Seniors honored, a Spokane newspaper and affirmative action quotas

Vol. 110, No. 6, February 16, 1990. 8 pages. View this issue

JACL chapters and the people around them filled the front page. Twelve Olympia JACL area seniors were honored at a Christmas potluck, with Denny Yasuhara as guest speaker. National JACL President Cressey Nakagawa and other officials planned to honor the Spokane Spokesman-Review for its sensitive reporting and its early endorsement of redress. Arthur Hu’s study of UC Berkeley admissions drew a federal bias investigation, and an editorial and Ling-chi Wang’s response framed the debate over affirmative action quotas. Paul Igasaki’s report to the National Board covered the Hate Crimes Statistics Act.

Inside are Masakazu Iwata’s account of Issei farmers in Texas’s Rio Grande Valley, Bill Hosokawa’s column on miso soup, and a page of book news on Poston students’ writings, Tokyo Rose and Bamboo Ridge. A Day of Remembrance panel at the Oakland Museum and an actor’s keynote at a Rohwer reunion are also announced. The issue runs eight pages.

What’s in this issue

Community

• Olympia JACL Honors Nikkei Seniors at Christmas Potluck, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Twelve Olympia JACL area senior citizens were honored at a Christmas potluck dinner Dec. 9, with former PNWDC Governor Denny Yasuhara serving as guest speaker. Deceased honorees’ families accepted plaques recognizing their contributions to making America a better place for all.’
• New City Ordinance Encourages Bilingual Signs, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Garden Grove, Calif. became the first city in Southern California to pass an ordinance encouraging bilingual business signs rather than mandating English-only signage. Korean American and Vietnamese American communities worked with the Asian Pacific American Legal Center to help draft the ordinance.
• West L.A. JACL to Hear Playwright Poet Houston, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Award-winning playwright and poet Velina Hasu Houston will give a free lecture on multiracial Asian identity in the arts on Feb. 27 at the West Los Angeles Buddhist Church. Houston, founder of the Amerasian League, is a two-time Rockefeller Foundation playwriting fellow sponsored by the West L.A. JACL chapter.
• Discussion on JA Women at Oakland Museum, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A panel discussion titled ‘Day of Remembrance’ featuring women affected by wartime relocation will be held at the Oakland Museum as part of the exhibition ‘Strength and Diversity: Japanese American Women 1885-1990.’ Panelists include several Nisei women sharing personal stories, moderated by a San Francisco Community College teacher.
• Snake River’s 1990 President Installed, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Snake River Chapter of JACL swore in its new officers for 1990, with Cathy Maeda taking over as president from outgoing president Randy Harano. Other officers and board members were also named for the coming year.
• Japan-Style Summer Camp at Mt. Rainier Announced, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Japan-America Society in Seattle will sponsor a summer camp near Mount Rainier to immerse U.S. high school students in Japanese culture and language during two one-week sessions in August. Executive director Susan Mochizuki is seeking financial support for the program.
• Keeper of J.A. History Room Collection Resigns, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Seizo Oka, who developed the Japanese American History Room collection over a dozen years, announced his resignation as director just before Christmas. The History Room, originally funded by Union Bank, faces closure due to financial difficulties at the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California.
• Riverside JACL Installation: J.A. Community Bridges for Shin-Issei and Local Nikkei Generations Urged, by Harry K. Honda, page 2. Dr. Masako Ishii-Kuntz, UC Riverside sociology professor, spoke at the Riverside JACL installation dinner about building bridges between resident Japanese Americans and newly arrived Japanese immigrants, or ‘shin-Issei.’ She discussed psychological reasons driving continued Japanese emigration and how ethnic solidarity among Yonsei could help connect communities.
• L.A. Area Boy Scout Council Honors 5 Nikkei, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Five Japanese Americans received the Silver Beaver award and Doctor of Philanthropy honors at the 73rd anniversary Boy Scouts of America recognition banquet in Los Angeles. Honorees included James Miyashiro, Edward Takahashi, Gary Yoshiki, Mitsuko Kawaguchi, and Dr. Robert Nagamoto.
• Asian American Trivia Tournament Slated in S.F., by P.C. Staff, page 3. Nihonmachi Legal Outreach is sponsoring the second annual National Asian American Trivia Championships on Feb. 24 in San Francisco, featuring both general and Asian American history categories. Reservations for teams of eight to 10 persons are being accepted for the nonprofit legal services organization’s fundraiser.
• Gardena Valley Gardeners’ Association Marks 35th Anniversary, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Gardena Valley Gardeners’ Association celebrated its 35th anniversary at its 1990 installation dinner. New president Kuni Tamura was recognized along with other officials including Mas Fukai and Kay Iizuka.
• Golden Bears of L.A. to Hold 1st Reunion, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The first Golden Bear Reunion will be held April 5 at the new Evergreen Baptist Church, honoring one of the premier basketball teams of the 1930s and ’40s that was affiliated with the YMCA. Organizers include Moon Kataoka and several other former team associates.
• Sea Urchin Industry in Maine Seen in Decline, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The sea urchin industry on the coast of Maine has begun to fade due to quality issues, according to Atsushi Tamaki of the ISF Trading Co. Japanese buyers had turned to Maine after California’s supply dwindled from overfishing, but rushed shipments led to quality problems this season.
• Lafcadio Hearn Society Organized in Cincinnati, by P.C. Staff, page 7. An international Lafcadio Hearn Society is being organized in Cincinnati, where the writer began his journalism career in 1872. A delegation will travel to Japan this summer to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Hearn’s arrival there.

