Redress payments, Time magazine’s errors and a new JACL vice president

Vol. 108, No. 18, May 12, 1989. 8 pages. View this issue

The front page carried news about redress. At a signing ceremony on April 26, Colorado Gov. Roy Romer signed House Bill 1263, which ensured that redress payments would not affect recipients’ eligibility for state social services. Members of the Mile-Hi JACL watched, among them Bill Hosokawa. JACL National Director Bill Yoshino wrote to Time magazine to correct a report that Japanese Americans had already received $20,000 checks, and the editorial on page 4 took up the same error. Also on page 1, Helen Kawagoe was appointed JACL vice president of 1000 Club/Membership & Services, succeeding Bob Sakaguchi.

Inside are columns by Bill Hosokawa, on the Denver swimming instructor Harry ‘Ukulele’ Murakami, and by Bill Marutani, on Chinese and Japanese readings of kanji. Page 8 reports that JACL National President Cressey Nakagawa welcomed an Office of Management and Budget decision clearing the way for redress payments, and that Fresno JACL planned to honor six scholarship recipients. The issue also covers a Denver scholarship program for Southeast Asian refugee students, and preparations for the 1990 census.

What’s in this issue

Incarceration & Redress

• Redress Recipients in Colorado Hail Passage of Bill, by P.C. Staff, page 1. At a signing ceremony in Colorado Gov. Roy Romer’s office, House Bill 1263 was signed into law to ensure that redress payments would not affect recipients’ eligibility for state social services. The bill passed with strong bipartisan support in the Colorado legislature, following testimony from Mile-Hi JACL chapter members including Bob Horiuchi and Bill Hosokawa.
• Error in Time Prompts Letter from National Director, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL National Director Bill Yoshino wrote to Time magazine to correct a report claiming Japanese Americans had already received $20,000 redress checks. Yoshino clarified that while Reagan signed the redress legislation in August 1988, no payments have actually been made pending congressional appropriation.

National

• Asian Minority Community Being Prepped for 1990 Census, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Chicago’s Census Community Outreach Network launched a year-long program to improve minority participation in the 1990 census, with Mayor Richard Daley stressing the funding implications of undercounts. JACL National Director Bill Yoshino, vice chair of the Chicago Commission on Asian American Affairs, emphasized the need for multilingual outreach to overcome language barriers and fear among Asian American communities.
• JACL Responds to Company Selling ‘Racist’ Comic Books, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Civil Rights Caucus/Ethnic Concerns Committee of the Pacific Southwest District Council sent a letter to Eclipse Comics expressing concern over a WWII-era comic reprint depicting Japanese people with racist stereotypes. The committee asked for stronger disclaimers or restricted sales rather than outright cessation of publication.
• Cranston-Levine Forms Cal.-Pacific Rim Panel, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Rep. Mel Levine, Sen. Alan Cranston, and Lt. Gov. Leo McCarthy established Cal-Pac 2000, a task force focused on California’s relationship with the Pacific Rim. The panel will issue policy recommendations and work with business and community leaders to develop a legislative agenda.
• Law Anthology Being Prepared for May ’90, by P.C. Staff, page 2. An anthology examining Asian Americans and the law, covering historical and ongoing impacts of race, gender, and class ideologies, is being prepared for publication in May 1990. Professor Philip Tajitsu Nash of CUNY Law School is coordinating submissions, with abstracts and bibliographies due before a July 30 draft deadline.
• Dallas Times Backs Chinese Scientist’s Bid for Green Card, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Dallas Times Herald editorialized in support of Dr. Robert Chao, a China-born scientist seeking a green card to continue medical research at UT Southwestern Medical School. Chao had previously suffered persecution in China after joking about Chairman Mao’s wife, before eventually emigrating to the U.S. with his family.
• American Jewish Committee Partners With Japan JACL on Cultural Exchange, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Leaders of the American Jewish Committee met with Japan JACL leaders in Tokyo to establish a cultural exchange program through the Japan Center for International Exchange, with young Americans visiting Japan and young Japanese leaders visiting the U.S. in 1990. The AJC’s new Pacific Rim Institute aims to combat stereotyping of Japanese people and strengthen ties between the two countries.

JACL

• Helen Kawagoe Appointed to Succeed Bob Sakaguchi as Nat’l JACL ‘Veep’, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Helen Kawagoe of Carson, Calif. was appointed JACL vice president of 1000 Club/Membership & Services, replacing Bob Sakaguchi who resigned due to family and work demands. National JACL President Cressey Nakagawa praised Kawagoe’s loyalty and expects her to boost membership, especially in Southern California.
• Focusing Our Efforts, by Bill Yoshino, JACL National Director, page 5. JACL President Cressey Nakagawa convened a meeting of committee chairs to identify priority areas for the organization’s biennial workplan, covering external issues like anti-Asian violence and internal matters like fundraising and membership development. Key committee leaders including Lillian Kimura, Henry Tanaka, and Jonathan Kaji outlined their objectives for the coming term.
• OMB Stance Clears Way for Redress, by P.C. Staff, page 8. JACL National President Cressey Nakagawa praised an Office of Management and Budget decision that redress legislation does not require identifying all eligible individuals before payments can begin. Nakagawa expressed optimism about the $250 million supplemental appropriation for 1989 given growing congressional support.

