Redress, the Yasui case and the Vincent Chin sentence

Vol. 96, No. 14, April 15, 1983. 12 pages. View this issue

Redress and the Vincent Chin case shared the front page. In Detroit, Asian American leaders met Judge Charles Kaufman to ask why the men who beat the Chinese American engineer to death with a baseball bat received probation. Min Yasui’s effort to overturn his wartime conviction may be joined with the Gordon Hirabayashi and Fred Korematsu cases, with arguments set for April 25. Another story looked at the pressure on Norm Mineta and Bob Matsui as the CWRIC prepared to recommend compensation, and a reprint gave a redress opponent’s view. Columns by Floyd Shimomura, Bill Hosokawa and Ozzie Imai fill the commentary pages.

Also inside: Ron Wakabayashi’s column on sexism, a health fair in San Francisco’s Nihonmachi, Chol Soo Lee’s release on bail, and a proposed JACL pooled income fund. Little Tokyo’s JACCC announced exhibits and a new theater opening, and a Tule Lake hospital group set a reunion. This 12-page issue also carried chapter notices and letters.

What’s in this issue

National

• Detroit Asians Angry Over Murder of Chinese American, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Detroit Asian community leaders met with Judge Charles Kaufman to protest the lenient probation sentence given to Vincent Chin’s killers, Ronald Ebens and Michael Nitz, who beat the Chinese American engineer to death with a baseball bat. Community members argued the sentence showed disrespect toward Chinese Americans and questioned the judge’s reasoning that prison would not benefit the men or society.’
• Matsui, Mineta Face Dilemma on Redress, page 1. California congressmen Norm Mineta and Bob Matsui face political pressure as the only Japanese Americans in the House when the CWRIC is expected to recommend financial compensation for WWII internees. Both express caution about specific compensation amounts, with Matsui doubting feasibility given budget constraints while Mineta supports financial compensation in principle, and redress advocates and community members debate how much responsibility should fall on the two congressmen.
• Chol Soo Lee Out on Bail, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Chol Soo Lee walked free March 28 after 10 years in prison following a $236,262 property bond posted by supporters, after being acquitted of a 1974 Chinatown murder but still facing retrial for a 1977 prison killing he claims was self-defense. His case drew national attention through the Committee to Free Chol Soo Lee and supporters including a Sacramento lawyer and the Yamada family of Stockton.
• Attacker of Student Pleads Guilty, page 4. A Texas repairman, Russel Bishop, pleaded guilty to nine counts of attempted murder and sexual assault in the rape and shooting of a Japanese exchange student and a Japanese American girl left for dead on a California beach. Bishop faces up to 78 years in prison, and a fund has been established to help the paralyzed Japanese student with her rehabilitation costs.
• U.S. Trade Rep Opposes Import Curbs, page 8. Trade Representative Bill Brock testified against a congressional domestic-content bill that would require cars sold in the U.S. to use substantial American parts and labor, calling it the worst economic legislation in a decade. Brock favors voluntary restraints like Japan’s existing limit on car exports, while blaming high oil prices and currency issues rather than imports for the auto industry’s problems.
• Tennessee Nissan Needs No Union, page 8. Nissan’s new Smyrna, Tennessee truck plant president Marvin Runyon said the highly automated facility, which will employ 2,600 workers, doesn’t need unionization due to open communication practices. UAW organizers claim Nissan and other Japanese automakers are discouraging union involvement at their U.S. plants.

Incarceration & Redress

• Yasui’s Case May Join Other Two, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Min Yasui’s effort to overturn his WWII curfew violation conviction may be combined with the cases of Gordon Hirabayashi and Fred Korematsu, with a federal court hearing arguments April 25. Yasui, now JACL’s National Redress Committee chairman, expressed confidence that the 40-year-old Supreme Court decisions could be overturned given the documentation available.
• Fear and Loathing in America: Some Words From a Redress Foe, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Pacific Citizen reprints excerpts from a John Birch Society-affiliated journal article by Alan Stang attacking redress efforts and the CWRIC report, arguing that Japanese Americans were not truly incarcerated and that the evacuation was a humane, non-racist response to wartime necessity. The piece dismisses redress claims as a guilt-driven travesty exploited by opportunists.

