Redress, a Supreme Court ruling on deportation, and Little Tokyo’s centennial

Vol. 98, No. 2, January 20, 1984. 12 pages. View this issue

A Supreme Court ruling on Jan. 10 that made it easier for the Immigration and Naturalization Service to deport long-term illegal aliens led the front page, reported by Jim Mann. The issue also followed the push for redress, including an editorial on San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros’s response to JACL’s request for help and letters from readers urging Nisei to write Congress about HR 4110. Other front-page stories covered Sandra S. Oshiro’s report on ethnic imbalance in Hawaii state jobs, the Oui magazine reprint of a 1944 wartime cartoon, and the planned rebuilding of the A-bomb memorial monument in Hiroshima.

Inside, Harry Honda began a series on the origins of the name Little Tokyo for the district’s centennial. Bill Hosokawa wrote about the Issei Oral History Project, and Clifford Uyeda presented a dialogue between Masayo Duus and Toyoko Yamazaki. The Heart Mountain camp charter was published in a miniature edition. Chapter news covered installation dinners, and the 442nd and Military Intelligence Service exhibits were headed to Pearl Harbor.

What’s in this issue

National

• High Court Eases Way for INS to Deport Long-Term Residents, by Jim Mann, page 1. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Jan. 10 that an illegal alien who takes any trip outside the country and returns may forfeit eligibility for suspension of deportation under the seven-year continuous presence rule. The case involved a Thai woman, Padungsri Phinpathya, whose three-month trip to Thailand disqualified her from relief despite living in the U.S. for over seven years.
• Court Deals Setback to Reagan on Quotas, page 1. The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear a challenge to Detroit’s 1974 affirmative action plan designed to increase black lieutenants in the police department. Solicitor General Rex Lee had urged the Court to take the case on behalf of the Reagan Administration, expressing doubts about the constitutionality of racial quotas.
• ‘Only Kidding,’ Says Oui Magazine, page 1. Oui Magazine reprinted a 1944 wartime propaganda cartoon strip titled ‘How to Spot a Jap’ by Milton Caniff in its October 1983 issue, drawing criticism from JACL’s Ozzie Imai and the Ontario Human Rights Commission. Oui publisher Jeffrey Goodman responded that the cartoon’s satiric intent was meant to be obvious and that the magazine does not endorse the term ‘Jap’ as a modern descriptor.
• Inouye, Matsunaga Report on Honoraria, page 3. Sens. Daniel Inouye and Spark Matsunaga reported earning thousands of dollars in speaking fees and honoraria in 1982, according to Congressional Quarterly, though neither approached the Senate’s top earners. Inouye received $22,650 in honoraria while Matsunaga received $6,000 from various organizations.
• Japanese Magazine Solicits Nikkei Essays, page 9. Bungei Shunju, a popular Japanese magazine, announced an essay contest inviting Japanese Americans to submit writings on their experiences with discrimination, education, and U.S.-Japan relations. Essays up to 1,000 words are due Feb. 29, 1984, with selected submissions to be translated and published.
• Nationality Law Revision to Come, page 10. Japan’s Cabinet officials will soon discuss revisions to the nationality law to grant Japanese citizenship to children born of Japanese women and foreign men, correcting a current imbalance. The revised bill is expected to be submitted to the Diet in March following a government review initiated after Japan signed a U.N. convention on gender equality.

