Super Tuesday, redress hearings and the Sanga Moyu debate

Vol. 98, No. 11, March 23, 1984. 12 pages. View this issue

Politics and redress shared the front page. The Pacific Citizen reported on how Hawaii Democrats voted on Super Tuesday, with Mondale finding weak support, and on Reps. Robert Matsui and Norman Mineta pressing a House subcommittee chair to schedule hearings on redress legislation. Nikkei named to the Reagan-Bush campaign, including Stephen Nakashima in an interview with Diane Yen-Mei Wong, and Asian Pacific Democrats seeking more clout, rounded out the coverage.

Elsewhere, Dr. Clifford Uyeda and the editorial page took up the Sanga Moyu controversy, and Bill Marutani wrote about the Tule Lake camp newspaper. Also inside: the 15th Manzanar pilgrimage set for April 28, Harry Honda’s search for the origin of the name Little Tokyo, a Japantown health fair in San Francisco, and the news that Karen Seriguchi became the paper’s editor.

What’s in this issue

National

• Mondale Finds Weak Support Among Asians on Super Tuesday, page 1. Hawaii Democrats voted on Super Tuesday with ‘uncommitted’ winning over Mondale and Jackson after Gary Hart missed the ballot deadline. Governor Ariyoshi’s preference for an uncommitted stance prevailed despite support for Mondale from Senator Inouye and organized labor, resulting in a delegate split favoring uncommitted status.
• Academics Face Peer Prejudice on Univ. of California Campus, page 1. A UC Davis academic senate committee survey found strong faculty polarization and prejudice against minorities and women seeking faculty positions. The report’s author noted that secret ballot hiring decisions can be jeopardized by prejudice among even a minority of voters.
• Nikkei Reps. Push for House Hearing, page 1. U.S. Reps. Robert Matsui and Norman Mineta urged a congressional subcommittee chair to schedule hearings on redress legislation. Their letter noted support from 93 members of Congress and organizations like the AFL-CIO and Leadership Conference on Civil Rights.
• Reagan Campaign Advisors Named, page 1. Governor George Deukmejian named two Nikkei, Agnes Arakawa and George Oki, to the Reagan-Bush re-election campaign’s Volunteer Advisory Committee. They join four other Asian Americans representing various Asian American Republican organizations.
• Racial Violence Declines in 1983, page 1. The Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations reported that racially and religiously motivated violence declined in 1983 compared to 1982. Anti-Semitic incidents fell 20% and racial incidents fell 26%, though both remained higher than 1980-81 levels.
• Enthusiasm Burgeons in Hawaii for Reagan-Bush Re-election, page 1. Despite Hawaii’s strong Democratic tradition, support for President Reagan is reportedly growing, particularly among the Japanese American population who recall wartime patriotism questions. Republican state chair Patricia Saiki believes Reagan has won many friends, especially after sending troops to Grenada.
• Nakashima Named State Vice Chair for Reagan-Bush Campaign, by Diane Yen-Mei Wong, page 2. Stephen Nakashima, a San Jose attorney, was named one of California’s regional vice chairs for the Reagan-Bush ’84 campaign, asserting that the Republican Party more closely represents Asian American community values than the Democratic Party. Nakashima discussed his views on affirmative action, redress, and bilingual education in a wide-ranging interview.
• Trade Delegates Concerned About Too-Strong Dollar, page 11. At the Japan-U.S. Businessmen’s Conference steering committee meeting in Honolulu, delegates discussed how an overvalued dollar is increasing imports from Japan and trade friction between the two nations. Japanese delegation chair Norishige Hasegawa noted that the yen isn’t undervalued against European currencies, only against the dollar.
• U.S. State Department Report Criticizes Japan’s Required Name-Change Naturalization, page 12. A U.S. State Department human rights report criticized Japan’s Justice Ministry for virtually forcing naturalized individuals to abandon their original non-Japanese surnames as proof of cultural conformity. The report noted that very few non-Japanese seek naturalization due to the difficulty, with many Koreans in Japan specifically avoiding the process to retain their ethnic identity.

