JACL board meeting, Contra Costa redress and the Tokyo quake

Vol. 95, No. 17, October 22, 1982. 12 pages. View this issue

The JACL National Board met in San Francisco on Oct. 8 to 10, and its decisions filled the middle of this 12-page issue: a $100,000 Redress Committee budget for 1982-83, a videotape project for the Aging and Retirement Committee, and a contract for Ron Ikejiri as Washington representative. On the front page, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution backing JACL’s redress efforts, and Arthur J. Goldberg told Judge William Marutani that a writ of coram nobis would be fruitless. Bill Hosokawa’s convention keynote on volunteerism and William Hohri’s critique of Hosokawa’s book ran on the inside pages.

Other pages looked at Japan, with a continuing series on the risk of a major earthquake in Tokyo. Clifford Uyeda gave his report as outgoing PC Board chair, and the issue carried news of the Monterey Peninsula JACL’s 50th anniversary, a Heart Mountain slide show at CSU Los Angeles, and Astronaut Ellison Onizuka’s scheduled flight in fall 1983.

What’s in this issue

Incarceration & Redress

• Contra Costa Board Backs Redress, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution on Sept. 14 supporting JACL’s efforts to seek monetary compensation for Japanese Americans incarcerated during World War II. The resolution urged Congress to consider compensation and acknowledged that past injustices should be rectified.
• CSULA Slates Slide Show of Heart Mountain Relocation Center, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A slide show of scenes from the Heart Mountain Relocation Center, previously shown at the first all-camp reunion, will be repeated Oct. 29 at CSU Los Angeles. Organizer Bacon Sakatani said draft resister Frank Emi will speak about his experiences, and Sakatani is trying to get a JACL representative to present their side of the story.
• Goldberg Says Writ of Coram Nobis Would Be ‘Fruitless’, page 1. Former Supreme Court Justice Arthur J. Goldberg told fellow Commission member Judge William Marutani that attempting to reopen the Korematsu decision through a writ of error coram nobis would be fruitless given the Supreme Court’s reluctance to reopen old cases. Goldberg argued Korematsu has already been discredited in the ‘court of history’ and effectively overruled by later decisions like Bolling vs. Sharpe.
• Canadian Camp Teacher Feted, page 2. Hide Shimizu, who taught thousands of Japanese Canadian children in British Columbia relocation camps during WWII, was awarded the Order of Canada for her wartime service. A former student, Peter Kurita, nominated her for the honor and expressed gratitude that his education did not suffer during the camp years.
• NCRR Plans for ‘Remembrance’ in ’83, page 3. The National Coalition for Redress and Reparations will hold a meeting Oct. 23 to discuss plans for a 1983 Day of Remembrance, scheduled for Feb. 19, 1983. Interested organizations are welcome to provide input at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center meeting.

