The 1990 JACL convention in San Diego: new officers and draft resisters

Vol. 110, No. 25, June 29, 1990. 8 pages. View this issue

The 31st Biennial JACL Convention in San Diego filled most of this eight-page issue. Cressey Nakagawa was reelected national president, with Floyd Mori, William Kaneko, Ted Masumoto, Tom Nakao Jr. and Priscilla Ouchida joining him as officers. Delegates unanimously adopted a resolution honoring WWII draft resisters and expressing regret for JACL’s past failure to acknowledge their loyalty. Karen Seriguchi reported on the vote, and an editorial on Resolution 13 followed. Peter Irons, the keynote speaker at the awards banquet, spoke about the World War II incarceration (often called internment). Harry K. Honda covered the closing Sayonara Banquet, where LEC’s Redress Celebration honored 12 people, and the National Council’s approval of a new JACL Legacy Fund.

Elsewhere, Bill Hosokawa’s column compared Idaho potato farming with small farms in Japan. Cressey Nakagawa wrote about an attack on two Japanese students in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Peruvian Nikkei in Little Tokyo and relatives in Kumamoto-ken reacted to Alberto Fujimori’s election.

What’s in this issue

JACL

• New National JACL Officers Take Office, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Candidates for the six National Board Offices were elected at the 31st Biennial JACL Convention in San Diego, all running without opposition but requiring a simple majority. Cressey Nakagawa was reelected president, with Floyd Mori, William Kaneko, Ted Masumoto, Tom Nakao Jr., and Priscilla Ouchida elected to other posts, along with youth representatives Kim Tachiki and Trisha Murakawa.
• 31st Biennial JACL Convention in San Diego Ends; LEC Honors 12, by Harry K. Honda, page 1. The 31st Biennial National JACL Convention concluded with a Sayonara Banquet featuring Japanese American of the Biennium Awards to Dr. Ronald Takaki, Steven Okazaki, and Rep. Robert Matsui, plus LEC’s Redress Celebration honoring 12 individuals with commemorative ceramic plates. Cressey Nakagawa was reelected national president and new officers were installed, sworn in by Rep. Robert Matsui.
• National JACL Creates Legacy Endowment Fund, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The National Council approved a new endowment or legacy fund to provide income for national and chapter programs, with a goal of $10 million to be raised over three years starting in September. A steering committee of national officers and district governors will lead the fundraising campaign, with earnings distributed among national, chapter, and district programs.
• Mt. Olympus JACLer Elected to Nat’l Board as V.P. for Public Affairs, by Harry K. Honda, page 1. Former California Assemblyman S. Floyd Mori was elected vice president for public affairs on the 1990-92 national JACL board, succeeding Cherry Kinoshita. Mori, currently Mt. Olympus JACL president, previously served in the state assembly and as director of California’s Office of International Trade.
• Barry Saiki of Tokyo Surprised at Convention With Sapphire Pin, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Barry Saiki, founder of the Japan JACL chapter ten years ago, was surprised with the Sapphire Pin at the Convention JACL Award Banquet for his distinguished JACL service. The retired army intelligence officer and longtime P.C. guest columnist plans to retire in Stockton after 30 years in Japan.
• Sayonara Banquet Concludes Convention Festivities, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The JACL-LEC Celebration at the convention’s closing banquet honored 12 individuals including senators and community leaders with commemorative ceramic plates, with speeches from LEC chair Jerry Enomoto and messages from Sen. Inouye. The evening included oratorical competition awards, music performances, and recognition of Arthur Morimitsu as JACLer of the Biennium.

Incarceration & Redress

• JACL Acts to Heal Community Wounds: Resolution Praises WWII’s Nisei Draft Resisters, by Karen Seriguchi, page 1. Delegates at the National Convention unanimously adopted a resolution recognizing WWII draft resisters as deserving ‘a place of honor and respect’ in Japanese American history, expressing regret for JACL’s past failure to acknowledge their loyalty. Seattle Chapter president Vicki Toyohara-Mukai explained the resolution replaced a controversial 1988 measure and aimed to heal community divisions since WWII.
• Peter Irons Challenges JACL to Be Concerned of Others in ‘Exile’ and ‘Concentration Camps’, by Harry K. Honda, page 1. Attorney and UC San Diego professor Peter Irons, keynote speaker at the National JACL Awards banquet, recounted JACL’s historical refusal to support Nisei legal challenges to internment and urged concern for other marginalized groups. He compared modern injustices, including homelessness and segregation of the black urban underclass, to forms of ‘concentration camps.’
• Report of the Presidential Select Committee on Resolution No. 7, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Presidential Select Committee’s report, accepted at the convention, details the historical context of JACL’s WWII-era policies toward No-No Boys and draft resisters, including the organization’s cooperation with the government and suspension of members who answered no-no on loyalty questionnaires. The committee concluded that draft resisters who professed loyalty but resisted due to constitutional deprivations were honorable Americans deserving acknowledgment, while emphasizing the need to learn from this history without placing blame.

