Immigration bill, redress and a 1983 start for JACL

Vol. 96, No. 1, January 7, 1983. 12 pages. View this issue

The Simpson-Mazzoli immigration bill led the news after it died in the lame-duck House session in December, with Sen. Simpson planning to bring it back in the new Congress. Redress stories shared the front page: the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians won a six-month extension, and San Francisco Supervisor Quentin Kopp proposed an ordinance for Japanese American former city workers. Columns by Bill Marutani and Mayumi Tsutakawa looked at New Year’s mochi-making, JACL’s purpose and press coverage of Asian Americans.

Elsewhere in these 12 pages are JACL National Scholarship packets for 1983, a new Washington, D.C. Leadership Program, a Rep. Norman Mineta speech in Chicago, and a Tri-District Conference set for Reno. Dr. Michael Ego remembered filmmaker Henry Ushijima, and a documentary on actor Yuki Shimoda, from Tule Lake to the screen, received a $1,000 award.

What’s in this issue

National

• Simpson-Mazzoli Immigration Bill Is Down, But It’s Not Out, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Simpson-Mazzoli immigration reform bill died in the lame-duck House session in December but House aides say the obstacles that killed it are not as formidable as they appear. Sen. Simpson plans to reintroduce the measure in the new Congress, with the bill addressing employer sanctions, amnesty for undocumented aliens, and border enforcement.
• Japan’s Top Automakers Under IRS Probe for Tax Evasion, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The IRS is investigating U.S. subsidiaries of Toyota, Nissan and Honda for possible tax evasion in the mid-1970s related to transfer pricing on vehicles shipped from Japan. Company spokesmen say the investigations are routine and they are confident no wrongdoing occurred.
• New March on Washington Called For, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Civil rights leaders including Coretta Scott King called for a 20th anniversary march on Washington to address jobs, peace and freedom, with the march planned for Aug. 27. JACL had participated in the original 1963 march led by then National President K. Patrick Okura.
• NYSE Study Cites Japanese Practices U.S. Should Avoid, by P.C. Staff, page 5. A New York Stock Exchange study found that Japanese society practices discrimination against women, Koreans, and older workers that the U.S. should avoid emulating despite Japan’s economic success. The study noted Japanese companies lock employees into lifetime employment and deny second chances to those who perform poorly in high school.
• Attacks on Minorities ‘A Way of Life’, by P.C. Staff, page 7. A California state task force report found that attacks against minorities are almost ‘a way of life’ and getting worse, citing over 400 reports of racial or religious violence between 1979 and 1981. The task force was created by Gov. Brown to resolve civil rights conflicts without force.
• Immigration Bill Opposition Organizations Named, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Multiple Asian American community organizations in New York opposed the immigration bill in Congress in December, including the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund and various Chinese and Korean community groups. The organizations represent a range of social services and advocacy groups.
• Auto Companies Respond to Tax Investigation, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Nissan, Toyota and other automakers responded to the IRS tax evasion investigation, stating they believe their transfer pricing practices complied with regulations. The probe began after the companies were investigated by U.S. Customs for allegedly dumping vehicles in the United States in the mid-1970s.

Incarceration & Redress

• S.F. Board to Seek Redress for JA Former City Workers, by P.C. Staff, page 1. San Francisco Supervisor Quentin Kopp introduced an ordinance to authorize reparations claims for Japanese American city and county employees who lost jobs due to WWII forced relocation. The ordinance would allow claims of up to $1,250 per year for four years, totaling $5,000, for an estimated 15 eligible former employees.
• CWRIC Gets Extension, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Congress granted the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians a six-month extension to complete its final report, pushing its expiration to June 30. Commission member Fr. Robert Drinan had suggested individual compensation might be recommended, but the CWRIC said it has not reached any decision.
• PSWDC Redress Gets $7,500, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Pacific Southwest District Redress Committee received a $7,500 donation from Don and Betty Yamaoka, longtime active members of the San Fernando Valley JACL, to boost fundraising after reading that National Redress Committee activities were being curtailed. The Yamaokas agreed to make their donation public to encourage others to contribute.