National

• Spokane Spokesman Review, Nikkei Elders to Be Honored by JACL, by P.C. Staff, page 1. National JACL President Cressey Nakagawa and other officials will honor the Spokesman-Review newspaper for its sensitive reporting on Japanese American issues and its early endorsement of redress compensation. The paper’s managing editor, editorial page editor and city editor will be recognized at a Feb. 24 event in Spokane.
• Illegal Aliens in Japan Count Climbs, page 1. The New York Times reported that the number of undocumented foreign immigrants in Japan is officially estimated at 100,000, though some experts believe the actual number is three to four times higher. The issue gained attention after the arrival of Vietnamese boat people and Chinese migrants, and controversial comments by a Japanese mayor about dark-skinned foreigners caused public backlash.
• Taiwan Ruled Accountable for Slaying in U.S., by P.C. Staff, page 1. The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Taiwan government can be held liable for the 1984 slaying of Chinese American journalist Henry Liu, reinstating a $200 million wrongful death suit by his widow. Military courts in Taiwan had already convicted five men including a Defense Intelligence Bureau official who ordered the assassination.
• NBC Sportscaster Apologizes for Racial Slurs in S.F. Talk Show, by P.C. Staff, page 1. NBC sportscaster Bob Costas sent a letter of apology to Speaker Willie Brown’s Office of Asian and Pacific Affairs after racial slurs against Japanese and Asians were used by a guest on his San Francisco radio talk show. Costas admitted he regretted not correcting the offensive comments live on air and promised to address the issue on a future broadcast.
• Chinese American Computer Programmer Seeks Reform of UCB Admissions Quota, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Arthur Hu, an MIT graduate and computer programmer, has spurred a federal bias investigation of UC Berkeley’s affirmative action policy through statistics showing white students are underrepresented relative to high school graduation rates. Ling-chi Wang of the university’s Ethnic Studies Program called the probe a dangerous assault on civil rights, while Hu says he is trying to reform quotas.
• Hate Crimes Statistics Bill Passes Senate, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Rep. Norman Y. Mineta hailed Senate passage of the Hate Crimes Statistics Act by a vote of 92 to 4, following House passage last year. The legislation would direct the attorney general to track and report on hate crimes based on race, religion, sexual preference and ethnicity.
• Blacks Starting to Move Back to Deep South, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Census Bureau reported that the proportion of Blacks living in the South increased for the first time this century, with 56% of the nation’s 30 million Blacks now residing in the region. A demographer attributed this to the general movement toward the Sunbelt.
• Seibu Owner Shows Interest in Mariners, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Seibu railway chairman Toshiaki Tsutsumi, reportedly the world’s richest man, is said to be heading a group seeking 25% interest in the Seattle Mariners, according to international reports. The potential sale would require approval from Major League Baseball owners and league officials amid rising U.S. concerns over Japanese buyouts.

JACL

• Asian Americans in Higher Education Set for 3rd Annual Meet, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The San Jose Taiko Group will perform a benefit concert for Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education (APAHE) on Feb. 25 in Sacramento, with proceeds supporting the organization. The APAHE conference, themed ‘Windows of Opportunity: The Time Is Now!’, will run Feb. 25-27 featuring keynote speakers including university chancellors and possibly Reps. Mineta and Matsui.
• Report to the National Board, by Paul Igasaki, page 4. JACL Washington Representative Paul Igasaki’s quarterly report to the National Board covers legislative activities including census/immigration linkage, the Hate Crimes Statistics Act, immigration reform bills, and opposition to a resolution attacking affirmative action in college admissions. The report also details anti-Asian violence conferences, media monitoring efforts, and emerging issues including support requests on fishing rights and civil rights legislation.

