Convention preview, redress workshop and Nisei Week, July 1982

Vol. 95, No. 1, July 2, 1982. 8 pages. View this issue

The JACL 27th Biennial National Convention in Gardena was the focus of the front page. Japan’s Ambassador Yoshio Okawara was named keynote speaker for the Sayonara Banquet on Aug. 13, and Mike Masaoka was set to answer questions about JACL’s 1942 decisions at the Redress Workshop chaired by Min Yasui. Other convention items covered programming for single members and the Grand National Whing-Ding. The paper also reported on nine candidates for the 1982 Nisei Week Queen and on a Supreme Court ruling that rights disputes may go directly to federal court.

Inside are columns by Bill Hosokawa on U.S. Ambassador Mike Mansfield, Bill Marutani on racism between minorities, Ron Ikejiri on lobbying, and Chuck Kubokawa on the Nikkei community in Lima. Harry Honda reviewed Roger Daniels’ comparison of the Japanese incarceration in the U.S. and Canada. Chapter scholarship news came from Florin, Fresno and Seattle, and Peter Imamura was named news editor.

What’s in this issue

JACL

• Japan Ambassador Okawara to Address JACL Sayonara Fete, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Japan’s Ambassador to the United States, Yoshio Okawara, will be the keynote speaker at the Sayonara Banquet during the JACL 27th Biennial National Convention in Gardena. The article details his long diplomatic career, including postings in the UK, Philippines, and as ambassador to Australia before his 1980 appointment to the U.S.
• JACL to Help Plan King Observance, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL will assist the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change in sponsoring the ‘I Have a Dream’ celebration marking the 1963 March on Washington. National Director Ron Wakabayashi announced that Ron Mori would serve as JACL’s representative at the event, continuing a tradition since Mike Masaoka and others participated in the original 1963 march.
• Masaoka to Attend Redress Workshop, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Mike Masaoka, former JACL Washington representative, will participate in a question-and-answer session at the Redress Workshop during the JACL National Convention, responding to questions about JACL’s 1942 decisions. The workshop, chaired by Min Yasui, invites members to submit questions in writing by Aug. 2.
• Only Ben Takeshita Named for V.P./General Operations, by PC Focus, page 1. Ben Takeshita of Contra Costa JACL is the lone nominee for national JACL Vice President for General Operations, bringing professional expertise from his role with the state Employment Development Department. The article details his extensive JACL involvement, community service, and background including military service in the Korean War and education at UC Berkeley.
• Pete Imamura Now News Editor, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Peter A. Imamura was named news editor of the Pacific Citizen as of June 1, beginning his 17th month on staff and taking charge of the entire news product. He is a charter board member of the Asian American Journalists Association.
• 1982 Convention Corner: Singles’ Tuesday & More, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The JACL National Convention in August will feature programming specifically for single members, including a Monday mixer, a Tuesday workshop panel on singles’ concerns moderated by Bebe Reschke, and reserved tables at the Thursday luau. Los Angeles-area singles organizations are helping plan the events, with a hospitality room open Tuesday afternoon.

