Vol. 108, No. 7, February 24, 1989. 8 pages. View this issue
The first Day of Remembrance since the signing of H.R. 442 filled the front page. George Johnston reported from Los Angeles, where over 300 people gathered on Feb. 19 and heard Assistant Attorney General James Turner, Robert Bratt of the Office of Redress Administration, and Rep. Robert Matsui discuss redress eligibility and outreach. Related stories followed Canada’s redress checks, the ORA’s search for eligible people living in Japan, and a Massachusetts bill modeled on the redress legislation.
Elsewhere in the issue are Harry K. Honda’s reports on the 39th annual Nisei VFW Reunion, where JACL presented plaques honoring veterans, and on a possible five-year extension of the Smithsonian exhibit on Japanese Americans. The editorial page covers Bill Yoshino’s appointment as national director, with columns by Bill Hosokawa and Bill Marutani. A three-article census section on Asian and Pacific Islander Americans runs on page 5.
What’s in this issue
Incarceration & Redress
- First Day of Remembrance Since H.R. 442 Passage Held, by George Johnston, page 1. The 9th annual Los Angeles Day of Remembrance drew over 300 people to the Los Angeles Trade Technical College on Feb. 19, the first such event since the signing of H.R. 442. Speakers including Assistant Attorney General James Turner, ORA administrator Robert Bratt, and Rep. Robert Matsui discussed redress eligibility, outreach efforts, and the significance of the law’s passage.
- Canada to Send Out 100 Redress Checks Daily, page 1. The Japanese Canadian Redress Secretariat Office has received nearly 10,000 claims and plans to mail 100 tax-free checks of $21,000 daily, prioritizing elderly and terminally ill claimants. The National Association of Japanese Canadians has held about 30 information meetings to help restore confidence among elderly Issei and Nisei.
- ORA Tries Outreach to Possible Redress-Eligibles Living in Japan, page 2. The Office of Redress Administration held a press conference for Japanese media to help locate potentially eligible redress recipients living in Japan. Officials James Turner and Bob Bratt explained outreach efforts including materials available at U.S. embassies and consulates in Japan.
Military & Veterans
- Nisei VFW Reunion Witnesses Nat’l JACL-LEC Honoring Vets, page 1. At the 39th annual Nisei VFW Reunion luncheon in Los Angeles, JACL made special presentations honoring veterans for their role in the redress campaign. Plaques were presented to the VFW, the California Department of the American Legion, the Nisei VFW Coalition, and the Southern California MIS by JACL national leaders.
- Next AJA Veterans Reunion in Kona Set, page 3. The 15th National AJA (Nisei) Veterans Reunion will be held at Kailua-Kona June 27-30, 1990, with four hotels and about 1,100 rooms already blocked. Registration materials will be ready by June 1989 with an April 1990 deadline.
- Nisei Veterans Continue Traditions at 39th Annual Reunion, by Harry K. Honda, page 3. Close to 800 attended the 39th annual California Nisei VFW Reunion in Los Angeles over the Presidents’ Day weekend, featuring a memorial service, JACL-LEC plaque presentations, and a ceremonial gavel handoff to the 1990 host post in Torrance. National VFW commander-in-chief Larry Rivers and JACL president Cressey Nakagawa both spoke at the event.
JACL
- Smithsonian May Extend Its Exhibit on Japanese Americans Another Five Years, by Harry K. Honda, page 1. Edward C. Ezell of the Smithsonian Institution revealed at the Japanese American National Museum’s annual meeting that the popular exhibit ‘A More Perfect Union’ may be extended five years beyond its scheduled 1992 closing. The exhibit features over 800 objects and cost more than a million dollars to assemble, highlighting the role of ethnic museums in American history.’
- Smithsonian Continued: Workshops and Memorial Highlight JANM Meeting, page 3. The Japanese American National Museum’s annual meeting featured six workshops on museum development, marketing, and community outreach, alongside a memorial service for astronaut Lt. Col. Ellison Onizuka featuring a new white anthurium flower named in his honor. Rep. Norman Mineta delivered the keynote address at the Saturday dinner.
- New Mexico JACL to Commemorate Redress Bill Passage, page 8. The New Mexico JACL Chapter will host an appreciation banquet on March 18 in Albuquerque for members of the New Mexico congressional delegation to commemorate the passage of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988. The banquet coincides with the Mountain Plains District Council spring meeting, with tickets priced at $30 per person.
- S.F. JACL Elects Greg Marutani, page 8. San Francisco JACL installed Greg Marutani as president at a joint installation dinner-dance with San Mateo JACL at the Airport Hilton Hotel in Burlingame. Yo Hironaka was recognized for meritorious service, and outgoing chapter president Cressey Nakagawa, now national JACL president, was also honored.
