Redress, the coram nobis cases and a McCloy birthday, 1985

Vol. 100, No. 10, March 15, 1985. 12 pages. View this issue

Redress dominated the news in this 12-page issue. The front page reported that President Reagan would join a luncheon for John J. McCloy, the wartime official largely responsible for the World War II incarceration (often called internment), and that Fred Korematsu’s attorneys charged the government with misrepresenting the 1983 decision in the Yasui coram nobis case. Santa Clara County approved payments to two more former employees dismissed because of their ancestry. A report on New York’s Day of Remembrance marked the 43rd anniversary of Executive Order 9066. Columns by Minoru Yasui, Bill Hosokawa, Harry K. Honda and Philip Tajitsu Nash followed the redress effort.

Elsewhere, Mike Woo’s Los Angeles council race and a ballot measure on council seats drew coverage, along with letters on the 442nd and the debate over moving JACL headquarters. Chapter news from Contra Costa, San Jose, Sequoia and other chapters fills page 9, and a Tri-District workshop in Fresno was announced.

What’s in this issue

National

• White House to Honor Redress Foe, by P.C. Staff, page 1. President Reagan and the American Council on Germany will mark the 90th birthday of John J. McCloy, who as assistant secretary of war was largely responsible for the WW2 internment of Japanese Americans. McCloy continued to defend his wartime actions in testimony before the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians in 1981.
• Iacocca Remarks Draw Criticism, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Chrysler chairman Lee Iacocca’s remarks about Japan trade relations, including a pointed use of the word ‘sayonara’ directed at Japan’s prime minister, drew criticism from Rep. Robert Matsui, who said the comments evoked anti-Japanese sentiment reminiscent of pre-internment rhetoric. Iacocca later sent Matsui a conciliatory letter, though a spokesman maintained the speech was not racist.
• ‘Duke’ Appoints Asian American Advisors, page 11. Gov. George Deukmejian appointed 32 Asian Americans to managerial and policy advisory positions during the second year of his term, bringing his total Asian American appointments to 48 over two years. The governor emphasized his commitment to including talented individuals who reflect California’s ethnic diversity in key appointive positions.

Incarceration & Redress

• County Finds 2 More Former Employees for Wartime-Dismissal Compensation, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Santa Clara County approved payments to two more former employees, Ruby K. Miura and Fuji Takaichi, who lost their jobs due to their Japanese ancestry during WW2. The county ordinance providing $5,000 payments also established an oral history program and funding for historical markers.
• Korematsu Charges Government with Misrepresenting Recent Decision, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Attorneys for Fred Korematsu filed a brief charging that the U.S. government misrepresented the 1983 court decision vacating his wartime conviction, in support of Minoru Yasui’s related coram nobis case. The brief argues the government is distorting quotes from the court opinion to discredit it while falsely claiming it was denied opportunity to present legal arguments.
• N.Y. Day of Remembrance: ‘No More Internments’, page 2. More than 160 people attended New York’s fifth Day of Remembrance commemoration at the New York Buddhist Church, marking the 43rd anniversary of Executive Order 9066 with the theme ‘No More Internments.’ Speakers included Michi Kobi, Karl Akiya, Leslee Inaba-Wong, and attorney Phil Tajitsu Nash, who gave updates on the redress campaign in courts and Congress.
• Coram Nobis Petitioners to Speak on East Coast, page 3. Fred Korematsu and Minoru Yasui will speak at two engagements in late March about their efforts to vacate their wartime convictions, including appearances at Princeton University and New York University School of Law. Both events will feature screenings of Steven Okazaki’s documentary ‘Unfinished Business.’
• That Little Girl Identified, by Harry K. Honda, page 5. Following up on an earlier column about a famous photograph of a young girl among duffel bags during the internment, a reader identified her as Yukiko Okinaga, who was interned at Manzanar as a toddler and later became an administrator at the University of Illinois. Now Mrs. Don Llewellyn, she reflects on her childhood memories of barbed wire, guard towers, and the fear she sensed in adults, vowing to prevent such injustice from recurring.