Community

• Nikkei Named to California Food and Agriculture Board, page 2. Cherry Ishimatsu of Coachella Valley was sworn in April 6 to the California Food and Agriculture Board under Governor Deukmejian, after decades of volunteer work and leadership roles in various community organizations. She said she hopes to bring a common-sense approach to agricultural regulations and policies in the state.
• Seattle Mayor Hires JA After Flap, page 2. Seattle Mayor Charles Royer named Alan Kurimura as special assistant weeks after dismissing Arlene Oki, the only Asian among his top advisers, which had drawn community protests. Royer acknowledged the controversy influenced the appointment and said it’s important to have Asian representation on his staff.
• George Elebeck, Descendant of Wakamatsu Colonist, Dies, by Henry Taketa, page 2. George Elebeck, a descendant of Kuninosuke Masumizu of the historic 1869 Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Farm Colony near Coloma, California, died February 28, 1983, at age 79. The article traces his family’s lineage back to the ill-fated Japanese colony and the colonists Okei and Matsunosuke Sakurai.
• Grace Pastries, a Familiar L.A. Bakery, Fetes 33rd Year, page 3. Grace Pastries celebrated its 33rd anniversary, having grown from a small husband-wife operation founded by George and Grace Izumi in 1950 to a 150-employee bakery considered among the most successful in the country. Employees were honored with service awards ranging from 5 to 30 years.
• San Diego Sr. Home Seeks Residents, page 3. The 100-unit San Diego Kiku Gardens retirement project, expected to be completed in December 1983, is surveying Nikkei nationwide who may be interested in residency. The facility, modeled on Little Tokyo Towers, will offer rental assistance based on income and is sponsored by several San Diego area organizations.
• Miss Sansei Calif. Pageant July 16, page 3. The 19th Annual Miss Sansei California Pageant will be held July 16 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, featuring a musical tribute to the Nisei and an Outstanding American Award presentation to a Nikkei veteran. Fifteen contestants will compete for the title and a $1,000 scholarship with a trip to Japan.
• Bunka-Sai Festival Slated in Torrance, page 3. The Torrance Sister City Association will hold its tenth annual Bunka-Sai Japanese Cultural Festival April 23-24 at the Torrance Recreation Center. The South Bay JACL will host an udon booth at the event featuring exhibits and demonstrations.
• SFV Housing Nears Completion, page 3. San Fernando Valley Nikkei Village, a 100-unit apartment complex for low-income senior citizens in Pacoima, is fully framed and expected to be completed by August 1983. The HUD-subsidized facility will offer rent subsidies based on income with residents paying only 30% of their income toward rent.
• Tule Lake Hospital Group Sets Reunion, page 3. The Tule Lake Hospital Group will hold a reunion September 3 at the Yamato Restaurant in Century City, honoring Dr. Kazuo Miyamoto and Dr. Paul Yamauchi. The group includes individuals who worked at the base hospital during the 1943 riots at Tule Lake.
• L.A. A/P Heritage Wk. Kicks Off With Kites, page 3. Los Angeles’s Asian Pacific American Heritage Week, May 7-14, will open with a Kite Flying Contest and Arts and Crafts Fair at Castelar Elementary School in Chinatown. The event is sponsored by Mayor Tom Bradley’s office along with the Heritage Week Committee and the school.
• Hunt HS Reunion in Seattle This Summer, page 3. Hunt High School will hold a reunion for the classes of 1943 and 1944 in Seattle, including a dinner-dance July 23 and a picnic July 24. Pre-registration deadline is May 1 with cost of $40 per person.
• Chi Alpha Delta to Hold Scholarship Tea, page 3. The Chi Alpha Delta Alumnae Annual Scholarship Bridge Tea will be held May 1 at the West Los Angeles Buddhist Church to raise funds for a UCLA student scholarship fund. The event will include prizes for players and refreshments.
• Cherry Blossom Queen Contest This Saturday, page 3. San Francisco’s 16th annual Cherry Blossom Queen contest will be held April 16 at the Japan Center Theater in Nihonmachi, featuring ten contestants from various universities. Ticket information is available through California First Bank.
• AADAP Celebrates 10 Years, page 4. The Asian American Drug Abuse Program celebrated its first decade of service with a gala dinner attended by over 500 people, having treated over 4,400 clients since 1972. State Sen. Art Torres and Los Angeles city councilpersons presented certificates of recognition, and special recognition was given to Mas Fukai for his years of support.
• Lodi JACL Baseball Players Set Reunion, page 9. Lodi JACL will host a Nikkei Baseball Reunion July 23-24 at Tokay City’s new Japanese Community Hall, celebrating Japanese American baseball history dating back to 1915. The event, co-chaired by former players Mas Okuhara and Red Tanaka, will include a banquet and golf tournament.
• Japan Chapter to Look at Ethnicity, page 9. The JACL Japan Chapter will hold its monthly meeting discussing ethnicity and identity from the perspective of being Japanese American in Japan. The meeting features a speaker addressing these themes.
• Ventura Potluck, page 9. Ventura County JACL will hold a potluck program honoring Nikkei who have lived in the area for 65 years or more. The event takes place April 17 with more information available by contacting Teri Komatsu.
• Successful Health Fair Held in S.F.’s Nihonmachi, page 10. A Minority Health Fair held in San Francisco’s Nihonmachi, sponsored by 17 community organizations including San Francisco and Golden Gate JACL chapters, reached over 150 people with free health screenings staffed by over 125 volunteers. The fair, partially funded by a Chevron grant to National JACL, revealed a surprising number of significant health problems among Issei and Nisei participants.
• WLA Sells Cookbook, page 10. The West Los Angeles JACL is selling its cookbook ‘East-West Flavors,’ volumes I and II, available from members or by mail order. Proceeds support the chapter’s activities.
• WLA to Select Queen Candidate, page 12. The West Los Angeles JACL Auxiliary and Chapter will hold their Queen’s Tea on April 17 at Burton Chase Recreation Center to choose a candidate for the Nisei Week Queen contest. The event runs from 1-4 p.m.
• Placer to Hold Finance Seminar, page 12. Placer County JACL will sponsor a financial planning seminar with Jean M. Kushida of Sacramento on April 20, covering topics relevant to all age groups including retirement planning, inflation, and tax law changes including IRAs. A complete financial analysis will be available at no charge.