Community

• Kimochi Home Project Moving Along But More Funds Needed, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Construction of the $1.3 million Kimochi Home Project, an adult day center in San Francisco, has been underway since February but more donations are needed to avoid a maximum bank loan. The organization must raise $350,000 by the end of construction to own its land and building as a non-profit.
• Nikkei Named to Calif. History Panel, page 2. Nadine I. Hata, the first and only Asian American on the State Historical Resources Commission, has been elected to her second term as chairperson. Hata, a Honolulu-born Yonsei and history professor at El Camino College, was first appointed by Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. in 1976.
• Kitano Notes Intermarriages Among Asians Still on Rise, page 2. UCLA professor Dr. Harry Kitano’s research shows intermarriage rates among Asian Americans continuing to rise, with Japanese Americans showing some of the highest rates. The article explores sociological reasons behind intermarriage trends, including assimilation pressures and differing views between generations and genders.
• Chicago JA Service Committee Dinner Termed Successful, page 2. The 12th annual Fuji Festival banquet held by the Japanese American Service Committee at the Chicago Hyatt Regency was a success, honoring Richard Yamada and Yoji Ozaki. The event featured the Suzuki Orchestra and tenor William Notehelfer performing Japanese classics.
• UJCS in S.F. Names Board of Directors, page 2. United Japanese Community Services in San Francisco, comprised of JCYC, Kimochi Kai and the Japanese American Media Workshop, elected its board of directors for 1982-83. Vivian Ho-Lem was elected president.
• UCLA’s Amerasia Journal Focuses on New Research in History, page 3. UCLA’s Asian American Studies Center published its August 1982 Amerasia Journal issue focused on new Chinese American and Japanese American history research, marking the centennial of the Chinese Exclusion Act. Articles include Shirley Hune’s examination of the Exclusion Act’s politics and Jere Takahashi’s study of Nisei political perspectives in the 1920s-40s.
• Legal Defense and Ed. Fund Founded, page 3. The Asian Pacific Legal Defense and Education Fund (APLDEF) was incorporated in Los Angeles in response to increased discrimination cases against Asian Americans, spearheaded by the Friends of Carole Fujita Committee. The nonprofit will provide counseling, legal assistance, and education regarding discrimination based on race, sex, religion or national origin.
• Kikumura to Speak at Selanoco Potluck, page 8. Akemi Kikumura, author of ‘Through the Harsh Winters: The Life of a Japanese Immigrant Woman,’ will be the guest speaker at the Selanoco JACL fall potluck dinner meeting on Nov. 6 at Rio Hondo College.
• Monterey JACL Fetes 50th, page 8. The Monterey Peninsula JACL celebrated its 50th anniversary Sept. 18 at the Monterey Holiday Inn with 356 guests, including eight of the original 18 charter members. Keynote speaker Dr. David Yamada discussed the chapter’s future, proposing efforts to attract youth and new leadership while continuing cultural programs and redress activities.
• Pioneer Fund Helps Fund JACL Film, page 8. The Pioneer Fund of Inverness, Ca. granted JACL $2,500 to help filmmaker Steven Okazaki complete ‘Shy Girls: The Return of the Hiroshima Maidens,’ currently in production.

