cease publication or strengthen disclaimers, and may contact Eclipse’s Japanese manga partners about the issue.
Military & Veterans
- Saga of the MIS Workshop Set for March 11, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A workshop on the Military Intelligence Service will be held in downtown Los Angeles, co-sponsored by the MIS Veterans Association of Southern California and the Franklin D. Murphy Library. The program will feature panels of Nisei veterans discussing their service in the Asia Pacific Theater during WWII.
Commentary
- Day of Remembrance, page 4. This editorial reflects on the significance of Day of Remembrance, marking the anniversary of Executive Order 9066, and contrasts it with August 10 as a day commemorating the redress victory. The piece argues that the victory remains incomplete until every detail of the Civil Liberties Act, including full payments, is carried out.
- Dissent Healthy, page 4. A letter to the editor argues for demythologizing the phrase ‘shima kuni konjo’ and defends healthy dissent within the Japanese American community as a universal and beneficial practice. The writer compares community disputation to literary traditions of dissent found in French, Jewish, and American culture.
- Both Sides Right, by M. Yamanaka, page 4. A letter to the editor argues that both ‘no-no’ and ‘yes-yes’ citizens had the right to their positions while incarcerated in concentration camps during WWII. The writer reflects on the failure of justice by those in power during that era and expresses equal respect for friends on both sides of the historical divide.
- P.C. Board Meeting: Input Wanted, by Lillian Kimura, page 4. JACL National Board member Lillian Kimura discusses ongoing Board concerns including staff stability, distribution issues for Midwest and East Coast readers, and potential conversion to desktop publishing to cut costs. She invites readers to submit concerns and suggestions to the Board for consideration.
- Death: Something Everyone Must Confront, by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. Bill Hosokawa’s column discusses the aging Nisei population and societal reluctance to confront death and terminal illness, referencing Colorado Gov. Dick Lamm’s controversial comments on elderly healthcare costs. He cites a Japanese article about Emperor Hirohito’s illness to explore how Japanese culture, despite its reputation for fatalism, also struggles with openly discussing death and end-of-life medical decisions.
- Ni-Soku San Mon, by Bill Marutani, page 4. Bill Marutani’s column explores the etymology and meaning of the Japanese expression ‘ni-soku san-mon,’ meaning ‘dirt cheap,’ tracing its kanji components back to measures of weight and bundles. He also notes a related puzzle about being unable to find the words ‘eta’ and ‘buraku-min’ listed in two Japanese dictionaries.
In-Depth
- Other Characteristics in Booklet Itemized for the Record, Japanese Tally Inserted, by P.C. Staff, page 5. This article presents detailed 1980 U.S. Census statistics on Japanese Americans including regional distribution, age, family type, education, income, and labor force participation. The data is drawn from the Census booklet ‘We, the Asian and Pacific Islander Americans’ and includes comparative tables for other Asian and Pacific Islander groups.
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