Redress signed into law, a hunger strike, and Filipino veterans

Vol. 107, No. 6, September 9, 1988. 8 pages. View this issue

The Pacific Citizen reported on the aftermath of the redress bill in this September 1988 issue. Articles covered confusion over unofficial verification forms for former internees, a Florin JACL celebration of the signing, and Prime Minister Brian Mulroney’s response on Japanese Canadians. The front page also followed Professor Paul Brock’s hunger strike at the University of Connecticut against anti-Asian violence, and Rep. Norman Mineta’s push to naturalize Filipino veterans of World War II.

Inside are Bill Hosokawa and Bill Marutani in their columns, a timeline of past efforts at a redress bill, and an editorial on the Japanese remarks and dolls controversy, with letters on the same subject. The paper also described a project to complete the Minidoka Relocation Center site for Idaho’s Centennial, and a Fresno reunion set for Sept. 23-25.

What’s in this issue

National

• Professor Fasts to Fight Violence Against Asians, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A Chinese American engineering professor at the University of Connecticut began a hunger strike to protest anti-Asian violence and push for Asian American studies courses. The fast followed months of unanswered demands after two Asian American students were harassed by classmates.
• Mineta Supports Bill Naturalizing Filipino WW2 Vets, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Rep. Norman Mineta urged quick House action on legislation to naturalize Filipino WW2 veterans who served in the U.S. armed forces. He also introduced a related bill to provide special immigrant status for Filipinos serving at least four years in the U.S. military.
• Study Finds Discrimination Against Asian Workers in Decline, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A U.S. Commission on Civil Rights study found that income-based discrimination against Asian Americans has declined dramatically since the 1960s. The study found mixed results across ethnic groups, with Filipino and Indian American men earning less than non-Hispanic whites while other groups earned comparably or more.
• Professor Fasts to Fight Violence Against Asians (continued), by P.C. Staff, page 6. Following his hunger strike, Professor Paul Brock met with university administrators who acknowledged progress but said adding an Asian American studies course immediately was impossible. Administrators plan to review similar programs at other universities and consult with the broader Asian American community before acting.

Incarceration & Redress

• Circulating Verification Forms Confuse Ex-Internees, by J.K. Yamamoto, Hokubei Mainichi, page 1. Unofficial verification forms circulating in the Japanese American community, meant to help former internees document their incarceration, are creating confusion since no official government form exists. JACL and NCRR officials clarified that the Attorney General is responsible for identifying eligible individuals using existing government records.
• Mulroney Calls Internment a ‘Tragedy’, but Refuses to Follow U.S. Example, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney called the WWII internment of Japanese Canadians a blot on the nation’s honor but declined to promise cash compensation like the U.S. redress bill. Japanese Canadian leader Art Miki said the U.S. precedent strengthens Canada’s case for a stronger settlement.
• Lungren’s & Bork’s Viewpoints on Redress Revealed, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Congressional Record from the House’s final approval of H.R. 442 revealed comments from Rep. Dan Lungren supporting the bill’s symbolic importance despite reservations, and from Rep. Helen Bentley opposing it. Rep. Patrick Swindall countered Bentley’s objections and cited former Judge Robert Bork’s view that the redress bill was constitutionally correct.
• Florin JACL Celebration Toasts Redress Vindication, by Andy Noguchi, page 3. Almost 300 Japanese Americans gathered at Florin Buddhist Church to celebrate the signing of the redress bill, with speeches by Mary Tsukamoto and local leaders. Attendees were reminded that while the bill was signed, Congress still must appropriate funds over the next decade.
• Past Efforts at a Redress Bill, by P.C. Staff, page 4. This timeline traces the history of redress legislation from Rep. Mike Lowry’s 1979 bill through the Commission on Wartime Relocation’s 1983 report to the final passage and signing of H.R. 442 in August 1988. It documents key dates, bill numbers, and legislative milestones in the decade-long effort.
• Idaho Centennial: Minidoka Relocation Center Project, by Masa Tsukamoto and Hero Shiosaki, page 5. The Intermountain District Council of JACL is working to complete the Minidoka Relocation Center historical project as part of Idaho’s Centennial Celebration. The group has received a matching grant and is seeking donations from JACL chapters to fund an overlook, monument, and interpretive signage at the site.

Arts & Entertainment

• Robert Cray Guitarist Kaihatsu Turns On the Blues, by George Johnston, page 2. Tim Kaihatsu, a Japanese American guitarist touring with the Robert Cray Band, has gained exposure through a new music video and world tour. Born in Minneapolis due to wartime removal of his family, Kaihatsu discussed his musical influences, mixed feelings about touring and visiting Japan, and plans for a solo album.

