Vol. 112, No. 13, April 5, 1991. 8 pages. View this issue
Discrimination against Asian Americans in college admissions led the news. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher and 35 House members reintroduced a resolution asking the Justice and Education Departments to enforce civil rights laws, with the long-running UCLA and UC Berkeley cases cited. Nearby on the front page, Peru’s President Alberto Fujimori swore in Dr. Victor Yamamoto as minister of health and named other Nikkei officials, among them Victor Aritomi as ambassador to Tokyo.
Columnists looked back and close to home. Bill Hosokawa wrote about the Amerasia Bookstore in Little Tokyo, and Bill Marutani turned from Japanese dictionaries to the approaching 50th anniversary of Executive Order 9066. The Florin Chapter held its ninth annual Time of Remembrance, with Dale Minami as speaker. Other pages cover Patricia Saiki’s confirmation to head the Small Business Administration, the PANA convention schedule for Paraguay, and aid to Peru during a cholera outbreak.
What’s in this issue
National
- Discrimination Opposed in College Admissions, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A resolution against discrimination toward Asian Americans in college admissions has been reintroduced by Rep. Dana Rohrabacher and 35 members of the House. The resolution calls on the Justice and Education Departments to vigorously enforce civil rights laws regarding college admissions policies, citing longstanding investigations at UCLA and UC Berkeley.
- Nikkei to Sue: Peru’s Fujimori Names Nikkei Officials, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Peru President Alberto Fujimori swore in Dr. Victor Yamamoto as minister of health, and named other Nikkei officials including Victor Aritomi as ambassador to Tokyo. The article details backgrounds of several Nikkei appointees serving in Fujimori’s government, including a woman heading customs and officials in the education ministry.
- Bill Asks for Study of Minority Contracting in California, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A bill has been reintroduced in the California Legislature calling for a study of the state’s contracting with minority and women-owned businesses. The bill responds to complaints that the state has not adequately monitored its own goals for contracting with these groups, with Asian Pacific male-owned firms receiving only $614,908,000 during a recent period.
- Japan Still Has Investment Eyes on U.S., by P.C. Staff, page 1. Japanese investors continue pouring money into U.S. real estate, believing in America’s long-term economic strength despite recent declines. Cumulative Japanese investment in U.S. real estate now totals $70.72 billion, with hotels, resorts, and mixed-use properties attracting continued interest despite a slowdown from 1989 levels.
- PANA Convention Schedule Announced, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Pan-American Nikkei Association announced the schedule for its next convention in Asuncion, Paraguay, from July 24-28, 1991, with sessions covering Nikkei entrepreneurship, education, and youth issues. About 7,000 Japanese live in Paraguay, and the convention will include panel discussions, a youth forum, tours of Japanese colonies, and a Sayonara banquet.
- Cholera Outbreak in Peru Prompts Japanese Aid, by P.C. Staff, page 6. A cholera outbreak in Peru affected 11,000 people with 77 deaths as of mid-February, though no Japanese nationals in Peru were reported affected. Japan and PANA-USA donated significant funds and supplies, including $60,000 from PANA-USA and additional millions from the Japanese government, to combat the epidemic and provide infrastructure aid.
- Lawsuit Filed Over Student Search Policy, page 7. A lawsuit was filed regarding a student who was singled out and searched, carrying a radio that police confirmed was his own along with a knife he said was for self-defense. Machara, hired as outreach coordinator, argued that white students are not stopped for carrying radios in the same manner, and called for prohibiting such targeted searches.
Commentary
- More Clarification on Chin Murder Case, page 2. A reader responds to a previous letter about the Vincent Chin murder case, clarifying that he does thorough research using multiple news sources rather than relying on secondhand information. He argues that trade friction with Japan is not the underlying cause of most hate crimes against Asians, citing several other incidents of anti-Asian violence unrelated to trade issues.
- Pat Saiki’s New Job: To Head SBA, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Patricia Saiki of Hawaii was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to head the Small Business Administration, filling the post vacated by Susan Engeleiter. Saiki, a former congresswoman with extensive legislative experience, told the Senate she hopes to improve small business access to loans and support women-owned and disadvantaged businesses.
- Little Tokyo’s Bookstore: Amerasia, by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. Bill Hosokawa reflects on the Amerasia Bookstore in Little Tokyo, a quiet establishment born from the idealism of the late Sixties and early Seventies Asian American movement. He traces the store’s evolution from a hub of progressive activism to a business having to adapt to economic realities over the decades.
- Jibiki’s, Jisho’s & Jiten’s, by Bill Marutani, page 4. Bill Marutani writes about Japanese dictionaries and their varying systems for organizing kanji characters, sharing personal reflections on learning Japanese. He connects this to the approaching anniversary of Executive Order 9066 and notes that racial prejudice from that era still echoes in hate crimes against Asian Americans today.
JACL
- Cleveland Chapter Honors Community Members, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Cleveland JACL chapter honored several community members for their longstanding service, including members of the American Jewish Committee and Asian community representatives. Recognized individuals included Christine, assistant director of the Cleveland Council on World Affairs, and several others for their contributions.
Community
- Florin Chapter Holds 9th Annual Time of Remembrance, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Florin Chapter held its ninth annual Time of Remembrance event on March 9, honoring the theme ‘A Constitutional Victory Against All Odds’ with civil rights leaders and community allies recognized for their support. Attorney Dale Minami spoke on civil rights, and honorees included Robert Trigg, Willie Ellison of the NAACP, Jonathan Lightman, and Martha Power, with over 250 people attending.
- Little Tokyo Redistricting Concerns Raised, page 5. A letter urges a redistricting committee to keep Little Tokyo within one councilmanic, assembly, senate, and congressional district, and requests similar consideration for Chinatown and Koreatown which are currently divided among multiple districts. The writer emphasizes that the cultural identity and history of these communities depend on unified representation.
- PANA-USA Donation Supports Fujin Kai Bazaar in Peru, by P.C. Staff, page 6. A two-week bazaar held at the Japanese Cultural Center in Lima’s Jesus Maria section raised more than $60,000 for the needy in Peru through the sale of donated clothing items from PANA-USA. Peruvian Fujin Kai members sorted and priced the items, with a watch and necklace among items donated by President Fujimori’s family.
Incarceration & Redress
- Reflections on Executive Order 9066 Anniversary Approaching, page 4. As the 50th anniversary of Executive Order 9066 approaches, the article reflects on how race prejudice and wartime hysteria led to the forced removal of Japanese Americans in 1942. It notes that hate crimes against Asian Americans continue today, echoing the racial consequences of that era including death threats and hate mail directed at community leaders and centers.
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