Community

• Art Institute’s East Asian Gallery to be Expanded, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Japanese government donated $1 million toward expanding the East Asian art gallery at the Art Institute of Chicago, presented by Consul General Haruhiko Shibuya. The gallery houses 35,000 items including a major collection of Ukiyoe woodblock prints and Chinese and Korean ceramics.
• NYK Line to Build Container Port in L.A., by P.C. Staff, page 2. Nippon Yusen Kaisha announced plans to build its own exclusive-use container terminal at Terminal Island, as revealed by Mayor Bradley during an 11-day trade mission to Asia. This will be NYK’s first exclusive-use terminal in America.
• Calif. Central Coast JACL Chapters to Honor Panetta, Mello, Shipnuck, by Fred K. Oshima, page 2. Five Northern California-Western Nevada-Pacific District Council JACL chapters are hosting an appreciation dinner in Monterey honoring Rep. Leon Panetta, State Sen. Henry Mello, and Supervisor Barbara Shipnuck for their support of redress legislation. National JACL President Cressey Nakagawa will be the keynote speaker at the May 20 event.
• Playwright to Speak to Asian Lawyers, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Tony Award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang will speak at the Asian Law Caucus’ 17th anniversary celebration in San Francisco on May 20. Hwang will discuss civil rights, racism, sexism and how artists can generate dialogue leading to social action.
• Denver’s JA Community Scholarship Program to Include Awards for S.E. Asians, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Denver’s Japanese American Community Graduation Program will award 11 scholarships worth $500 each to Southeast Asian refugee students, funded by the Nisei Student Relocation Commemorative Fund established in gratitude for help given to Japanese Americans during WWII incarceration. The program, now in its 34th year, will award over $20,000 in scholarships at a June 10 event.
• Turlock Social Club Continues Civic, Community and Scholarship Support, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Turlock Social Club, incorporated in 1925, voted to continue funding scholarships and contribute to local organizations including the JACL Legislative Educational Committee for redress payments. The club also announced plans to relocate a historical monument at the former Merced Assembly Center and elected new officers for the year.
• Pacific Square’s July Festival in Gardena Marks 14th Year for Shopping Center, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Pacific Square Shopping Center in Gardena will celebrate its 14th anniversary with the Tanabata Matsuri Star Festival on July 8-9, including a 5K run and fun walk. Gardena has the highest concentration of Japanese residents in the mainland United States, with about 25% of its population of Japanese ancestry.
• UC Japanese Alumni Cagers Plan Reunion, by P.C. Staff, page 5. A reunion of UC Japanese Students’ Club basketball teams from the 1930s will be held in Berkeley, bringing together teammates who played 50 years ago. The 1937-38 team won the Northern California JAAU championship during an era of strong Bay Area Japanese American basketball leagues.
• San Francisco Community Youth Council Celebration for 18th Anniversary to Feature ‘Great Leap’ Show, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Japanese Community Youth Council will celebrate its 18th anniversary with an exclusive performance of Talk Story—Chapter 2 by Great Leap. JCYC has served pre-teens and teens in San Francisco’s Western Addition since 1970 through tutoring, counseling, and various enrichment programs.
• Illinois Governor Issues Asian American Heritage Proclamation, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Illinois Gov. James R. Thompson proclaimed May as Asian American Heritage Month, citing the contributions of the state’s 350,000 Asian Americans to government, science, education, and commerce. A reception will be held at the State of Illinois Center in Chicago to honor the occasion.
• Deadline Stress Topic at Next AAJA Seminar, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Los Angeles chapter of the Asian American Journalists Association is hosting a free seminar on overcoming job burnout and stress featuring motivational speaker Danielle Kennedy. The 90-minute program will also cover time management and goal-setting skills.
• Japan Tourists Spending $586 a Day in Hawaii, by P.C. Staff, page 6. A Hawaii Visitors Bureau survey found Japanese tourists spent an average of $586 a day in 1988, nearly five times the spending of mainland U.S. tourists. First Hawaiian Bank economist Gregory Pai attributed the surge partly to increased availability of expensive signature merchandise in Honolulu shops.
• The Newsmakers, by P.C. Staff, page 6. This roundup column features brief news items on various Japanese Americans including spelling bee champion Katy Higa, sumo wrestler Vince Divoux, newly appointed judge Steven Suzukawa, TV producer Sylvia Komatsu, and several Hawaii gubernatorial appointees. It also recognizes the crew of United Airlines flight 811 who helped passengers survive a 1989 mid-air incident.
• Fresno JACL to Honor Six Scholarship Awardees, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Fresno JACL will present six scholarships at its annual award dinner on May 21, with recipients including Blaine Hashimoto, Pamela Takahashi, and Travis Makoto Takeuchi. The scholarships range from $400 to $2,000 and are named after various community figures.
• Horseshoe Contest Opens Stockton JACL Picnic, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The annual Stockton JACL Community picnic will be held May 28 at Micke Grove Park featuring horseshoe competition, races for various age groups, and a senior citizens treasure hunt. Multiple committee members are organizing races, prizes, and gate activities.
• Berkeley Teacher to Head Hawaii’s Asian Studies, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Dr. Mark Juergensmeyer, UC Berkeley’s coordinator of Religious Studies Program, was named the first permanent dean of the University of Hawaii School for Hawaiian, Asian and Pacific Studies. The school encompasses 11 academic units covering various Asian and Pacific regional studies programs.