Community

• Asian Pacific Democrats Seeking Heavier Clout, page 1. Asian Americans, who contributed $2.5 million to political candidates in 1980, aim to translate that financial power into political influence through the California Democratic Party’s Asian Pacific Caucus conference in April. The event will also host the first inter-ethnic meeting of Asian, Black and Hispanic Democratic caucus leaders to discuss common strategies.
• Cuts in Ethnic Studies Protested, page 1. Students at UC Davis protested the administration’s failure to address concerns about ethnic studies programs, with Asian/Pacific Islanders, Blacks, Chicanos, and Native Americans marching together. The Coalition to Save Asian American Studies cited cutbacks including removal of research materials and office space reduction.
• Nisei Musician Succumbs to Cancer, page 2. Saki Shiga Himel, 62, a retired bibliographer and violinist with local symphony orchestras in the Washington D.C. area, died of cancer at her home. She studied music at the University of Washington and had been active with multiple orchestras in Maryland.
• Tacoma’s Rev. Pratt to Celebrate 50 Years of Buddhist Teaching, page 2. Buddhists of the Northwest will honor Rev. Sunya Pratt at a testimonial dinner marking her 50 years of dedication to teaching Jodo Shinshu Buddhism at the Tacoma temple. She received her first ordination in 1936 and was conferred full minister status in 1969.
• One Ancestry, Two Nationalities: Nikkei Women Share Experiences in Workshop, by Fumi Raith, page 3. New York’s second annual Women’s Exchange brought together approximately 60 women, half Japanese nationals, for discussions on topics including marriage, aging, and reactions to the controversial TV program Sanga Moyu. Participants from different generations and backgrounds shared personal experiences about raising children, aging, and views on Japan and America.
• Buddhist Council Holds Yearly Meeting, page 3. About 250 delegates and ministers representing 62 temples met for the national council meeting of the Buddhist Churches of America in Fresno, approving budgets and electing new officers for 1984-85. The meeting also commemorated the 85th anniversary of the BCA’s founding.
• Manzanar Pilgrimage Set for April 28, page 3. The 15th annual pilgrimage to Manzanar will take place April 28 with the theme ‘A Pilgrimage for Peace,’ organized by the Manzanar Committee. The Los Angeles County Library System has purchased 44 copies of the committee’s publication ‘The Lost Years 1942-46’ for its branch libraries.
• Little Tokyo Lions Mark 10th Year, page 3. The Little Tokyo Lions celebrated their 10th anniversary with a dinner honoring three community projects that each received $1,000 donations. Consul General Yoshifumi Matsuda praised the contributions as substantial given the club’s small membership size.
• Dividend Reported by Calif. First Bank, page 3. California First Bank announced a 27-cent per share dividend for the first quarter, payable April 13 to shareholders of record as of March 9. President Yasushi Sumiya reported the bank has nearly 10.6 million shares of common stock outstanding.
• Gila River II Reunion, by Frank Sakamoto, page 5. The 1000 Club Whing Ding at the National JACL convention will feature the first official reunion of Gila River Camp II internees, with author Michi Weglyn attending to autograph her book. Organizer Frank Sakamoto is seeking names of other Gila River camp alumni interested in attending the Honolulu reunion.
• S.F.’s Health Fair Set for March 31, page 6. San Francisco JACL’s annual Japantown health fair offers free anemia, audiometry, dental, podiatry, blood pressure, optometry, and sports injury screenings at Christ United Presbyterian Church. Additional blood chemistry analyses are available at cost, with volunteer support from multiple local community groups.
• Watsonville Health Fair This Weekend, page 6. The JACL health fair in Watsonville takes place at the Buddhist Temple, covering topics including stroke, arthritis, cataracts, and osteoporosis. Blood pressure and diabetes screening will also be available.
• NY to Bid Schaar Farewell, page 8. New York friends of Ruby Yoshino Schaar will gather for a farewell dinner celebrating her return to the West Coast after years of dedicated JACL service and community activism. A scholarship fund for Japanese Americans in performing arts has been established in her name.
• Sac’to to Put on Issei Potluck, page 8. Sacramento Chapter JACL holds its Issei potluck dinner at Japanese United Methodist Church, inviting everyone to bring their Issei parents and families. The event is organized by spokesperson Yuki Oshima.
• Utah JACLers to Hold Fund-A-Rama, page 8. The Mt. Olympus JACL Fund-A-Rama features dinner, manju, and games at Central Junior High School in Salt Lake City. Dinner will be served until 7:30 p.m. with the event running until 9 p.m.