Community

• Charter Amendment Proposed: Would Help Minority Representation, by J.K. Yamamoto, page 1. Charter Amendment No. 2 on L.A.’s April 9 ballot would expand the city council from 15 to 17 seats and redraw district lines to increase Asian and Hispanic voting power, groups currently unrepresented on the council despite comprising 34% of the population. Mayor Tom Bradley and coalition leaders Craig Wong and Ron Baca support the measure, which follows findings that the 1982 reapportionment may have violated the Voting Rights Act.
• Woo Campaigns Against Odds, History for City Council Seat, by J.K. Yamamoto, page 2. Mike Woo is challenging incumbent Peggy Stevenson in L.A.’s 13th council district, hoping to become the city’s first Asian American councilperson after losing to her in 1981 amid race-based attacks. Woo discusses redistricting advantages, his coalition-building strategy, and criticism of Stevenson’s record on development and city services.
• Coro Foundation Seeks Asian/Pacific Participants for Public Affairs Training, page 3. Coro Foundation is recruiting 12 individuals of Asian/Pacific background for an intensive public affairs training program beginning April 30 in Los Angeles. The program aims to develop leadership skills including decision-making, communication, and community networking, with an application deadline of March 29.
• Stipends for Southeast Asians Offered by Illinois Nisei Student Relocation Group, page 3. The Nisei Student Relocation Commemorative Fund is awarding eight $500 stipends to Southeast Asian refugee high school students in Illinois graduating in 1985. The fund was established in 1979 by Japanese Americans who were helped by the National Japanese American Student Relocation Council to leave WW2 camps and continue their education.
• LEAP Application Deadline: March 25, page 3. LEAP (Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics) is offering the first workshop in its five-part leadership development series, focusing on Asian Pacific leadership values and professional effectiveness. The workshop runs April 12-13, 1985, with an application deadline of March 25.
• Golden Gate JACL Protests Basing of Nuclear Carrier, page 7. The Golden Gate Chapter JACL board voted to oppose the stationing of the USS Missouri battleship in San Francisco, citing costs to the city, destabilization of U.S.-Soviet relations, and conflict with the city’s nuclear-freeze resolution. The resolution notes the ship’s Tomahawk cruise missiles pose verification problems for arms control since conventional and nuclear warheads are indistinguishable by satellite.
• Contra Costa Chapter Pulse, page 9. Contra Costa JACL is hosting its Senior Appreciation Dinner on April 14 at the El Cerrito Community Center, honoring the dwindling Issei population for their contributions. The chapter also plans a golden anniversary celebration for September 7 and is selling sushi boxes to raise funds.
• Sequoia Chapter Pulse, page 9. The Sequoia chapter is holding its annual crab and spaghetti feed on March 16 at Palo Alto Buddhist Temple, with tickets ranging from free for young children to $12 for adults.
• Monterey Peninsula Chapter Pulse, page 9. A CPR certification class for those without prior training will be held March 30 at El Estero Presbyterian Church in Monterey, teaching emergency response skills over four hours for a $5 donation.
• San Jose Chapter Pulse, page 9. Due to high demand, San Jose JACL is holding a second sushi-making workshop on March 24 at Tsugaru Restaurant, and will also host a bridge tournament on March 23 at Wesley Methodist Church with prizes and refreshments.
• San Gabriel Valley Chapter Pulse: Day at the Races, page 9. San Gabriel Valley JACL is holding ‘A Day at the Races’ fundraiser on April 20 at Santa Anita race track, with tickets including admission and obento available by mail through April 1.
• Olympia JACL Sponsors Japan Tribute, page 9. Olympia JACL co-sponsored the third annual ‘Tribute to Japan’ event at Evergreen State College on Jan. 27, drawing about 2,000 attendees despite the chapter being only 65 members and a year and a half old. The event featured taiko drumming, karate demonstrations, academic lectures, exhibits, and Japanese food, in partnership with Evergreen State College and the Japanese Consulate.
• Senior Legislature Elections Soon, page 11. California Senior Legislature elections will be held March 19, with incumbent Mabel Ota, the only Nisei elected to the Senior Legislature in 1983, seeking reelection in senior election area #4. Ota was a 31-year L.A. city schools educator and the first Asian American woman principal in California.

Arts & Entertainment

• New PBS Documentary Targets First Internees, page 3. A new 30-minute documentary, ‘Visible Target,’ tells the story of Bainbridge Island’s Japanese American internees and the Woodwards, newspaper publishers who stood up for internees’ rights despite public backlash. The film airs on PBS stations in Washington and British Columbia in late March 1985.

In-Depth

• 100th Anniversary of Japanese Immigration Is Focus of Photo Exhibit, page 3. A photo exhibit at the renovated Angel Island immigration station commemorates the 100th anniversary of Japanese emigration to America, featuring over 100 historic photos of immigrants in Hawaii and on the mainland, including WWI soldiers. The exhibit, produced by Go For Broke, Inc., opens April 20 with Rep. Norman Mineta as principal speaker and will later travel to Honolulu and potentially the Smithsonian.