Community

• Kiku Gardens Retirement Home Dedicated in San Diego, page 1. The 100-unit San Diego retirement home project, with capacity for 600 residents, was dedicated Nov. 27 in ceremonies led by Moto Asakawa. Sponsoring organizations include San Diego JACL, Ocean View United Church of Christ, San Diego Buddhist Temple, Japanese Christian Church and Japanese American VFW Post 4851.
• Woos May Become 2nd Family of Delaware, page 2. Katy Woo, a Galileo High School graduate and wife of lieutenant governor candidate S.B. Woo, reflects on her political involvement and Chinese American heritage during a visit to San Francisco. A fund-raising dinner for S.B. Woo, endorsed by several Chinese American organizations, will be held Feb. 3 in Monterey Park.
• Michigan Sansei Computer Exec Named Among Most Influential, page 2. Rick Inatome, a Sansei from Detroit, has been named among the top 25 most influential executives in the computer industry by Computer Retail News. Starting Computer Mart in 1976, Inatome built Inacomp Computer Center Inc. into a major retail chain and now serves as an advisor to IBM and Microsoft.
• Women Judges Are Near-Majority on Superior Court Executive Committee, page 2. Women judges, including Judge Kathryn Doi Todd, came close to securing a majority on the Los Angeles Superior Court’s top policy-making committee after recent elections. About 10 percent of the court is female, yet women now hold 40 percent of the committee’s seats, prompting mixed reactions from male colleagues.
• L.A. Redevelopment Head Re-elected, page 2. Businessman Howard Nishimura was re-elected board chair of the Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency, a position he has held since being appointed by Mayor Tom Bradley in 1978. He previously chaired the Little Tokyo Community Development Advisory Committee and owns an accounting firm.
• ‘Cattle Rustler’ Has Pride in His Title, page 2. Luther Makekau, who calls himself Hawaii’s best cattle rustler, was arrested again this month on third-degree trespassing charges after an argument at a Kalapana store. The 85-year-old retired Parker Ranch horse-breaker has a decade-long history of court appearances for cattle rustling and brawling.
• All-Male Pacific Club Votes to Admit Women After 133 Years, page 3. Honolulu’s formerly all-male Pacific Club voted 70% in favor of admitting women to regular membership on Dec. 7, ending a 133-year tradition. President Philip P. Maxwell Jr. said a legislative threat to deny liquor licenses to clubs that exclude women likely influenced the vote.
• Contra Costa Slates Winter Activities, page 6. Contra Costa JACL announced 1984 scholarship application deadlines of March 15 and noted the resumption of its CARP aging and retirement program with a Jan. 27 presentation on ‘Coping.’ The chapter also reported that more than 75 people have contributed to redress pledges.
• Marin Shows Dresses for Redress, page 7. A holiday fashion show at Dominic’s Restaurant in San Rafael on Nov. 5 netted over $2,000 for Marin County JACL, funding its 1983 redress pledge to National JACL. The show featured designs by Masae Crossler and Jan Daijogo, with former Cherry Blossom Festival queens as models.

Incarceration & Redress

• Despite Ariyoshi Directive, Ethnic Imbalance in State Jobs Remains, by Sandra S. Oshiro, page 1. Three years after Hawaii Gov. George Ariyoshi committed his administration to affirmative action, ethnic imbalances persist in state hiring, particularly in higher-paying administrative jobs. Pilipinos, whites and Hawaiians remain underrepresented in full-time state jobs while Japanese Americans are overrepresented, a legacy of postwar employment patterns.
• Heart Mountain Camp Charter Published, page 9. ‘The Charter of the Heart Mountain Relocation Center, Wyoming,’ written by camp internees establishing self-government, has been published in a limited miniature edition by Santa Susana Press at Cal State Northridge. The publication reflects internee concerns and frustrations, with an introduction by David Perkins and illustrations by Irving Block.
• Award-Winning Stockton Series on Sale as Paperback ‘Other Side of Infamy’, page 9. ‘The Other Side of Infamy,’ an Associated Press award-winning series on the Japanese American community in Stockton during WWII internment, is now available in paperback. The book, a joint project of Stockton JACL and the Association of Asian American Educators, features interviews collected over five months documenting three generations’ experiences.

In-Depth

• A-Bomb Memorial Monument in Hiroshima to Be Rebuilt, page 1. The Atom Bombing Memorial Monument in Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park, built 31 years ago, is being reconstructed because it can no longer accommodate the growing list of atomic bomb victims and because its roof is damaged. The new monument, designed with input from architect Kenzo Tange, will include an air-conditioned, waterproof room to hold victim records expected to total 506,000.
• Little Tokyo Life (No. 1): ‘Little Nippon’, by Harry Honda, page 3. As part of a series marking Little Tokyo’s centennial, this column traces the origins of the name ‘Little Tokyo,’ noting an early reference to ‘Little Nippon’ by columnist Lee Shippey in 1929. Historical research suggests the area was already being called ‘Little Tokyo’ by locals and in Japanese publications as early as 1912.
• Travel Notes: Unique Adventures in Machu Picchu, by Misao Sakamoto, page 6. The author recounts a trip to Cuzco and Machu Picchu, Peru, including struggles with altitude sickness, visits to Inca ruins and Spanish colonial sites, and an encounter with a group of Mexican Mahikari religion followers on the train. The piece explores themes of cultural connection, sun worship across civilizations, and unexpected spiritual encounters.
• A Dialogue Between Masayo Duus and Toyoko Yamazaki, by Clifford Uyeda, page 8. This translated dialogue between author Toyoko Yamazaki and historian Masayo Duus explores the controversy over the title ‘Futatsu no Sokoku’ (Two Fatherlands), renamed ‘Sanga Moyu’ for NHK-TV, and its depiction of Japanese American WWII experiences including the 442nd, MIS, and atomic bombing. The two discuss wartime loyalty, racial prejudice, internment camps, and the ongoing redress movement.