Arts & Entertainment

• Japanese Canadian Art Works Gathered for Major Exhibit, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Burnaby Art Gallery’s exhibit ‘Shikata ga Nai’ featuring 10 Japanese Canadian artists explored themes of identity and the 1942 internment, though critics noted most works addressed identity more broadly than internment specifically. The one-month exhibition included works by sculptor Bryce Kanbara, who curated the show, along with several other artists.
• Visual Communications Presenting Fourth Asian Pacific American Int’l Film Festival, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The fourth Los Angeles Asian Pacific American International Film Festival runs from May 13 to June 10 at UCLA’s Melnitz Theatre, presenting films by and about Asian and Asian Pacific American subjects. The festival features works including Survivors, Night Bell, and Der Elvis, among many others.
• ‘Great Leap’ Musical Debut Set for San Francisco and L.A. Theatre Stage, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Talk Story—Chapter Two, a musical produced by Great Leap Inc., will debut in San Francisco before opening at the Los Angeles Theatre Center on June 9. The production, created by Nobuko Miyamoto and Jose De Vega, combines three earlier works with six new world premieres and features choreography by Young Ae Park.
• Briefly Noted: The Forbidden Stitch, by Harry K. Honda, page 5. A book review covers ‘The Forbidden Stitch: An Asian American Women’s Anthology,’ featuring works by 70 Asian American women writers and artists including Yoshiko Uchida and Mitsuye Yamada. The anthology, described as groundbreaking, took years to compile after a 1985 call for manuscripts.

Commentary

• Editorial: Time Magazine’s Errors on Redress, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial criticizes Time magazine for erroneously reporting that Japanese Americans had already received $20,000 redress checks, when in fact no payments had been distributed and the legislation was signed less than a year earlier, not two years prior. The piece calls for the Japanese American community to unite in telling its story and push for completion of redress funding rather than engage in internal disputes over credit.
• Remember the Past, by Norio Mitsuoka, page 4. A letter to the editor reflects on how WWII divided Nisei opinion on the rightful path forward, creating rancor among individuals. The writer argues that understanding the past collectively can help build a future free of that rancor for future generations.
• The Man Who Taught Kids to Swim, by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. This column remembers Harry ‘Ukulele’ Murakami, a Nisei swimming instructor known for decades of teaching children to swim in Denver, who died at age 93. Despite a baseball and football background, Murakami found his calling teaching swimming at the YMCA and University of Denver, impacting an estimated 30,000 people.
• Chinese, Japanese & Nippon, by Bill Marutani, page 4. This column explores the etymology and pronunciation differences between Chinese and Japanese readings of kanji characters, using the example of the character ‘sha’ meaning thanks. The author muses on the complexities of language, measurement units like su’n and shaku, and expresses admiration for how Koreans maintained a distinct language despite historical Chinese and Japanese influence.

Military & Veterans

• Community Leaders Heap Plaudits on Venerable MIS Instructor Shig Kihara, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Shigeya Kihara, former instructor at the Military Intelligence Service Language School, was honored at a testimonial dinner in San Francisco for his 33 years of service and contributions to the Nikkei community. He received numerous awards and certificates from dignitaries including Gov. Deukmejian and Congressman Norman Mineta, and new MIS Association officers were elected for 1989-91.

Obituaries

• Frank H. Saito, DDS, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Frank H. Saito, a 76-year-old dentist from San Leandro, Calif., died of cancer on April 24. An Army veteran and former Eden Township JACL president, he practiced dentistry in San Leandro for 35 years and was active in several community organizations.

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