Community

• Nine Candidates Vie for 1982 Nisei Week Queen, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Nine young women representing various Southern California JACL chapters and organizations are competing for the title of 1982 Nisei Week Queen in Los Angeles. The Coronation Ball will be held Aug. 7 at the Century Plaza Hotel.
• The Hawaii Times Publishes Weekly, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Hawaii Times Ltd. transitioned from daily to weekly publication with its first eight-page tabloid issued June 1. President Roy Kazuo Soga said the Japanese-language paper, founded in 1895, would modernize its format while maintaining its commercial printing and radio operations.
• UCLA Asian American Studies Center Plans Community Board, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Asian American Studies Center at UCLA announced plans to establish a community advisory board to guide research projects and activities, with a general meeting scheduled for July 17. The board aims to represent diverse backgrounds including grassroots organizations and recent immigrants, meeting quarterly to review and propose programs.
• ELA JACL Slates JWRO Steak-Fry Benefit, by P.C. Staff, page 3. East Los Angeles JACL will hold its 11th annual steak-fry benefit on July 11 at Barnes Park to support the JWRO social service agency. Proceeds will also benefit ELA JACL’s scholarship program.
• SJ Yu-Ai Kai Seeks Project Coordinator, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Yu-Ai Kai Senior Center in San Jose is seeking a bilingual project coordinator for a research project on convalescent care needs of Japanese American elderly, beginning in July. The position, funded through a city development grant, requires survey, interview, and outreach skills.
• Nisei Week Announces Events Calendar, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The 42nd Annual Nisei Week Festival in Little Tokyo will run Aug. 7-15, featuring a Grand Parade, Carnival, fashion show, coronation ball, and various cultural exhibits. The festival includes a 5K run, pioneer luncheon, and ondo dancing among its scheduled events.
• Korean-Owned Store Fire-Bombed in L.A., by P.C. Staff, page 3. A fire allegedly caused by arsonists damaged a health food store owned by a Korean American couple in Redondo Beach, with a hand-lettered sign reading ‘Go Back to Korea’ found at the scene. Arson investigators were called to investigate the estimated $60,000 in damages, though no injuries were reported.
• Florin JACL Awards $200 Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Florin JACL Chapter awarded its annual $200 scholarship to Sheri T. Taketa, a top-ranked graduate of Elk Grove High School who plans to study computer science at CSU Sacramento. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Steve Taketa.
• Fresno JACL Fetes Scholarship Winners, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Four local Fresno-area high school students received scholarships and achievement awards from Fresno JACL, including Greg Matsubara and Marla Y. Takeuchi. Sisters Ellen and Alice Shimada, now at UC San Diego, also won the Thomas T. Yatabe Junior Scholarship and the Fresno ALL/JACL Undergraduate Scholarship respectively.
• Seattle Picks 3 Graduate Awardees, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Seattle JACL presented three scholarships at its May 19 board meeting, including the Minoru Tamesa Memorial Scholarships to Kanako Egashira and Andrea Mano, and the Rev. Emery Andrews Memorial Scholarship to Christina Nakayama. The chapter also acknowledged a $2,500 addition to the Tamesa memorial scholarship fund and an anonymous $500 donation.
• PC People, by P.C. Staff, page 7. A roundup of community news briefs features individuals including Art Ito Jr., Frederick Katayama, Dorinne Kondo, Paul M. Saito, and Gail Hirata, covering their professional and academic achievements. Also noted are a memorial room dedication at Seattle’s NVC Memorial Clubhouse and Mollie Fujioka’s selection for a leadership training program.

National

• Japan Interest Groups Blast Fukai’s Remarks on Nationals, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Three organizations representing Japanese business interests in Southern California criticized Gardena City Councilman Mas Fukai for remarks he made about Japanese nationals in an L.A. Times article. The groups took out paid advertisements condemning his comments, while Fukai defended himself and questioned the community contributions of the groups criticizing him.
• Japan’s Suzuki Fears IBM Case May Threaten U.S.-Japan Trade, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Japan’s Prime Minister Zenko Suzuki expressed concern that an FBI sting operation involving Hitachi and Mitsubishi employees accused of stealing IBM trade secrets could harm U.S.-Japan trade relations. Nine people were arrested in California, including Japanese American Tom Yoshida, amid denials of wrongdoing from the Japanese firms.
• Justices Rule Rights Disputes May Go Directly to U.S. Courts, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Supreme Court ruled 7-2 that people alleging constitutional rights violations may sue in federal court without first exhausting state remedies. In a related 5-4 decision, the Court ruled that employers cannot defend against discrimination charges simply by showing they employed a sufficient statistical number of a protected group.
• House Approves Voting Rights Act Extension, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The House unanimously passed and sent to President Reagan a bill extending key sections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 for 25 years. The legislation also changes requirements for plaintiffs proving discriminatory intent and allows jurisdictions to escape federal oversight by demonstrating a clean voting rights record.
• KKK Recruiting Youths; Invisible Empire Grows, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Ku Klux Klan has adopted new tactics, downplaying overt violence while expanding beyond the Deep South and recruiting school-age children with a strategy capitalizing on perceived civil-rights backlash. The Invisible Empire faction, led by Bill Wilkinson, has grown through sophisticated mailing operations, and incidents of Klan-related harassment have occurred against Chinese American newspapers in California.
• Judge Upholds Denial of Visas for 315, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A U.S. District Judge upheld the government’s denial of visas to 315 anti-nuclear activists, mostly members of the Japanese group Gensuikyo, who sought to attend a UN disarmament assembly and peace rally. The ruling relied on a 1972 Supreme Court precedent regarding the government’s authority under immigration law.
• Japan’s ‘Gray Society’ May Cause Strains, by P.C. Staff, page 8. A Japanese researcher warned that Japan’s population will become the ‘grayest in the world’ within four decades, with those 65 and older projected to reach 23.8% of the population by 2025, up from 15.5% in 1980. The study’s author called for drastic measures to address anticipated declines in GNP growth and rising social security costs.
• Japan’s Exports Decreased in May, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Japan’s contracted exports fell 3.3% in May compared to a year earlier to $8.3 billion, marking the fifth consecutive monthly decline, according to the Finance Ministry and Bank of Japan. Exports to the U.S. rose 8% while exports to Western Europe fell 14%, with strong gains in automobiles, electric machinery, and steel.

