Redress, the Yasui case and Asian Americans in the 1984 campaign

Vol. 98, No. 3, January 27, 1984. 12 pages. View this issue

Redress ran through much of this twelve-page issue. Minoru Yasui’s petition to vacate his wartime curfew conviction reached federal court, with the Justice Dept. agreeing to move to vacate it. Yasui also laid out a 1984 timetable for HR 4110 and S 2116 in his column, and a Democratic club, Hawaii’s Office of Hawaiian Affairs and Asian Pacific American Advocates of California each backed the Civil Liberties Act. Judy Niizawa described meeting Rep. Ed Zschau about the bill. The front page also reported Asian Americans organizing for Jesse Jackson’s presidential campaign.

Commentary included Bill Marutani on scenes from a trip to Japan, Laura Chang on the model minority myth, Bill Hosokawa on baseball players in Japan, and Irene Hirano on the Women’s Concerns Committee. Harry Honda continued his search for the origin of the name Little Tokyo. Lia Shigemura previewed the JACL National Convention in Honolulu, and nominations opened for the Japanese American of the Biennium award.

What’s in this issue

National

• Asian Americans Begin to Join Rev. Jackson’s ‘Rainbow Coalition’ for Presidential Campaign, by P.C. Staff, page 1. About 120 people attended the first meeting of Asian Americans for Jesse Jackson in San Francisco on Jan. 12, with organizers citing his clear foreign policy positions as more appealing than other Democratic candidates. A similar meeting occurred in New York with twelve Asian American community members joining hundreds of other Jackson supporters, while Concerned Japanese Americans extended congratulations to Jackson without yet formally endorsing him.
• New U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Changes Stance on Affirmative Action, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The reconstituted U.S. Commission on Civil Rights voted 6-2 against racial or gender-based quotas to overcome job discrimination, reversing long-established policy. The panel also voted to study comparable-worth concepts and affirmative action in higher education, while canceling a study on financial aid reductions affecting Black and Hispanic colleges.
• FCC Ethnic Affairs Office Proposed; JACL in Support, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A coalition of ethnic organizations including JACL joined Rep. Mario Biaggi in calling for a federal Office of Ethnic Affairs within the FCC to address increasing complaints of offensive ethnic portrayals in media. The proposed office would serve as a clearinghouse for complaints and conduct educational programs promoting positive ethnic portrayals.
• Nikkei Teacher Appeals Firing, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Douglas Nogaki, a New Jersey physical education teacher fired for alleged corporal punishment involving twin students, has appealed to the state board of education after being found not guilty of criminal assault. Over 300 students staged a walkout to protest his firing, which stemmed from a 1981 incident where he turned a student’s head during a drill.
• Loan to Assist Asian Project, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A $1 million federal loan was approved to help the San Francisco Asian American community build a Mission District small business project, announced by Sen. Pete Wilson. The $9 million total project will also draw $5.6 million from private sources.
• Postwar Boom Isn’t Improving Quality of Japanese Family Life, by P.C. Staff, page 12. Japan’s government white paper on national life reports that despite economic prosperity, family bonds are weakening, leading to more divorce, juvenile violence, and alcoholism. Experts attribute this to job transfers separating families and the post-war rejection of traditional Confucian values alongside adoption of Western individualism.