JACL

• Asian/Pacific Educators Seek Nominees for Distinguished Public Service Award, page 2. The National Association of Asian and Pacific American Education is accepting nominations for its 1984 Distinguished Service Award, recognizing contributions to Asian and Pacific American educational concerns. Nominations, due Feb. 1, must be submitted by NAAPAE members with supporting documentation to chair Phil Hays in Boulder, Colorado.
• State APA Lawyers Swear In Officers, page 3. The Asian/Pacific Bar of California, with about 800 members statewide, installed Teresa Tan as president along with other new officers on Jan. 14. The organization comprises ten APA bar associations and recently participated as a friend of the court in the Korematsu coram nobis case.
• 1984 Chapter Installations, page 7. Several JACL chapters announced installation dinners for early 1984, including a joint Marina/Torrance/Venice-Culver dinner, San Fernando Valley’s event featuring Judge Robert Takasugi, San Jose’s dinner with Sen. Spark Matsunaga, and San Francisco’s dinner honoring Fred Korematsu and Sansei legal team members Lorraine Bannai and Russell Matsumoto. Sequoia chapter’s dinner will honor friends who assisted wartime internees.
• JACL Credit Union Marks 40th Year, page 7. The National JACL Credit Union will hold its annual meeting Feb. 18 in Salt Lake City, marking the organization’s 40th anniversary since its founding in 1943 to assist members during wartime years. The credit union now holds more than $5.5 million in assets and recently remodeled its office.

Sports

• Doi Is Cal Sports Exec, page 2. Ken Doi, 50, was named executive vice president of California Sports after being recruited by longtime friend and sports impresario Jerry Buss. Doi previously served four years as administrative liaison for the Los Angeles Kings and will now work directly with California Sports head Lou Baumeister.

Arts & Entertainment

• East West Players Tackle New ‘Amer-Asian’ Play, page 3. Velina Houston’s prize-winning play ‘Asaga Kimashita,’ based on her parents’ and grandparents’ true story, opens Jan. 25 at East West Players in Los Angeles. The play won two national awards from the Kennedy Center, and its sequel ‘American Dream’ premieres the same week in New York.
• Japan America Theatre a Major Site for 1984 Olympic Arts Festival, page 3. The Japan America Theatre at JACCC will host seven special events as part of the multi-cultural Olympic Arts Festival running June 1-Aug. 12, including Kodo drummers and a Bugaku performance from Nara. Tickets went on sale Jan. 13 for what is billed as the largest arts event held in the U.S.
• Youth Worker Writes First Novel About Growing Up and Forming Values, by Mei Nakano, page 9. Sansei author Gregory Uba has written his first novel, ‘Is a Mountain Just a Rock?’, aimed at pre-teens and exploring themes of values and understanding through the eyes of a 12-year-old white suburban girl. Uba, a former teacher and youth-care worker, says he wrote from the perspective of the young people he works with most closely.

Military & Veterans

• 442/MIS Exhibits Go to Pearl Harbor, page 3. The Go For Broke/Yankee Samurai exhibit is headed to the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial Museum in Pearl Harbor after successful showings at several mainland venues. Due to space limitations, the exhibit will be shown in two phases, with the 100/442 exhibit first and the Military Intelligence Service exhibit later in the year.

Commentary

• Working for Peace, by Diane Narasaki, page 4. This guest column argues that Asian and Pacific Americans have long worked for peace, but racism and immigration policy have obscured or endangered that work, citing historical examples from Chinese Exclusion to WWII internment. It discusses the Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific Movement and argues peace work must be linked with justice issues like poverty and racism.
• A Sympathetic Ear, page 4. This editorial discusses San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros’s supportive response to JACL’s request for assistance with redress legislation, including a pledge to consider issuing a statement and contacting Rep. Henry B. Gonzalez. The piece urges JACL members across the country to make similar contacts with influential figures to build national support for redress.
• East Wind: Yamaguchi-ken – A Japanese Inn, by Bill Marutani, page 4. Columnist Bill Marutani recounts staying at a traditional Japanese ryokan after 14 years, describing the customs, amenities, and minor inconveniences of inn life including futons, hard pillows, and communal baths. He concludes that despite the adjustments required, it remains a wonderful way to experience Japan.
• Letters to the Editor: HR 4110, by Frank Sakamoto, page 5. A letter writer notes that a congressman’s office had not received a single letter from Japanese American constituents regarding the Civil Liberties Act of 1983 (HR 4110), suggesting apathy. The writer urges Nisei to write to Congress and encourage friends to do the same in support of redress.
• Letters to the Editor: Redress from Japan, by E. Jisuyama, page 5. Responding to a prior column by Kiyoaki Murata, this letter writer argues that since Japan started the war that led to internment, there may be a basis for demanding reparation payments from Japan itself. The writer suggests this could help the U.S.-Japan trade balance and ease bilateral tensions.
• From the Frying Pan: Issei Oral History Project, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. This column details the history and achievements of the Issei Oral History Project, begun in 1969 by Rev. Heihachiro Takarabe, which overcame language and logistical challenges to collect over 180 interviews. The project’s work culminated in the book ‘The Issei: Portrait of a Pioneer,’ edited by Eileen Sunada Sarasohn, with a follow-up volume on Issei women in progress.

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