Military & Veterans

• Actor George Takei to Address Rohwer Reunion, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Actor George Takei, who was interned as a youngster at the Rohwer WRA Center during World War II, will keynote the first Rohwer reunion scheduled for July 20-21 near LAX airport. Over 1,000 people including 29 Issei guests have already confirmed attendance.

Commentary

• Affirmative Action Quotas, by P.C. Staff, page 4. This editorial traces the history of university admissions quotas from anti-Jewish restrictions early in the century to modern affirmative action policies, arguing that quotas meant to help minorities have created new unfairness. It cites Arthur Hu’s study showing white students are underrepresented at UC Berkeley relative to their share of high school graduates, suggesting current quota systems may now be limiting Asian American enrollment.
• Tachi Name Was Missed, by Shigeki Hiratsuka, page 4. A reader writes to correct an omission in a scholarship profile, noting that his late wife should have been identified by her maiden name Aiko Tashiro rather than Hiratsuka. He explains the scholarship fund’s origins connect to her memory and requests the name be included in future references.
• Bouquets from the Mayor, by Anne Rudin, page 4. Sacramento Mayor Anne Rudin praises a Pacific Citizen story by Vincent Tajiri about Japanese American experiences during World War II, calling it a moving and enlightening account. She emphasizes the importance of remembering this history to preserve values of fairness and justice.
• Letter on Miss Oklahoma Coverage, by Bill Sakakura, page 4. A reader from Walnut Creek requests more coverage and a photo of Tamara Denise Toshiko Marler, Miss Oklahoma, who won the talent competition at the Miss America finals. The editor’s note explains attempts were made to contact Marler but received no response.
• Once Lowly Miso Soup Gains Popularity, by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. Columnist Bill Hosokawa reflects on his early dislike of miso soup while working in Alaska salmon canneries, contrasting it with the soup’s newfound popularity among non-Japanese Americans today. He notes broader trends of Japanese foods like sushi and soy sauce becoming mainstream in American culture.
• Newsmakers, by P.C. Staff, page 8. This roundup features various Japanese American individuals in the news, including Sidney Yamazaki being honored by the West L.A. Lions Club, Elizabeth Akamatsu’s artwork on display, and Judge Donald Tsukiyama leaving the Hawaii circuit court bench. Also mentioned are Barack Obama’s election as first Black president of the Harvard Law Review and various other community figures’ achievements.

In-Depth

• Good Soil: Texas Issei Farms in Rio Grande Valley Succeed Except the ‘Yamato Colony’, by Masakazu Iwata, page 5. This historical excerpt details the successes and struggles of Japanese immigrant farmers in Texas’s Rio Grande Valley, highlighting pioneers like rice grower Kichimatsu Kishi and lettuce innovator Minoru Kawahata. Despite the failure of the Yamato Colony venture in Brownsville, Issei farmers built lasting agricultural enterprises in cotton, citrus, and vegetables that shaped the region’s economy.

Arts & Entertainment

• ‘Through Innocent Eyes’: Essays, Artwork of Poston I High School Students Compiled as Book and Audiotape, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Edited by Vincent Tajiri, ‘Through Innocent Eyes’ compiles writings and artwork by young Japanese American internees at Poston, including contributions from Yuji Ichioka and Lane Hirabayashi. An audio version narrated with an introduction by George Takei will be released simultaneously with the book in March.
• Another Book Due on ‘Tokyo Rose’ Case, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Journalist Russell Warren Howe has written a new book, ‘The Hunt for Tokyo Rose,’ revealing that two Nisei witnesses who testified against Iva Toguri confirmed they were pressured by FBI agents to give false testimony. The book was featured in a Washington Post column by Jack Anderson and Dale Van Atta.
• Hawaii Literary Quarterly Starts Its 11th Year, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Bamboo Ridge, a Hawaiian writers’ quarterly that began with about 75 subscribers in 1978, now has 600 subscribers according to editors Eric Chock and Darrell Lum. Franklin Odo of the University of Hawaii’s Ethnic Studies Program noted the magazine’s importance as a link to cultural heritage.
• Books to P.C.: Toyohiko Kagawa and Sushi and Sourdough Reviewed, by Harry K. Honda, page 6. Two books are reviewed: a biography of Toyohiko Kagawa, the influential Japanese Christian preacher and social worker known as the ‘Japanese Gandhi,’ and ‘Sushi and Sourdough,’ a novel by Tooru Kanazawa about a Japanese immigrant family’s life in Alaska. Both books explore historical and cultural aspects of Japanese American experience.

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.