National

• Japan Scientists Warn Tokyo May Be Hit by Massive Quake, page 1. Japanese civil defense experts and seismologists warn that Tokyo is due for a major earthquake, citing historical patterns since the 1923 Great Kanto earthquake that killed 143,000 people. Government officials estimate a similar quake today could kill at least 36,000 people and leave 4 million homeless, prompting Japan to spend billions on countermeasures.
• Korean Students in S.F. Stage Protest Over Japan Textbooks, page 1. Nearly 250 Korean Student Union demonstrators marched through San Francisco’s Nihonmachi on Oct. 9 to protest Japan’s revision of World War II history textbooks. Organizer Jong Min Lee said Japan should not be allowed to distort history, and protestors displayed grisly war photos near JACL National Headquarters.
• Astronaut Onizuka Ready for Fall ’83, page 2. NASA astronaut Ellison Onizuka, a Sansei from Hawaii, is scheduled to fly on the fifth space shuttle Columbia mission in fall 1983. Onizuka, a U.S. Air Force captain, was the first astronaut of Asian ancestry and the first from Hawaii when selected by NASA in 1978.
• VA Not Serving Women, Says Inouye, page 4. A GAO report requested by Sen. Daniel K. Inouye found the Veterans Administration has failed to adequately provide medical care for the nation’s 742,000 female veterans. The report cited lack of privacy, insufficient gynecological exams, no care for normal pregnancy and childbirth, and inadequate outreach to female veterans.
• U.S. Auto Companies May Rely on Japan to Build Small Cars, page 4. General Motors announced plans to rely on Japanese manufacturers for small car production, citing a $1,500-$1,700 per unit cost advantage. Industry analysts see this as part of a broader trend toward global auto companies, with Ford and Chrysler also using Japanese-made components and engines.
• Hitachi Requests Change of Venue, page 4. Hitachi, Ltd. asked that its trial on conspiracy charges involving stolen IBM trade secrets be moved from San Jose to San Francisco, citing local prejudice due to the high-tech jury pool and adverse pretrial publicity. Hitachi also sought dismissal based on alleged IBM ties among grand jurors who indicted the company.
• 27 Million Japanese to Be 65 or Over, page 5. A Japanese demographic study projects that by 2025, 27 million people, or more than 21% of Japan’s population, will be 65 or older. Expert Daisaku Maeda noted Japan is expected to surpass the United States in the percentage of elderly population by 1990.
• Tokyo Most Costly City in the World, page 5. A Union Bank of Switzerland study found Tokyo has the world’s highest price level index for a market basket of goods among 47 major cities surveyed. Food prices in Tokyo are nearly twice as high as in New York, and up to ten times more expensive than in Jakarta.
• U.S. Most Vital Partner for Japan, page 5. Japan’s ‘Diplomatic Blue Book for 1982’ reaffirms the United States as Japan’s most important partner while noting Japanese insularity as a problem for foreign relations. The annual review was prepared before the controversy over Japanese history textbook revisions broke out in July.
• Mitsukoshi Head Fired for Scandals, page 5. Shigeru Okada, president of Mitsukoshi Ltd., Japan’s oldest department store chain, was fired and demoted following scandals including an exhibition of fake Persian art treasures. The company’s board voted unanimously against him amid declining profits despite increased sales.
• Mutant Silkworms Made to Spin Paper, page 5. Zen priest Masahisa Ishiko of Kyoto’s Daiyuin Temple developed a mutant silkworm variety that spins flat sheets of silk paper instead of cocoons, reviving an ancient Chinese papermaking technique. Nobel laureate Dr. Linus Pauling reportedly exclaimed ‘Incredible!’ upon seeing the silkworm paper.
• Japanese Ads Show Country’s Fascination of Western Look, page 5. Japanese advertisers increasingly use foreign, often American, models to sell products, reflecting a cultural fascination with the West dating back to the Meiji Restoration. Advertising executives say foreign faces attract attention and lend products an image of glamour and quality, with dark-haired foreign models now in particular demand.
• Japan Business to Grow in Chicago, page 5. Japanese business travel to Chicago is expected to increase significantly when Japan Air Lines and United Airlines begin direct flights from Tokyo in April. Hilton Hotels estimates the new service could bring tens of thousands of additional Japanese visitors to the city annually.
• Japan May End Limits on Car Exports, page 5. Japanese business and government leaders doubt whether Japan’s self-imposed limit on car exports to the U.S. will be extended beyond next spring, according to the Detroit Free Press. Federation of Economic Organizations official Masaya Miyoshi said the export quotas should be abolished given improving conditions for Detroit automakers.
• Japan’s Earthquake Preparations Examined, page 6. Continuing coverage of Tokyo’s earthquake risk describes scientific monitoring systems, historical earthquake cycles, and economic preparations by Japanese banks and government. A researcher warns a major quake could cause business failures and corporate mergers due to the concentration of corporate headquarters in Tokyo.

Obituaries

• Seattle Leader Mihara Dies at 92, page 2. Genji Mihara, an active member of Seattle’s Nikkei community who was once honored by Emperor Hirohito, died Oct. 4 at age 92. He served as an elder of the First Presbyterian Church, was a charter member of several Japanese organizations, and won an imperial poetry contest in 1957.

Military & Veterans

• Matsunaga Pushes for Peace Academy During Seattle Banquet, page 2. U.S. Sen. Spark Matsunaga urged the creation of a national Peace Academy at the Seattle JACL’s awards dinner, citing his effort to establish such an institution alongside military academies. He also spoke about the history of discrimination against Asian Americans, including WWII incarceration, and honored nine citizens and two agencies at the event.