Incarceration & Redress

• Yasui Brings Petition to Vacate Conviction into Federal Court, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Lawyers for Minoru Yasui argued in U.S. district court that his wartime curfew conviction should be vacated due to government suppression of evidence showing Japanese Americans posed no military threat. The Justice Dept. agreed to move to vacate the conviction without admitting wrongdoing, similar to the Korematsu case.
• Democratic Club Gives to Redress, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Japanese American Democratic Club in San Francisco contributed $500 to Rep. Jim Wright’s campaign in support of his redress bill HR 4110. President Naomi Nishioka’s letter expressed gratitude for Wright’s efforts to correct the injustice faced by Japanese Americans and Aleuts during WWII.
• Hawaiians Back Bill to Pay AJAs, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs formally endorsed congressional efforts to gain reparation payments for Japanese Americans, supporting a bill introduced by Sens. Daniel Inouye and Spark Matsunaga. The OHA, created by the 1978 Constitutional Convention, also seeks reparations for the 1893 overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy.
• Asian Pacific Coalition to Work for Redress, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Asian Pacific American Advocates of California passed a resolution supporting the Civil Liberties Act of 1983 (HR 4110) and its Senate counterpart, pledging to establish Speakers Bureaus and media response committees in each region. The resolution calls for partnership with JACL and NCRR to educate the public and counter inaccurate media coverage.
• U.S. Representative Asks for Public Input, by Judy Niizawa, page 9. Judy Niizawa describes a meeting with Rep. Ed Zschau regarding his position on HR 4110, the Civil Liberties Act of 1983, where JACL members presented detailed arguments about constitutional rights violated during internment. Zschau was receptive but noncommittal on the remedy, prompting Niizawa to encourage constituents in his district to write him directly.

Community

• Educator Under Fire from Seattle JACL, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A Black education coalition and three minority organizations including Seattle JACL criticized Superintendent Donald Steele for failing to improve achievement among Black students, but will likely still support an upcoming school levy. The groups met with Steele in December and agreed that endorsing him would be divisive to the minority community.
• Calif. Lawsuit Brought for Anti-Asian Discrimination in Housing, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A Chinese American couple, Riki and Ray Hing, received a $4,000 settlement after an Oakland landlord refused to show them an apartment, claiming bias against Asians. Testing by Operation Sentinel confirmed discrimination when a white tester was offered the same unit denied to an Asian tester.
• Plans Formed to Train APA Leadership, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics (LEAP), a non-profit organization supported by 500 Asian Pacific American groups, outlined its 1984 plans at a Los Angeles reception. Dr. William Ouchi described LEAP’s focus on community forums, leadership training, student programs, and a fellows program.
• 201 Teams to Meet in Bowling Tourney, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Japanese American National Bowling Association holds its tenth annual tournament March 5-10 in San Jose, sponsored by San Jose Nisei Bowling Association. Ozzie Shimada chairs the week-long event featuring various team and individual bowling competitions.
• Alumni Fund Purchases of Dissertations, by P.C. Staff, page 3. California Japanese Alumni Association donated $1,500 to the Asian American Studies Library at UC Berkeley to purchase doctoral dissertations on Japanese Americans. The library holds 16,000 titles and CJAA has made previous contributions including $5,000 to the National JACL Redress Committee.
• Grupo Sansei Host Karaoke Contest, by P.C. Staff, page 12. A karaoke singing contest with 34 participants was held at the Mexican Japanese educational complex in Mexico City, organized by Grupo Sansei and sponsored by the Mexican Japanese Association. The event prepared winners to compete in a PANA-sponsored international karaoke contest in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Military & Veterans

• Ohio VFW Endorses Redress, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Lowell C. Hein Post 2529 of the VFW in Sandusky, Ohio endorsed a resolution protecting civil rights of Japanese Americans with no dissenting votes. The Ninth District of the Ohio VFW also endorsed the resolution and forwarded it to state headquarters.

Sports

• Japan-Based Sponsor Sets Up Golf Tourney, by P.C. Staff, page 3. 144 top players will compete for $300,000 at the first annual Uniden LPGA Invitational Feb. 27-Mar. 4 at Mesa Verde Country Club in Costa Mesa. Twelve Japan Ladies Professional Golf Association players will be invited alongside four Japanese players already in the top 120.
• Baseball Players in Japan, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Bill Hosokawa discusses the improving quality of Japanese professional baseball and the commissioner’s prediction that aging American imports will no longer command high salaries. He also reviews the history of Nisei ballplayers who found careers in Japan, including Wally Yonamine and Fibber Hirayama.