Community

• Nikkei Couple Murdered in Silverlake, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Jerome Ono, 26, and his wife Naomi, 25, were found shot to death in their Silverlake apartment, with Wayne James Owan, 24, arrested for the murders. The motive remains unclear, though police have not ruled out a love triangle given that the victims and suspect knew each other.
• Northern California Center Receives $100,000, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California received a $100,000 allocation from San Francisco’s Community Development Program, approved by Mayor Dianne Feinstein and the Board of Supervisors. The funds will boost the JCCCNC’s Vision 80’s Development Campaign for a new cultural center in Nihonmachi.
• Naito Brothers Are ‘First Citizens’, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Portland businessmen William and Samuel Naito were named ‘First Citizens of 1982’ by the Portland Board of Realtors for their work in commercial and residential development. Both brothers are active in civic organizations and are members of the Portland JACL.
• Sansei Named Judge, by P.C. Staff, page 2. David Doi, a 37-year-old Sansei attorney, was one of Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr.’s final judicial appointments, named to an L.A. Municipal Court judgeship. The vacancy was created when Judge Harry Mock Jr. was elevated to the L.A. Superior Court.
• Nikkei to Compete in Skill Olympics, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Eighteen-year-old Todd Fujinaka, a 1982 Benson High School graduate, will represent the U.S. in industrial electronics at the International Skill Olympics in Linz, Austria. He is a freshman at MIT and won a gold medal at the U.S. Skill Olympics last year.
• JACCC’s Fund Drive Over $200,000 Mark, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Japanese American Cultural and Community Center’s Capital Fund Drive to raise $1,250,000 has received overwhelming support, with the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Southern California and Toda Construction Co. among top donors. Campaign chairman Carl Tamaki reported donations now exceed $200,000 total raised.
• Media Workshop for Non-Profit Organizations Slated for S.F., by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Japanese American Library and KRON-TV are sponsoring a Media-Access Workshop for non-profit organizations on Feb. 17 in San Francisco. The workshop will teach organizations how to prepare materials for television and radio coverage.
• AALDEF Offers Summer Internships, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund is offering summer internships for students to gain practical experience in a community law office. Five students will be selected for the program running from June 6 to Aug. 12.
• JABA to Install Officers for 1983, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Japanese American Bar Association will install its 1983 officers at an annual brunch on Jan. 16 at the California Yacht Club in Marina Del Rey. Leslie Furukawa will serve as president for the coming year.
• Stanford Award Named for Late Nikkei, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Kenji Nakanishi, the first student from Roosevelt High School to attend Stanford, died in a 1978 plane collision at age 31 after earning three Stanford degrees and becoming a young executive at Occidental Petroleum. His widow Nadine presented Stanford with a permanently endowed memorial scholarship fund contributed by hundreds of friends and classmates.
• Maryknoll Ladies Guild Raises $10,000, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Maryknoll Ladies Guild announced contributions of $5,000 each to Keiro Nursing Home and Maryknoll School. The funds came from support for an October fashion show organized by the guild.
• Nikkei Named Monterey Administrator, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Ernest K. Morishita, 41, accepted the position of Monterey County administrative officer at a salary of $65,000 a year. He previously served as Fresno County assistant administrator since 1969 and holds a master’s degree in public administration from USC.
• Asians Endorse King Birthday March, by P.C. Staff, page 6. A number of Asian American organizations and individuals have endorsed a march commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday on Jan. 15, emphasizing unemployment and plant closures. The march, themed ‘Jobs Not Jails’ and ‘Peace Not the Pentagon,’ will end with Santa Barbara Ave being renamed Martin Luther King Blvd.

Obituaries

• Filmmaker Henry Ushijima Dies, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Henry T. Ushijima, a pioneer Nisei film producer and owner of Henry Ushijima Films Inc. for 22 years, died of a heart attack at age 66. He had won numerous awards including an Emmy and had been set to produce a video for the JACL National Aging and Retirement Committee.

Arts & Entertainment

• Author Wins Prize for Vets’ Story, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Masayo Umezawa Duus, author of ‘Tokyo Rose: Orphan of the Pacific,’ won the 4th Bungei Shunju Readers Prize for her series on Japanese American combat units during WWII, based on three years of research and interviews with nearly 300 veterans of the 442nd and 100th Battalion. The series was notable as the first time a Japanese non-fiction writer wrote about war and combat from this perspective.
• Shimoda Film Project Gets Boost from WLA JACL Aux., by P.C. Staff, page 12. Visual Communications’ documentary ‘Yuki Shimoda: Asian American Actor’ received a $1,000 award from the West Los Angeles JACL Women’s Auxiliary to help complete post-production. The film explores Shimoda’s journey from Tule Lake internment to becoming an atypical Nisei performer, featuring interviews with prominent Asian American actors.

Sports

• Nikkei Becomes Judge for Olympic Skating Competition, page 5. Ida Tateoka of Salt Lake City became a certified world judge in figure-freestyle and dance ice skating divisions after 29 years of climbing through the judging ranks. She may judge at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo and is excited about Utah hosting the 1984 U.S. Championships.