Community

• Convention Tote Bag Filled With Goodies and Impressive Booklet, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Some 400 canvas tote bags with convention logos were distributed to delegates registering for the National JACL Convention in San Diego, filled with local information, JACL-Blue Shield materials, and the biennial report. The bags also included an 88-page convention souvenir booklet edited by an eight-member staff.
• Skyli Yamada From Sandy, Utah: Budding Golf Champion Is Apt Role Model, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Eighth grader Skyli Yamada of Sandy, Utah, has become a rising junior golf star, winning numerous tournaments including the Kids for Kids Junior Golf Classic. She follows in the footsteps of her sister Starla, a college golf scholarship athlete, while maintaining a 3.8 GPA and working part-time.
• Telecommunications Executive James Yee Wins 1990 Tatsukawa Memorial Award, by P.C. Staff, page 2. James Yee, executive director of the National Asian American Telecommunications Association, was named recipient of the 1990 Steve Tatsukawa Memorial Award for his decade of leadership in Asian Pacific media. The award recognizes achievement in creative expression and advocacy in media arts on behalf of Asian Pacific Americans.
• ‘Japan Week’ to be Held in Los Angeles, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Japanese foreign ministry and Consulate General in Los Angeles announced an eight-day ‘Japan Week’ event aimed at promoting grassroots-level understanding of Japan amid growing American concern over Japanese economic influence. The event will include exhibitions of modern Japanese sculpture, films, and panel discussions.
• Asian American Day at Candlestick Park Set, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The San Francisco Giants will host the First Annual Asian American Day on July 7, sponsored by Nihonmachi Legal Outreach and Cameron House to benefit these community service agencies. Cameron House serves Chinatown youth and families while Nihonmachi Legal Outreach provides legal services to the Asian and Pacific Islander community.
• Sen. Inouye to Speak at L.A. Fete, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Sen. Daniel Inouye of Hawaii will keynote the Leadership Awards Dinner for LEAP (Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics) on July 20 at the Biltmore Hotel, where he will be honored along with business leader Theodore Wong and other community leaders. Proceeds will support LEAP’s existing programs and new national initiatives.
• Snake River JACL Scholarship Winners Honored at Graduation Banquet, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Snake River JACL’s 45th Graduation Banquet honored 10 graduating seniors with scholarships, cosponsored with the Nikkeijin Kai in Ontario, Oregon. The Rev. Diane Akiyama, the first Nikkei woman ordained as an Episcopal minister, served as guest speaker.
• Cal Poly Pomona, Japan Design School Sign Exchange Agreement, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Cal Poly Pomona and the Kyushu Institute of Design in Japan signed an agreement providing for academic exchanges between the two institutions, covering research and educational programs particularly in environmental studies. The pact was signed by Cal Poly President Hugh O. La Bounty and K.I.D. representatives.
• White River Valley JACL Holds Graduation Banquet, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The White River Valley Civic League held its 1990 graduation banquet honoring Michelle Cullen, a Kent-Meridian High School graduate who received the chapter’s scholarship award. Karen Yoshitomi, Director of the Pacific Northwest District Regional JACL office, served as guest speaker.
• The Newsmakers, by P.C. Staff, page 6. This roundup features notable Japanese American achievements including Cheryl Toma being crowned Miss Hawaii, Tom Okubo being honored for Sacramento JACL service, and Professor Koji Nakanishi receiving Japan’s Imperial Prize for chemistry research. Also featured are Albert Nozaki’s Lions Club honor, James Fujimoto’s judicial appointment, and Joseph Oyama’s Presidential Award nomination for science teaching.
• Denver Woman Wins Top Benefit Drawing Prize, by P.C. Staff, page 8. June Inuzuka won the $2,000 first prize in the annual benefit drawing for the Japanese Retirement Home held by Friends of the JRH. Other winners included M. Nakamura, Tulie Webster Velt, Douglas Uyeki, and Elsie Sumi, who received various prizes donated by sponsors.
• 300 Minority Attorneys, Judges Hold Convention, by Alvina Lew, page 8. The 1990 Statewide Minority Attorney Conference was held at the Sheraton Long Beach Hotel with 300 minority lawyers and judges from across California participating as panelists and attendees. Topics discussed included career alternatives, marketing techniques for small firms, and the future role of minority bar associations.