In-Depth

• The Quest Continues, by Harry Honda, page 3. Harry Honda continues his research into the origin of the term ‘Little Tokyo,’ examining a 1907 Collier’s Magazine article that used terms like ‘Japanese colonies’ and ‘Japanese settlement’ instead. He traces how Nisei editors in the 1930s nicknamed Japanese communities ‘Li’l Tokio,’ ‘Li’l Osaka,’ and ‘Li’l Kobe’ before ‘Little Tokyo’ became standardized by 1968.

Commentary

• Some Scenes of Japan, by Bill Marutani, page 4. Bill Marutani shares observations from a trip to Japan, including a visit to Hiroshima’s Peace Park and an onsen in Yuda, Yamaguchi. He describes details of Japanese life including bus conveniences, fruit prices, and the politeness of children and students.
• Redress Timetable, by Minoru Yasui, page 4. Minoru Yasui outlines a detailed timetable for the redress campaign throughout 1984, covering congressional sessions, strategy meetings, and legislative milestones for HR 4110 and S 2116. He acknowledges the obstacles ahead but expresses confidence that redress will eventually succeed with continued grassroots support.
• Hawai’i’s Unique Culture, by Lia Shigemura, page 4. Lia Shigemura reflects on the pervasive Japanese cultural influence in Hawaii, citing an example of the word ‘bachi’ appearing in a mainstream newspaper sports article. She previews the upcoming JACL National Convention in Honolulu, highlighting the unique opportunity to experience Hawaii’s multicultural heritage.
• Myth of ‘Successful’ Asians Fostered by Census, Media, by Laura Chang, page 5. Laura Chang examines how the ‘model minority’ stereotype of Asian Americans, perpetuated by selective census statistics and media coverage, masks significant disparities among Asian subgroups and underrepresentation in management positions. She cites a U.S. Commission on Civil Rights report showing misleading use of median family income figures and the harm this myth causes to underrepresented groups and affirmative action efforts.
• Give Us A Chance, by Irene Hirano, page 8. Irene Hirano, chair of the Women’s Concerns Committee, addresses skepticism about the need for the committee and outlines its goals to promote women’s leadership within JACL. She describes planned activities including a weekly PC column, convention events, and district programming kits, while asking members to keep an open mind about the committee’s work.

JACL

• Nominations Open for Japanese American of Biennium, by Lily A. Okura, page 6. JACL is accepting nominations for the Japanese American of the Biennium award, which honors outstanding achievements across six fields including arts, business, education, medicine, politics, and sports. Up to three recipients will receive the JACL Gold Medallion at the National Convention banquet in Honolulu on Aug. 17, 1984.
• JACL Singles Convention Set for Memorial Weekend, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Greater Los Angeles Singles Chapter announced the First Annual JACL Singles Convention for May 25-27, aiming to create a nationwide network for JACL singles. The chapter, founded in 1983 by Midori Watanabe, has grown to over 200 members and will host workshops, a tennis tournament, and a dinner dance.
• PNW Issues a ‘Challenge’, by Denny Yasuhara, page 9. The Pacific Northwest District Council challenges other JACL districts to a membership recruitment competition, with each district contributing $250 to a winner-take-all prize based on percentage membership increase by June 30, 1984. Losing districts must also host a hospitality room for the winner at the National Convention in Hawaii.

Arts & Entertainment

• 30 Years Later: The Floating World, by H.H., page 7. A new paperback edition of James Michener’s classic work on Japanese woodblock prints includes updated commentary by Dr. Howard A. Link of the Honolulu Academy of Arts. The book is considered a comprehensive English-language reference on Japanese prints, timed for release before the JACL Convention in Honolulu.

Thank you for exploring the Pacific Citizen archive. The title, introduction and contents on this page were written by an AI model from scans of the printed issue, so they may contain mistakes. If you spot one, we would be grateful if you let us know.