Redress reaches San Francisco city workers, plus JACL installations

Vol. 96, No. 4, February 4, 1983. 8 pages. View this issue

San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein signed an ordinance granting reparations for salary losses to city employees of Japanese ancestry who were relocated during World War II, and the front page carried that story alongside other redress news. A New York group planned to seek compensation for state workers forced to resign, and California Sen. Ralph C. Dills introduced Senate Bill 164 on retirement credit for Japanese Americans interned during the war. The front page also reported on an investigation of Oxnard Councilman Tsujio Kato and on Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone’s remarks to the Diet.

Inside are columns by Peter Imamura, Bill Marutani and Herbert V. Nicholson, a dispute over a mural that includes Manzanar, and notice of a talk by Dr. Yoshiye Togasaki. Pages 5 through 8 follow JACL: membership of 26,770 for 1982, a Tri-District Conference on redress set for Reno, and chapter installation dinners from San Jose to Stockton.

What’s in this issue

Community

• Oxnard Councilman Kato Under Investigation for Shoplifting, page 1. Oxnard City Councilman Tsujio Kato is being investigated by the Ventura County district attorney’s office for allegedly shoplifting $22 worth of merchandise from a department store on Dec. 24. No arrest or charges had been made as of the report, and both Kato and officials declined to comment on specifics while the investigation continued.
• Nisei Asst. Attorney General Retires, page 2. Roy G. Mita retired as assistant attorney general in Wisconsin after more than 35 years of service, receiving a Governor’s Special Award from Gov. Anthony Earl. Mita served in the 442nd RCT during WWII while his parents were interned, and later built a long legal career in the state Department of Justice.
• New Chair Named for L.A. Sister City Comm., page 2. Lane M. Kakimoto, a partner at Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co., was appointed by Mayor Tom Bradley as Chairman of the Los Angeles-Nagoya Sister City Affiliation. Kakimoto has long supported the committee, previously serving as treasurer and executive board member.
• Asian Pacific Legal Issues to Be Topics at UCLA Confab, page 3. UCLA’s Asian/Pacific Law Students Association will sponsor a conference on contemporary legal issues affecting Asian/Pacific communities on Feb. 12, featuring workshops on immigration, employment discrimination, and wartime crisis impacts. U.S. District Court Judge Robert M. Takasugi will deliver the keynote address.
• Class Focuses on Japanese Immigrants, page 3. The UCLA Asian American Studies Center will sponsor a seven-week evening class on the origins and causes of Japanese immigration, taught by researcher Yuji Ichioka. The course will cover topics including labor contractors, emigration companies, and contributions of Japanese American women pioneers.
• Ground Broken for S.D. Senior Housing, page 3. Official groundbreaking ceremonies were held in Chula Vista for Kiku Gardens, a San Diego County senior citizen housing project co-sponsored by the San Diego JACL chapter and several churches. The three-story complex will have 100 one-bedroom units and is scheduled for dedication later in the fall.
• Journalism Training Program Offered, page 3. The Summer Program for Minority Journalists at UC Berkeley is seeking aspiring newspaper reporters from minority groups for its 11-week intensive training session. Participants cover the Bay Area for the program’s weekly newspaper and are placed in full-time reporting jobs afterward.
• Kimochi Home Slates Fund-Raising Dinner, page 3. Kimochi, Inc. will hold a fund-raiser dinner on Feb. 24 at the Sheraton Palace Hotel in San Francisco, honoring George Oyama, the Koret Foundation, and Mayor Dianne Feinstein. KPIX-TV news anchor Wendy Tokuda and Kimochi board member Ben Nakajo will co-emcee.
• Rift Develops Over ‘Minority’ Mural, page 4. Latina artist Barbara Carrasco is in a dispute with Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency officials over ownership of her mural depicting the struggles of minority groups, including the WWII internment of Japanese Americans at Manzanar. CRA officials feel the mural’s imagery is inflammatory and could embarrass the city during the 1984 Olympics.
• N.Y. JACL Gets Health Fair Funds, page 6. The New York JACL chapter received a $150 Health Fair contribution from National JACL, funded through a Chevron Fund-San Francisco Foundation grant, to sponsor a minority Health Fair for Japanese Americans in New York City. The fair, co-sponsored by several community organizations, will be held April 23.
• Houston JACL to Host Art Professor, page 8. The Houston JACL will sponsor a reception for Dr. Calvin French, Professor of Japanese Art at the University of Michigan, on Feb. 10 at the Museum of Fine Arts. The brief notice provides event details.