Community

• Three Day Fresno Reunion Set for Sept. 23-25, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Co-chairmen Morito Nakamoto and Michio Toshiyuki announced a three-day Fresno reunion featuring a banquet expected to draw 500 current and pre-war delegates. The event includes outings to Roeding Zoo and Woodward Park along with a hospitality room offering refreshments.
• Partial List of A.B. 4087 Beneficiaries Named, by P.C. Staff, page 2. California Assemblyman Patrick Johnston is seeking Japanese Americans eligible for a $5,000 payment under A.B. 4087 for spouses of Japanese Americans fired from state jobs in 1942. A partial list of eligible employees was provided, with claims to be filed by December 1988.
• Aki Matsuri Bazaar to Be Held Sept. 17 in ‘Japantown’, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The San Jose Wesley United Methodist Church is holding its annual Aki Matsuri Bazaar featuring Japanese food, crafts, and entertainment including taiko and dance performances. Take-home chicken teriyaki dinners are available for purchase.
• JA Optimists Presenting Second Annual Fashion Show, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Japanese American Optimist Club of Los Angeles will host its second annual fashion show and luncheon at the Biltmore Hotel, hosted by actress Tamlyn Tomita and actor Brian Tochi. Proceeds will benefit the Japanese Retirement Home Development Fund, Little Tokyo Service Center, and the JAO Youth Program.
• The Newsmakers, by P.C. Staff, page 8. This roundup profiles several Japanese Americans achieving notable accomplishments, including Susan H. Kamei’s appointment as deputy director at USC’s Lusk Center, fencer George Nonomura’s selection for the U.S. Olympic team, and Dean Ito Taylor’s appointment as executive director of Nihonmachi Legal Outreach. Also featured are Eiko Nobel, Robin Tanabe, Dr. Florence Ueda Miyahara, Lynne Choy Uyeda, and Sherwin T. Chan, the first Asian American appointed to the U.S. Civil Rights Commission.

Obituaries

• Yuso Nohara, page 3. Yuso Nohara, 63, of Honolulu, a self-employed accountant and WW2 veteran born in Peahi, Maui, died at home on June 16. He is survived by his wife Chiyo, daughters, and sisters.
• Sam Kuwahara, page 3. Sam Kuwahara, 77, a longtime farmer and Cortez, Calif. community leader who managed the Cortez Growers Association from 1932-1945, died of an apparent heart attack. He is survived by his wife Florice and sisters May Sakaguchi and Yuki Kamayareu.

Military & Veterans

• Akira ‘Flash’ Fujiki, page 3. Akira ‘Flash’ Fujiki, 67, a retired senior vice president of Hawaiian Pacific Resorts and 442nd Regimental Combat Team veteran, died July 21 in Honolulu. He was among the 1,566 soldiers who sailed to the mainland in 1943 and kept a diary that was later seized and returned to veterans’ families.

Commentary

• Editorial: Education Still the Best Solution, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial addresses the recent controversy over disparaging remarks and caricatured dolls depicting Black Americans in Japan, arguing that Japanese Americans continue to be unfairly identified with Japan despite decades of efforts to be seen as Americans. It calls for Japanese Americans to help educate the Japanese about racism through dialogue rather than condemnation.
• What’s in a (Mispronounced) Name?, by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. Hosokawa’s column reflects on the irony of Sansei speakers mispronouncing Japanese names at a JACL convention while non-Japanese guests handled them correctly. He traces this to historical pressures on Nisei to assimilate and abandon Japanese language skills, hoping Yonsei might reclaim proper pronunciation of their own surnames.
• Rydgaku: Studying Abroad, by Bill Marutani, page 4. Marutani’s column examines the number of foreign students studying in Japan, noting that the U.S. ranks lower than countries like China, Taiwan, and South Korea. He details enrollment figures at various Japanese universities and discusses the financial challenges foreign students face due to the strong yen.
• Anti-redress Vets Wrong, by Don C. Oka, page 5. A letter writer argues that WW2 veterans opposing redress payments demonstrate lingering racism, recalling personal experiences with anti-Asian prejudice during the Korean War era. He urges readers to forgive and remember the sacrifices of the 100th/442nd and MIS instead of continuing to protest redress.
• Meaning of ‘Yogore’, by Chaote Lin, page 5. A letter responds to a previous reader’s question about the Japanese term ‘yogore,’ explaining it refers to stain or disgrace brought upon a family by a member’s behavior. The writer notes this concept relates to maintaining family honor in Japanese culture.
• Common Goals, by Demetra D. Barr, page 5. A letter responds to coverage of the controversy over a Japanese politician’s remarks and ‘Sambo’ dolls, expressing anger and shame over racism directed at Black Americans. The writer calls for Japanese Americans and Black Americans to work together against racism rather than perpetuating stereotypes against each other.
• Racism in Japan, by Jin Konomi, page 5. This Moshi Moshi column explores the historical roots of Japanese prejudice against Black people, tracing it partly to attitudes absorbed during the American Occupation after WW2. The author argues such racism tarnishes Japan’s international image and notes Japanese Americans bear the backlash whenever U.S.-Japan tensions arise.

In-Depth

• Tokyo and Seoul: Unfriendly Neighbors, by Akira Tanaka, Asahi Shimbun, page 5. A bilateral opinion survey found that half of South Koreans dislike Japan, with resentment rooted in Japan’s colonial rule from 1910-45, while Japanese views of Korea remain largely superficial. Despite mutual distrust, the two countries show increasingly similar attitudes toward domestic policy, living standards, and work-life balance as South Korea industrializes.

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