Military & Veterans

• Sen. Inouye Heads List for July 11 Kickoff, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Sen. Daniel Inouye leads an array of civic leaders supporting the 100/442/MIS Museum Foundation’s July 11 kickoff luncheon at the Hyatt Regency in Los Angeles. Other notable supporters include Sen. Spark Matsunaga, Reps. Norman Mineta and Robert Matsui, Gov. Jerry Brown, and Mayor Tom Bradley.
• JA Woman Graduates from USAF Academy, by Dr. Frank Sakamoto, page 6. Nancy Kiyota of Fort Lupton graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy on June 2, becoming the second woman from her area to do so and part of the third class of women to graduate from the academy. She earned a biology degree, was commissioned as a second lieutenant, and competed on the women’s gymnastics team all four years.

Commentary

• UC Regent Wada Disturbed by Affirmative Action Report, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A UC administration report revealed minimal progress in minority and female faculty hiring over the past decade, disturbing Regent Yori Wada who called the affirmative action program ‘a disappointing failure.’ The report cited lack of availability of qualified candidates and low faculty turnover as contributing factors, with black representation among ladder-rank faculty remaining nearly static since 1973.
• Comparative View, by Harry Honda, page 4. Editor Harry Honda reviews Prof. Roger Daniels’ comparative analysis of Japanese incarceration in the U.S. and Canada during WWII, noting key constitutional differences such as Issei citizenship eligibility in Canada versus voting rights for Nisei in the U.S. Honda also notes Daniels’ observation that no Japanese Canadian ever achieved the national political prominence of U.S. figures like Sen. Inouye, and suggests the book could have given more attention to the MIS’s wartime intelligence contributions.
• An Offended Quaker, by Yasuo Ishida, M.D., page 4. A letter writer, a Quaker of 25 years, expresses outrage at a previous Pacific Citizen article by Barry Saiki that he considers offensive to Quakers and Mormons. He demands an apology from both the editorial staff and the author.
• Getting Accustomed to Lima, Peru (Part IV), by Chuck Kubokawa, page 4. Chuck Kubokawa continues his account of visiting Lima’s Nikkei community, describing a chance meeting with the president of the Yamanashi Kenjin-kai and attending the First International Nikkei Singing Contest. He also describes the Amano Museum and Japanese-Peruvian Cultural Museum, and details the founding meeting of the Pan American Nikkei Association (PANA).
• A Cup of Coffee with Mr. Ambassador, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Bill Hosokawa profiles U.S. Ambassador to Japan Mike Mansfield, describing his personal approach to diplomacy and his concerns about growing American protectionism amid U.S.-Japan trade tensions. Mansfield expresses respect for Japanese technology and work ethic while defending his bipartisan service under both Carter and Reagan administrations.
• Sputum and Bones, by Bill Marutani, page 5. Bill Marutani reflects on rare instances of racism he’s experienced from minority individuals, including being spat on during civil rights hearings and called a racial slur by a frustrated Black man. He criticizes Nikkei who practice racism against other minorities and warns against groups fighting each other over a ‘thrown bone’ rather than uniting to demand real change.
• ‘Quid Pro Quo’, by Ron Ikejiri, page 5. JACL Washington Representative Ron Ikejiri recounts a 1978 conversation with a senior Congress member explaining the fundamentals of lobbying, including the principle of reciprocity between lobbyists and legislators. He connects this to JACL’s redress efforts, urging active political participation in the 1982 elections to build legislative support.
• Thousanders’ Corner, by Dr. Frank Sakamoto, page 6. Dr. Frank Sakamoto previews entertainment planned for the Grand National Whing-Ding on Aug. 10 in Los Angeles, highlighting performances from Chicago, San Jose, Seabrook, and other chapters. He teases humorous acts promising to be memorable at the 27th Biennial convention event.

In-Depth

• Historian at L.A. Museum, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Dr. Mitsusada Inoue, former University of Tokyo professor of Japanese history and newly named president of Japan’s National Museum of History and Folklore, visited the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. He was welcomed by museum officials Dr. Harry Kelsey and Leon Arnold.

Arts & Entertainment

• Sansei Theater to Present ‘Fast Lane’, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Sansei Theater Company will present Lane Nishikawa’s one-man show ‘Life in the Fast Lane: Confessions for a Sansei Poet’ at the Odyssey Theatre from July 13 to Aug. 29. The acclaimed production draws on Nishikawa’s personal experiences growing up as a Sansei in America.

Incarceration & Redress

• 35 Years Ago in the Pacific Citizen, by P.C. Staff, page 4. A historical roundup from July 1947 includes items on a federal housing project reprieve for elderly Issei, the trial of accused war criminal Tomoya Kawakita, Omaha’s first JACL chapter, and Tule Lake renunciants winning release from custody. Also noted are JACL protests against racial classification in federal job terminations and Los Angeles JACL surpassing 400 members.

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