National

• Nakasone Seeks to Open Japan to the World, page 1. Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone told the Diet that Japan is committed to promoting market-opening measures and participating in international efforts to resolve financial difficulties facing many countries. He emphasized maintaining free trade and strengthening the Japan-U.S. security relationship while addressing global economic and defense issues.
• Toyota Gives L.A. County a Gift That Draws Criticism, page 1. Toyota donated $280,000 worth of trucks to Los Angeles County, drawing criticism from American autoworkers who said the company was taking away their jobs. Toyota also announced it would donate another 150 vehicles worth $1.3 million to county governments nationwide.
• Marine Sentenced for Auto Deaths, page 1. Marine Sgt. George Alex Biddy was sentenced to five years and eight months in prison for killing three Japanese exchange students and a tour guide while fleeing another accident at the Mexican border. The judge cited the severity of the crime and Biddy’s lack of remorse in imposing the maximum sentence.
• County Bill on Noguchi Case Revealed, page 1. Los Angeles County spent approximately $317,000 trying to demote Dr. Thomas T. Noguchi as chief medical officer/coroner, according to county auditor Mark Bloodgood. Noguchi, accused of misusing his office and sensationalizing celebrity deaths, awaits a Civil Service Commission decision on his job status.

Incarceration & Redress

• S.F. Mayor Feinstein Signs Redress Bill for City Workers, page 1. San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein signed an ordinance granting reparations for salary losses to city employees of Japanese ancestry who were relocated during World War II. The ordinance, introduced by Supervisor Quentin Kopp, allows claims to be filed through 1986 with maximum reparation of $1,250 a year for four years.
• WW2 Front Page Angers Jiji Writer, page 1. A Pentagon display of WWII-era front pages angered Jiji Press reporter Katsuhiko Kabasawa, who objected to the use of the word ‘Jap’ as a contemptuous term. The offending Los Angeles Times front page was replaced with another page reporting President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s death.
• N.Y. State Compensation Bill Sought, page 1. The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund plans to propose a bill to the New York State Legislature calling for compensation to Japanese American state workers forced to resign during World War II. The group is seeking names of affected former employees to support the effort.
• JA Retirement Credit Bill Introduced, page 1. California State Sen. Ralph C. Dills introduced Senate Bill 164 to allow Japanese Americans interned during WWII who later became state employees to buy back service credit in the state retirement system. Dills said the bill seeks to redress losses incurred by loyal citizens during the wartime years.
• Nikkei Physician to Discuss WW2 Camps, page 3. Physician Yoshiye Togasaki, one of the first Japanese American physicians in the U.S., will speak at UC Irvine about hardships experienced by internees during World War II. Togasaki, 79, has testified in congressional hearings on reparations and will share her own experiences at Manzanar.
• Former S.F. Employees Sought, page 5. The JACL is seeking former City and County of San Francisco employees who were forced to terminate employment due to WWII internment, following Mayor Feinstein’s signing of a reparations ordinance. The JACL has identified about 15 names from payroll records and is requesting information to help facilitate claims.

Arts & Entertainment

• Sansei Physicist Writes Book on Nuclear Power Controversy, page 2. Dr. Michio Kaku, a nuclear physics professor and son of Palo Alto residents, has published ‘Nuclear Power: Both Sides,’ presenting pro and con perspectives on nuclear energy. Kaku has been a leading anti-nuclear spokesman, speaking at major rallies and receiving the Woodie Guthrie Humanitarian Award.

In-Depth

• How One Nisei Survived the Evacuation… James Imahara, Son of Immigrants, page 2. A new book recounts the personal story of James Imahara, a charter member of Florin JACL, whose family of 10 was evacuated to Arkansas in 1942 and later settled in Louisiana. The book is one of few first-person Nisei histories published, encouraged by Imahara’s daughter to document his experiences and perspective.