Arts & Entertainment

• Japanese Living Treasures’ Works on Display at JACCC in Little Tokyo, page 3. An exhibit featuring 118 works by Japan’s Living National Treasures is on display at the George J. Doizaki Gallery in Little Tokyo until May 1. The exhibit represents 43 different techniques spanning ceramics, textiles, lacquerware, and other crafts.
• Kabuki Performance to Open JACCC’s New Theater, page 3. The Japanese American Cultural and Community Center’s new theater, Nichibei Gekijo, will open April 30 with Kabuki performances from Japan continuing May 1-3. The production includes the play ‘Narukami’ featuring performers Nakamura Kotaro and Nakamura Kankuro.
• TV Series on MIS Slated for Japan, page 3. A novel about the Nisei Military Intelligence Service by Toyoko Yamasaki, ‘Futatsu no Sokoku,’ will become an NHK television historical drama series titled ‘Sanka Moyu.’ The series is scheduled for weekly broadcast beginning January 1984.
• Clavell Award Contest, page 5. The fifth annual Japanese American Literary Award contest is accepting entries until June 1, offering a $1,000 prize and perpetual trophy for best short story. The winner will be announced July 16 at the Miss Sansei California Pageant.

In-Depth

• Traditional Role of Japanese Women Changing in the ’80s, page 5. Feminist magazine founder Ikuko Atsumi discusses the evolving women’s movement in Japan, which seeks to broaden men’s and women’s attitudes about women’s roles while respecting Japanese cultural values of harmony. Atsumi highlights gains in retirement age discrimination laws and growing numbers of women’s studies courses, while noting ongoing challenges including efforts to ratify the UN Convention on Elimination of Discrimination Against Women.
• Americans, Japanese Differ in Their Ways of Thinking, Views, page 8. Dr. Sumiko Iwao, a Keio University psychology professor, explained to the Japan-America Society how geographic and population differences have shaped distinct communication styles between Americans (direct, individualistic) and Japanese (consensus-oriented, indirect). She noted mutual perceptions, including Japan’s image of America as an all-forgiving parent and America’s underestimated ignorance of Japanese culture.