JACL

• JACL Chapter to Pay Attorneys’ Fees, page 1. A U.S. district judge denied the Spokane JACL Chapter’s suit for $60,000 in attorneys’ fees from its 1978 race discrimination case against Washington State University. The chapter had charged that WSU failed to provide comparable counseling and educational services for Asian American students.
• Planning and Development, by Miki Himeno, page 4. A report from the JACL national board meeting covers discussions on redress program financing, including the Redress Legislative Handbook and John Tateishi’s oral history book. The report also covers updates on women’s concerns programs, the aging and retirement committee film project, and youth program challenges.
• Officers Elected in San Gabriel Valley, page 6. The San Gabriel Valley Chapter of JACL elected its 1984 officers at a special board meeting, though the installation dinner and scholarship fundraiser were canceled due to the chapter president’s injury. The chapter is soliciting donations for scholarships and its pledge to the National JACL redress committee.
• Marutani Speaks at DC Installation, page 9. Judge William Marutani addressed 200 JACL members at the Washington chapter’s 38th annual installation dinner, sharing his personal views on redress as a member of the Commission on Wartime Relocation. Rev. Andrew Kuroda and Mike Suzuki received recognition pins at the ceremony.
• Omaha Installation Dinner Features Police Chief, page 9. Omaha Police Chief Robert Wadman addressed the 1984 Omaha JACL installation dinner, discussing local law enforcement concerns. Stephen Hasegawa was installed for his second term as president, and the chapter raised $1,000 for redress through various fundraising events last year.
• Masaoka Attracts Big Crowd to San Jose, by Phil Matsumura, page 10. Close to 500 people attended the San Jose JACL installation of officers banquet where Mike Masaoka delivered a keynote address on redress legislation. Yosh Morimoto was installed as 1984 president, succeeding Wayne Tanda, with numerous dignitaries including Rep. Norman Mineta in attendance.
• Seriguchi PC Editor, page 10. Karen Seriguchi was elevated from news editor to editor of The Pacific Citizen, effective March 1, announced PC board chair Henry Sakai. Harry Honda continues to oversee promotion, business and staff functions as general manager/operations.

Obituaries

• Midwest Leader Dies of Heart Attack, page 2. Ben Yoshioka, 68, a prominent Nisei leader and president of the Japanese American Service Committee Heiwa Terrace Housing board, died of a massive heart attack. He had worked for the WRA in Chicago during WWII after graduating from UC Berkeley.

Commentary

• The Camp Newspaper, by Bill Marutani, page 4. The author recounts reconnecting with Howard Imazeki, former editor of the Tulean Dispatch camp newspaper at Tule Lake, after 41 years. Imazeki shared the story of being assaulted by inmates over a misunderstanding involving food meant only for security personnel.
• Thanks!, by David Nakayama, page 4. The JACL Youth Director reflects on his childhood in Berkeley and the youth programs including Sunday School, athletics, and Boy Scouts that shaped his community experience. He thanks the community leaders and credits these programs with teaching him about friendship and responsibility, urging similar opportunities for future generations.
• Exercise of the First Amendment, page 5. A commentary on Freedom of Information Day discusses the importance of press freedom as envisioned by James Madison, and the Pacific Citizen’s unique position as both newspaper and JACL house organ. The piece praises the Japanese press for publishing forthright opinions regarding the Sanga Moyu controversy despite the country’s history of wartime press suppression.
• On ‘Fatherland’ and Other Matters, by Dr. Clifford Uyeda, page 5. The author critiques Mrs. Yamasaki’s use and explanation of the term ‘sokoku’ (fatherland) in the Sanga Moyu controversy, arguing that the novel promotes dangerous Japanese nationalism applied to Japanese Americans. He argues the novel misunderstands the Nisei struggle to prove loyalty to America during WWII and calls for Japanese Americans to ensure their perspective is heard.

In-Depth

• Higashimoto Survey: Assimilation of Japanese and Japanese Americans, page 8. Dr. Haruo Higashimoto’s graduate study surveyed Pacific Citizen subscribers and Nikkei in Los Angeles and Salt Lake City about assimilation into mainstream U.S. society. Results covered demographics, intermarriage attitudes, religious preferences, language use, and perceptions of discrimination and acceptance by non-Japanese Americans.
• Little Tokyo Life (No. 10): On the Research Orbit, by Harry Honda, page 10. The tenth installment of this series details the author’s research journey through Los Angeles libraries to trace the history and first usage of the term ‘Little Tokyo.’ The piece uncovers historical references to Japanese settlements and colonies in the LA area dating back to 1870, including a 1905 farming colony and various Japanese fishing camps.

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