Commentary

• Cliff’s Corner: Biennial PC Board Report, by Dr. Clifford Uyeda, page 6. Outgoing PC Board Chair Clifford Uyeda reports on the 1980-82 biennium, detailing disputes with the National Board over editorial control of the Pacific Citizen and control of subscription fee remittances. Uyeda argues the PC Board must retain autonomy over hiring and finances to preserve editorial freedom, and recommends district discussion before pursuing a constitutional amendment.
• Letters: Watch Those Slights, by Marvin Kroner, page 6. A reader criticizes the Pacific Citizen for mentioning that Donna Kei Benz’s stepfather was Jewish in a prior article, questioning why religion was highlighted. The writer, a longtime JACL supporter, hopes such references will not recur.
• Letters: Retirement Video, by Roz and John Enomoto, page 6. Readers praise Youth Representative Paul Nakasone for introducing a motion to proceed with the Aging and Retirement video project despite procedural delays from district board members. The letter urges the National Board to act decisively on meaningful programs rather than get bogged down in procedural details.
• By the Board: ‘Divine’ Winds, by Ron Shibata, page 6. Ron Shibata recounts how a sudden New Mexico thunderstorm destroyed festival booths the night before the Albuquerque JACL chapter’s annual Omatsuri event in August. Chapter members rebuilt everything within hours using nails, wire and ingenuity, and the festival proceeded successfully the next day with 8,000 attendees.
• Fun in an Orderly Fashion, page 7. A columnist in Denver describes an undokai (picnic/athletic day) organized by the local Japanese community for children attending a Sunday Japanese language school. The writer reflects on what Japanese Americans can learn from the organization, enthusiasm and community spirit shown by Japanese nationals temporarily living in Denver.
• NCJAR Leader Reviews JACL Story, by William Hohri, page 7. William Hohri of the National Council for Japanese American Redress critiques Bill Hosokawa’s book ‘JACL in Quest of Justice’ as a biased, revisionist history that excludes Issei from the term ‘Japanese American’ and glosses over JACL’s wartime cooperation with the FBI against fellow Japanese Americans. Hohri cites FBI documents showing JACL members informed on individuals and argues the book fails to credit NCJAR’s role in initiating the modern redress movement.
• Volunteerism: The Force That Powers JACL, by Bill Hosokawa, page 10. In his 1982 JACL Convention keynote address, Bill Hosokawa honors Minoru Yasui and Shig Wakamatsu while recounting the history of volunteer sacrifice among JACL’s founding leaders, including Jimmie Sakamoto, Saburo Kido, and Dr. Thomas Yatabe. Hosokawa closes with stories of refugee children who chose to move forward rather than seek revenge, drawing a parallel to JACL volunteers’ resilience despite wartime injustices.

JACL

• Nat’l Bd. Decides on Redress Budget, Aging & Retirement, page 8. The JACL National Board met Oct. 8-10 in San Francisco and adopted a $100,000 Redress Committee budget for 1982-83, along with a videotape project for the Aging and Retirement Committee. The Board also addressed revisions among volunteer committees and staff, including Ron Ikejiri’s new status as an independent contractor.
• NCWNPDC Fetes Honor Students, page 8. The Northern California-Western Nevada-Pacific District Council announced recipients of its 1982 scholastic awards recognizing outstanding high school students who are district members or children of members. Plaques were awarded to five students with GPAs ranging from 3.45 to 3.97.
• Pasadena JACL Grants Scholarship, page 8. The Pasadena JACL’s 1982 Scholarship Award was granted to Dale Hozaki, son of Mr. and Mrs. Shigemi Hozaki, at the Pasadena Cultural Institute Bazaar on Oct. 10. Dale has shown leadership in school, scouting, church and community services.
• Aging/Retirement: Retirement Video Project, by Dr. Michael Ego, page 9. Dr. Michael Ego, chair of the Aging and Retirement Committee, describes the National Board’s approval of a video-cassette project directed by Emmy Award winner Henry Ushijima with a budget of $17,000. The project will highlight the lives of older Nisei and address myths and realities of Nisei aging, with completion targeted for February 1983.
• National Board Debate on Aging/Retirement Funding, page 9. The National Board debated and ultimately approved $13,000 plus an additional contingent amount for the Aging and Retirement Committee’s video project after lengthy discussion over budget specifics. The motion passed 9-7 with Youth Representative Paul Nakasone crafting the compromise wording.
• Board Continued: D.C. Contractor, Regional Director, Committee Chairs, page 12. The National Board approved a contract making Ron Ikejiri an independent contractor as Washington D.C. Representative, compensated $48,000 annually, and reclassified Karen Seriguchi as the new PNWDC Regional Director. Several committee chairs were confirmed while others, including Ways and Means and Veterans Affairs, remain vacant.

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