Commentary

• President’s Corner: ‘Positive Backlash’, by Floyd Shimomura, page 6. JACL National President Floyd Shimomura discusses how the CWRIC report condemning racism as the cause of Japanese American internment has had an educational effect, noting that Japanese newspapers like the Mainichi Daily News are recognizing how redress efforts benefit Japan-US relations by combating racism. He observes the irony that Japanese Americans suffer backlash from Japanese trade tensions while Japan benefits from JACL’s civil rights education efforts.
• JACL & U.S.-Japan Letter, by Raymond Okamura, page 6. A letter writer argues that Nikkei involvement in U.S.-Japan relations is fundamentally limited because Japanese Americans have no influence over Japan’s government and are viewed as second-class ‘gaijin’ by the Japanese. He warns that the JACL’s ‘cultural bridge’ concept echoes a failed 1930s approach and risks Japanese Americans becoming pawns for Japanese business interests.
• Letter on Japan Trade and Racism, by Roy H. Uno, page 6. A letter writer disputes the editor’s characterization of anti-Japan sentiment as racially based, arguing instead that it stems from legitimate economic competition given the prevalence of Japanese products in American households. The editor responds that the criticism is of racism directed at Japanese people, not of economic competition over products.
• JAs and Auto Plants Letter, by Mickey Imura, Jean Hibino, Gina Hotta, Don Misumi, Gen Fujioka, page 6. Members of the Japanese Community Progressive Alliance write in support of laid-off UAW Local 1364 members affected by the GM-Toyota Fremont plant deal, condemning both corporations for prioritizing profit over workers. They warn against using the trade dispute to stoke anti-Japanese sentiment, recalling how similar racism led to WWII internment.
• A Different Light: Focus on Women – A Man’s View, by Ozzie Imai, page 6. Imai reflects on his own ingrained attitudes toward women’s roles, comparing them to patterns of racial prejudice, and admits discomfort when gender issues affect him personally despite considering himself progressive. He challenges JACL members, as a civil rights organization, to examine their own prejudices toward women and other minorities more deeply.
• From the Frying Pan: The WW2 Plight of the Aleuts, by Bill Hosokawa, page 7. Hosokawa recounts the harrowing story of the Aleuts, who were forcibly evacuated from the Aleutian Islands during WWII and dumped into inadequate facilities in southeastern Alaska, suffering high death rates from disease and neglect. He contrasts this story, uncovered by the CWRIC, with the Japanese American evacuation, noting the Aleuts received even less government support and many never recovered their former way of life.
• East Wind: The Shoe on the Other Foot, by Bill Marutani, page 7. Marutani reflects on an article about migration to the Sun Belt, drawing parallels between the friction faced by American newcomers and the experiences of racial minorities, but concludes the comparison is limited since newcomers have alternatives and lack the permanence of racial exclusion. He expresses hope that future generations will achieve social tranquility without regard to race or other irrelevant distinctions.
• Musubi: Some Thoughts on Sexism, by Ron Wakabayashi, page 9. Wakabayashi previews an upcoming Tri-District Conference workshop on sexism, arguing that gender-based discrimination is costly and wasteful, limiting family incomes and organizational resources. He contends that repressing traditionally ‘feminine’ qualities like emotional expressiveness harms both genders and calls for recognizing individuals’ right to make their own choices.
• By the Board: P.I.F. for JACL’s Future?, by Miki Himeno, page 12. Himeno explains a proposed Pooled Income Fund that would allow JACL donors to make irrevocable donations of liquid assets in exchange for a lifetime income and tax deduction, with remaining funds reverting to JACL upon the donor’s death. She invites member input on whether such a long-range financial planning tool, potentially funded by redress compensation, would be viable for the organization.
• Cliff’s Corner: Big Mountain People, by Dr. Clifford Uyeda, page 12. Uyeda announces the JACL National Board’s formation of a committee, which he will chair, to support Navajo residents facing forced relocation from Big Mountain, Arizona under Public Law 93-531. The committee aims to raise awareness and funds to assist individuals resisting eviction while taking no side in the underlying Hopi-Navajo land dispute.

JACL

• Travel Proposals for the 1984 Convention Sought, page 9. National JACL Headquarters is investigating group travel plans for the 1984 National Convention in Honolulu, August 13-17, and is accepting travel proposals from JACL members in the travel business through April. Proposals will be evaluated based on cost, service to delegates, and organizational benefits.
• ‘Outstanding’ Chapters Cited, page 9. National Headquarters awarded certificates to 45 JACL chapters for ‘Outstanding Membership in 1982’ across all districts, from Central California to Pacific Southwest. The chapters were recognized for their membership achievements during the year.
• PC Gets Editorial Assistant, page 9. Cynthia Ogawa, a graduate of UCLA’s School of Social Welfare and Loyola Marymount University, began as the Pacific Citizen’s new editorial assistant on April 1. Her background includes work with several Asian Pacific American community organizations and as a reporter for the Tokyo newspaper Torii.
• Redress Bill Faces Hurdles, Says House Budget Member, page 9. Rep. George Miller, a House Budget Committee member, told San Francisco JACL’s Chapter Inaugural Dinner that economic conditions will make passage of any reparations bill difficult. Miller said he was ‘disturbed and ashamed’ by FDR’s Executive Order 9066 and praised Japan’s new premier Nakasone.

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