Commentary

• Failures of Printed Media, by Mayumi Tsutakawa, page 6. The author, a Seattle Times reporter on leave, argues that media coverage of Asian/Pacific Americans suffers from problems of inclusion, identification and accuracy rather than simple stereotyping. She attributes these failures to the lack of qualified Asian Americans employed in newsrooms, citing specific examples from the Seattle Times.
• ‘Silent Majority’, by Mary Yamada, page 6. A letter writer strongly disputes Yo Takagaki’s claim that a ‘silent majority’ of Japanese Americans opposes reparations, calling it ‘hogwash.’ As a former internee, she favors reparations and urges other internees to write to Takagaki demanding he base his statements on facts rather than fantasy.
• Hayakawa’s Remarks, by Dennis A. Roland, page 6. A letter writer criticizes Senator S.I. Hayakawa for confusing concentration camps with relocation centers and belittling the suffering of Japanese Americans during WWII internment. The writer commends Congressman Robert Matsui for rebutting Hayakawa and questions whether Hayakawa will apologize.
• JACL Story, by George Shiozawa, page 6. A letter writer defends Bill Hosokawa’s book ‘JACL in Quest of Justice’ against criticism from Raymond Okamura, praising Hosokawa’s journalistic skills, integrity and firsthand experience with JACL and the WWII evacuation. He argues the book deserves a place in American schools and libraries.
• Japanese Undokai, by Henry Suzuki, page 6. The president of the Japanese Association of Colorado objects to Bill Hosokawa’s comparison of a community picnic to a disorganized mob scene versus a Japanese businessmen’s undokai. He explains that a Japanese American community picnic serves a different purpose than a traditional military-style undokai and defends the volunteers who organize it.
• Technology and a New Year’s Tradition, by Bill Marutani, page 7. The columnist writes about mochi-making traditions and how his daughter and son-in-law purchased a Japanese electric mochi-making machine in Hawaii and brought it home to Denver. He reflects that while technology has eliminated labor from the traditional winter rite, the old communal way of making mochi may have been more fun.
• Whom Is JACL to Serve?, by Bill Marutani, page 7. The columnist reflects on who JACL should serve, arguing it must serve all Nikkei, whether members or not, including those who remain anti-JACL for various historical reasons. He urges JACL leadership to keep its focus on the Nikkei community as its guiding star rather than becoming overly engrossed in organizational matters.

JACL

• Mineta Warns of Resurging Racism, by P.C. Staff, page 7. At the Chicago JACL Chapter’s 38th Inaugural, Rep. Norman Mineta gave a speech warning of resurgent racism against Japanese Americans amid blame for the nation’s economic woes. An informal reception the next morning allowed Mineta to discuss Japan’s technology, U.S. corporate mismanagement, redress, and racism.
• Enomoto Funds Goes to National Student Aid, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The remaining balance of the JACL-Enomoto Support Fund, established in 1980 to assist former California prisons director Enomoto in a civil rights case, is being transferred to the National Student Aid Fund in memory of his late wife Joyce. National Legal Counsel Frank Iwama had assisted Enomoto’s defense before the case was decided against him by the Attorney General.
• JACL National Scholarship ’83 Packets Now Available, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Information and application packets for the 1983 JACL National Scholarship and National Student Aid Programs have been sent to chapters and regional offices. Last year’s program awarded over $40,000 to 32 recipients from six JACL districts.
• JACL Washington, D.C. Leadership Program Announced, by P.C. Staff, page 10. JACL announced a new Washington, D.C. Leadership Program designed to train future Japanese American leaders in the American political system, with an inaugural pilot program including 8-10 college students. The program has received support from Congressman Norman Mineta and National JACL Secretary/Treasurer Frank Sato.
• Cal Tri-District Conference Set, by P.C. Staff, page 10. The 1983 Tri-District Conference for the NCWNPDC, CCDC and PSWDC will be held April 22-24 at the Reno Hilton, including workshops and a special redress session. Registration costs approximately $40 per room for up to four people.
• PC Advertising Rates Increased, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Effective Jan. 1, 1983, advertising rates in the Pacific Citizen increased from $4.50 to $5 per column inch for general display and classified rates also rose. General manager Harry Honda cited continuing increases in production and labor costs for the change.

Military & Veterans

• Aging/Retirement: Dr. Michael Ego Remembers Henry Ushijima, by Dr. Michael Ego, page 12. JACL’s Aging and Retirement Committee chair reflects on the late Henry Ushijima’s passion and vision for producing a video project documenting the Nisei experience without compensation. Ushijima had been actively involved with Chicago Nikkei in developing the project before his death, and a preliminary script is being reviewed to continue his vision.

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