Commentary

• A ‘Flex’ Format, by Peter Imamura, page 4. Editor Peter Imamura explains the Pacific Citizen’s evolving flexible layout, which balances straight news and JACL news depending on available material, and notes Bill Hosokawa’s temporary column hiatus. He addresses reader complaints about insufficient JACL news and placement, defending the paper’s dual role as both newspaper and JACL informational organ.
• Many Silent, by Herbert V. Nicholson, page 4. A letter writer who assisted internees during WWII reflects on the ‘silent majority’ of Japanese Americans who did not support financial redress, citing conversations with elderly Issei who felt differently about their wartime experiences. He describes helping various families and individuals during the evacuation period and argues for more nuanced understanding of differing opinions on reparations.
• The Work Ethic, by Bill Marutani, page 4. Columnist Bill Marutani reflects on the Issei work ethic of focusing on results versus a culture of minimal effort, recalling a WWII-era experience where Nisei workers’ increased productivity angered a union shop steward. He questions whether American labor attitudes have improved and suggests result-oriented work is necessary for international competitiveness.

JACL

• San Jose to Fete 60th Year, page 5. San Jose JACL, one of the oldest chapters nationally, will celebrate its 60th anniversary with a gala banquet on Feb. 19 featuring guest speaker Judge William Marutani. Congressman Norman Mineta will serve as master of ceremonies for the installation of new officers and board members.
• Tri-District Conference Set, by Ozzie Imai, page 5. The 1983 Tri-District Conference for NCWNPDC, CCDC and PSWDC will be held April 22-24 at the Reno Hilton under the theme ‘Redress—Time for Action.’ The conference will include keynote speakers, workshops on various topics, and a special redress session.
• PSWDC Redress Group Meet Feb. 11, page 5. The fourth monthly PSWDC Redress meeting will be held Feb. 11 at the JACCC in Los Angeles. The brief notice provides meeting location and time details.
• JACL Membership Saw an Increase in 1982, page 5. JACL reported a total membership of 26,770 for 1982, a slight increase despite the economic downturn, with 44 of 112 chapters showing increases. Officials cited redress legislation efforts and U.S.-Japan relations attention as factors supporting optimism for continued membership growth in 1983.
• JACL Drops Loan Rate to 13.5%, page 5. The National JACL Credit Union board lowered its loan rate from 15% to 13.5% APR at its January meeting, reflecting the economic recession’s impact on loan demand. The annual Credit Union meeting will be held Feb. 19 in Salt Lake City.
• U.S.-Japan Problems Topic of Shimomura Talk at SFV, page 6. National JACL President Floyd Shimomura addressed the San Fernando Valley JACL installation dinner, discussing the importance of U.S.-Japan trade relations and the potential for backlash against Japanese Americans. He suggested JACL should encourage Japan to treat Nisei as equals while avoiding being seen as a propagandist for Japan.
• Chapter Installations, 1983 Officers, page 6. Multiple JACL chapters including San Mateo, Diablo Valley, Gilroy, Gresham-Troutdale, Lake Washington, Livingston-Merced, Monterey Peninsula, SFV, and Salt Lake held installation ceremonies for their 1983 officers and boards. Full listings of new officers and board members were provided for each chapter.
• Nagano Re-elected to Orange Co-JACL, page 6. Orange County JACL Chapter President Warren Y. Nagano and his entire cabinet were re-elected for the 1983 term and installed at the Buena Park Hotel. Nagano was also ratified by the PSWDC to the PC Board, replacing Jim Seippel of the Selanoco Chapter.
• Riverside JACL, page 6. The Riverside JACL will hold its installation dinner at the UC Riverside University Club on Feb. 12, with National Director Ron Wakabayashi as guest speaker. This is a brief announcement of the upcoming event.
• Stockton JACL Installs Tets Kato to 2d Term, by Ruby Dobana, page 8. Assemblyman Patrick Johnston was keynote speaker at the Stockton JACL installation dinner, where Tetsuya Kato was re-elected to a second term as chapter president. The event also honored journalists and legislators involved in compensating Japanese American state employees dismissed in 1942.
• Tateishi Previews Book at Selanoco JACL Installation, page 8. JACL redress director John Tateishi read excerpts from his upcoming book for Random House depicting personal accounts of the 1942 Evacuation at the Selanoco JACL installation dinner. Ken Inouye was installed as the new chapter president, succeeding Ted Shimizu, with several award presentations made.

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