National
- Ex-Slave Reparations Bill Proposed, page 1. Massachusetts State Sen. Bill Owens has proposed a bill modeled after the Japanese American redress legislation to compensate Blacks for the injustices of slavery and racism. The bill calls for creation of a commission to negotiate with representatives of African descendants, though it is not expected to pass.’
- How to Improve Minority Growth in Colleges Told, page 3. The American Council on Education released a new book addressing strategies for colleges to increase minority participation in higher education, noting a growing gap between white and minority student participation rates. The book profiles efforts at institutions including the University of Massachusetts Boston and Mount St. Mary’s College in Los Angeles.
Obituaries
- Rev. Gordon Kimball Chapman Dies, page 2. The Rev. Gordon Kimball Chapman, a Presbyterian missionary who spent 20 years in Japan, died Jan. 30 in San Jose. He was honored by JACL in 1967 for his support of Japanese Americans and received Japan’s Order of the Sacred Treasure despite his earlier opposition to Japanese imperialism.
Community
- Torrance the Site for 1990 Nisei VFW Reunion, page 2. Gardena 4th District Nisei Memorial Post 1961 will host the next Nisei VFW reunion Feb. 16-18, 1990, at the Marriott Hotel in Torrance. Tom Miyawaki and George Kobayashi are serving as co-chairmen for the event.
- Center Honored: Little Tokyo Entertainment Center Recognized, page 6. Los Angeles City Councilman Gilbert Lindsay presented a certificate of honor to Katsumi Kunitsugu, coordinator of the Little Tokyo Entertainment Center, for her contributions to the Eastman Kodak-sponsored center along the Los Angeles Marathon course. Kodak representatives from Whittier and Washington, D.C. attended the presentation.
Arts & Entertainment
- 1989 ‘Jimmie’ Awardees Revealed, page 2. The Association of Asian Pacific American Artists announced winners of its 5th Annual Jimmie Awards, honoring works and individuals who portray Asian Pacific Americans realistically in entertainment. Honorees include Philip Kan Gotanda, David Henry Hwang, and producers of ‘Who Killed Vincent Chin?’, with the awards gala set for March 27 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
Commentary
- Yoshino Up to the Challenge, page 4. This editorial discusses the National JACL Board’s unanimous decision to appoint Bill Yoshino as national director following Ron Wakabayashi’s resignation. The piece notes the challenges Yoshino faces in maintaining JACL programs and services in the post-Redress era, especially since no redress money has yet been appropriated.
- Redress Interest, by Paul Hoshi, page 4. A letter to the editor argues that since Congress passed the redress bill promising $20,000 to each living evacuee, recipients are entitled to accrued interest on that obligation. The writer suggests the interest rate should be indexed to IRS penalty rates for late payments.
- Romaji’s Superiority, by Shigeo Yuge, page 4. A letter to the editor argues that Japan’s ideograph-based writing system is a handicap compared to alphabetic systems like English, especially in the computer age. The writer suggests adopting romaji would save time currently spent memorizing ideographs without necessarily replacing the traditional writing system.
- Guilty, by Mas Odoi, page 4. A letter to the editor humorously confesses that the writer may have been the original source of the per-evacuee dollar redress plan, referencing a 1976 letter he wrote suggesting $1,000 per evacuee. He jokes that this confession explains why no one listened to him afterward.
- Bonds and ‘Kutsu’s’, by Bill Marutani, page 4. In this East Wind column, Bill Marutani explores the Japanese kanji terms for ‘performance’ and ‘bond’ as used in legal and business contexts, tracing etymology through various kanji compounds. He speculates on the origins of different readings of ‘kutsu’ (shoes) and welcomes reader corrections to his theories.
- Tanks, Spies & Smoked Salmon, by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. In this From the Frying Pan column, Bill Hosokawa shares three stories: Sansei engineer Janice Kunitsugu-Goodrow’s work on military tank identification systems, the fate of Pearl Harbor spy Takeo Yoshikawa who received no reward for his espionage, and an amusing anecdote about a canned salmon product’s honest advertising claim.’
In-Depth
- 3,126,440 Asian/Pacifics Counted in 1980 Census, page 5. A detailed statistical report based on the 1980 U.S. Census examines Asian and Pacific Islander American demographics, including population size, geographic distribution, age, education, employment, and income. The report highlights that Japanese Americans had the highest median family income among Asian groups at $27,400 and the oldest median age at 33.5 years.
- Asian-Pacific Islander Families Larger than U.S. Average, page 5. Census data shows Asian and Pacific Islander families averaged 3.8 persons compared to the U.S. average of 3.3, partly due to higher rates of children living with both parents and elders living within family households. The proportion of families maintained by husband-wife couples was comparable to the national average at 84%.
- We’re in Business: Asian and Pacific Islander Owned Firms, page 5. According to the 1982 Survey of Minority-Owned Business Enterprises, Asians and Pacific Islanders owned more than 200,000 firms generating $16 billion in gross receipts. Chinese-owned businesses accounted for over a third of all gross receipts among these groups.’
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