Commentary

• Redress Update: Missouri JACLers’ Helping Hand, by Minoru Yasui, page 4. This Legislative Education Committee column discusses the importance of Missouri’s senators to the redress bill’s fate in the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee, and praises the St. Louis JACL chapter’s community engagement and George Sakaguchi’s redress advocacy efforts in the Deep South despite his recent heart surgery. The column also notes the chapter’s contributions to community institutions and multi-generational involvement.
• 442nd Praised, by Kenneth K. Ishibashi, page 4. A letter from Tokyo recounts an encounter with a Boeing employee, Leo Roby, whose WW2 battalion was saved by the 442nd’s precise ‘walking barrage’ artillery support during a village capture in Germany. Roby, grateful to finally meet a Nikkei, hopes to contact 442nd veterans in the Midwest to thank them personally.
• P.C. Applauded, by Sharon Hashimoto, page 4. A letter from the Portland JACL Board of Directors praises the Pacific Citizen’s coverage of human and civil rights issues, including anti-apartheid articles. The writer encourages continued coverage and emphasizes that coalition building with other civil rights movements strengthens JACL’s redress organizing.
• ‘Sanga Moyu’ Viewed, by Howard Shiroma, page 4. A letter reflects on watching the Japanese TV drama ‘Sanga Moyu’ in Chicago and thanks the Pacific Citizen for publishing informative reader letters, including John F. Aiso’s piece on MIS Nisei. The writer discusses the show’s depiction of WWII war crimes trials and reflects on personal Occupation-era experiences in Japan.
• E.O. 9066 Reviewed, by Kenichi Bunden, page 5. A letter from a reader who became a naturalized citizen reflects on learning about the Day of Remembrance ceremony and the internment experience, noting he was unaware of this history despite benefiting from his predecessors’ sacrifices. He stresses the importance of civic responsibility to prevent future rights violations and supports redress legislation.
• Isamu Inouye Remembered, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Columnist Bill Hosokawa recalls meeting Isamu Inouye, the translator of his book ‘Nisei,’ in Tokyo over a decade ago, and reflects on Inouye’s accomplished career as a journalist who founded the Kashu Mainichi and later became Jiji Press’s managing editor. Inouye died Feb. 6 at age 83, and Hosokawa regrets not knowing him better before his death.
• Hands Across the Ocean, by Barry Saiki, page 6. Columnist Barry Saiki discusses Sister Cities International affiliations between the U.S. and Japan, noting California leads all states with 55 municipalities tied to Japanese cities, and provides statistics on sister city relationships across many countries. He includes an extensive list of U.S.-Japan sister city pairings and encourages retired Nisei to get involved in such programs.
• L.A. Is the Place!, by Karl Nobuyuki, page 7. Responding to ongoing debate about relocating JACL headquarters, the author argues that Los Angeles’s economic and demographic significance, including its large Japanese American population and status as a trade hub, makes it a compelling choice. However, he cautions that impressive statistics alone don’t guarantee success without a definitive membership strategy and notes NCWNP district’s traditional strength in JACL activism.
• With One Voice, by Philip Tajitsu Nash, page 7. Nash reflects on preparing to teach a course on Asian Americans and U.S. law, reviewing historical documents that trace the development of the redress movement from early skepticism about the Commission on Wartime Relocation to its eventual success. He highlights recent conciliatory gestures between JACL and NCJAR as a hopeful sign that the movement can unite despite past divisions.
• The Need to Promote U.S.-Japan Relations, by Floyd Shimomura, page 8. Shimomura argues that Japanese Americans have a self-interest in promoting good U.S.-Japan relations, noting that historical trade friction has led to backlash against the community despite decades of progress since the Civil Rights era. He contends that economic tensions between the two countries can erode goodwill that Japanese Americans have worked generations to build.

JACL

• JACL/LEC Fundraising Plan, page 8. JACL’s Legislative Education Committee announced fundraising targets exceeding $1 million over several years, with $300,000-$400,000 expected by early 1986 to fund a Washington D.C. lobbying firm. Each JACL district will recruit ‘prime solicitors’ tasked with raising $2,000 or more, with targeted funds broken down by district.
• Regional Redress Chairs to Meet Next Week, page 8. District representatives including national president Frank Sato and various district governors will meet in Los Angeles March 23-24 to plan the 1985-86 national JACL redress program. Attendees represent multiple JACL districts including Pacific Southwest, Northern California, Pacific Northwest, Midwest, Eastern, and Mountain Plains.
• Interracial Families Is Topic of Workshop at Tri-District Convention in Fresno, April 20, page 8. A workshop on interracial families in the Nikkei community will be featured at the JACL Tri-District Conference in Fresno, addressing cultural differences and communication patterns in increasingly common interracial marriages. The session features Harvard researcher Steve Murphy Shigematsu and UCLA sociologist Harry Kitano, along with panelists who are interracially married couples.
• San Francisco Chapter Pulse: HQ Location Debate, page 9. San Francisco JACL will host a discussion on March 18 about the most effective location for JACL national headquarters, featuring speakers advocating for San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Washington D.C. as potential sites.
• PSW Chapters Gain 656 New Members, page 9. Final 1984 membership figures show Pacific Southwest District gained the most new members among JACL’s eight districts, with 18 of 33 PSW chapters increasing membership for a total of 656 new members. Downtown Los Angeles and West Los Angeles chapters led with 255 and 159 new members respectively, with rebates totaling $1,968 distributed to the chapters.

Obituaries

• Rev. John Misao Yamazaki, 100, Rector Emeritus of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, page 10. Rev. John Misao Yamazaki, who completed divinity studies in 1913 and continued his ministry during WW2 at the Gila River camp and in Cincinnati, died March 8 at age 100. After the war he returned to St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Los Angeles, which served as a hostel for returning evacuees, and is survived by three sons, a daughter, 11 grandchildren, and 6 great-grandchildren.
• Longtime Lawyer Tom Okawara Dies, page 11. Tom Okawara, one of the country’s first Japanese American lawyers, died Feb. 4 at age 93 after a career that included assisting Nikkei evacuees during WW2 and serving as unofficial public defender of Fresno County. He was honored by the Fresno County Bar Assn. and California State Assembly in 1967 and is survived by a son, daughter, 11 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren.

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.