Arts & Entertainment

• Movie to Air 45th Anniversary of U.S. Bombing, by P.C. Staff, page 2. NBC will air the television movie ‘Hiroshima: Out of the Ashes’ on August 6, marking the 45th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. The film depicts survivors’ lives and stars Max Von Sydow, Judd Nelson, Kim Miyori, Pat Morita, Mako, Tamlyn Tomita and John Fujioka.

Military & Veterans

• Ft. Sam Veterans to Hold 1991 Reunion in Reno, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A committee of Northern California veterans from Ft. Sam Houston, Texas hosted a 2nd reunion at the Sundowner Casino Hotel in Reno, commemorating the group’s 45th anniversary of WWII service. More than 125 veterans, wives, offspring and friends attended, with special recognition awards given to five individuals.

National

• Minorities Still Locked Out of Editorial Jobs in U.S. Newspapers, ANPA Finds, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A survey by the American Newspaper Publishers Association found that while minority and women employment increased two percent since 1988, minorities remain underrepresented in editorial-news jobs at U.S. daily newspapers. Minorities make up only five percent of news/editorial managers despite representing 22 percent of the total U.S. civilian workforce.
• Peruvian Nikkei in Little Tokyo Pray for Fujimori’s Success as El Presidente, by Takeshi Nakayama, Rafu Shimpo, page 3. Peruvians of Japanese descent in Southern California expressed mixed feelings about Alberto Fujimori’s presidential election victory in Peru, proud of his heritage but worried about his ability to solve the country’s economic crisis and terrorism problems. Local Nikkei leaders like Alejandro Nakada and Martha Tamashiro discussed the challenges facing Fujimori and Peru’s Japanese community.
• Fujimori’s Uncle in Kumamoto-ken Celebrates; Kaifu Extends Best Wishes, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Residents of Kawachi, Kumamoto-ken, the ancestral hometown of Peru’s president-elect Alberto Fujimori, celebrated his election victory with saké and flag-waving, led by his uncle Tomio Imoto. Japanese Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu congratulated Fujimori, though officials clarified Japan would not provide special economic assistance based solely on his heritage.
• Controversy May Sink 80-Ft. Japanese Sub at Pearl Harbor Twice, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The U.S. Park Service is expected to decide whether to ship a historic WWII Japanese midget submarine to Hawaii for the 50th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack. A decision was delayed due to misinformed protests from Veterans of Foreign Wars chapters who wrongly believed the sub would be anchored over the USS Arizona.
• Calif. Assembly Passes Anti-Dropout Bill to Aid Minority Prep Students, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The California State Assembly passed legislation aimed at reducing high dropout rates among Asian immigrant, Black and Latino students through matching grants for university tutoring and mentoring programs. Authored by Assemblyman Tom Bates, the bill was modeled on a successful UC Berkeley program and includes $145,000 in matching grants.

Commentary

• Resolution 13, by P.C. Staff, page 4. This editorial discusses the significance of Resolution 13, unanimously adopted at the national JACL convention, which recognizes the patriotism of WWII draft resisters and apologizes for JACL’s failure to honor them. The piece explains the historical context of the resolution and predicts some community members will disagree with its provisions despite the healing intent.
• Letters to the Editor, by Phil Shigekuni, E. Honda, page 4. Phil Shigekuni challenges the P.C.’s editorial stance on affirmative action, arguing inconsistency with the paper’s support for redress given both address past discrimination. E. Honda writes to correct an omission regarding Spokane veterans in a photo caption from a previous ‘Minidoka Revisited’ article.
• A World of Difference, by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. In this ‘From the Frying Pan’ column, Bill Hosokawa discusses large-scale Idaho potato farming, Japanese ‘sanchan agriculture’ where elderly family members tend small farms while men work in factories, and cultural differences between Japan and the U.S. regarding juvenile delinquency and national stereotypes. He notes a story about Japanese high school students expelled for smoking cigarettes.
• In Wake of the Incident at La Crosse, Wisconsin, by Cressey H. Nakagawa, page 4. National JACL President Cressey Nakagawa addresses a violent attack on two Japanese students in La Crosse, Wisconsin, linking it to a rising tide of anti-Asian violence in America including previous attacks on Vincent Chin and others. He calls for community unity, federal civil rights prosecution, and stronger state laws against hate crimes.

Obituaries

• Obituaries, by P.C. Staff, page 6. This section lists obituaries for numerous Japanese Americans who passed away in May and June 1990, including Michiye Nishikawa, Yoshie Nishimura, Edward Fukiage, and others with details of survivors. Notable among them is Scott Miya, 25, a Sansei from Culver City.

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