Redress in Congress, and a new editor for the paper

Vol. 110, No. 11, March 23, 1990. 8 pages. View this issue

Redress and how it passed through Congress ran through this issue. Grant Ujifusa, chair of JACL-LEC’s legislative strategy, gave a speech in Spokane crediting Senator Dan Inouye, Senator Spark Matsunaga and Reps. Norman Mineta and Bob Matsui. Another front-page story reported that Matsunaga was continuing to work despite a grave illness. The paper also announced that its board had appointed Mark Osaki as editor-in-chief, and a petition drive in New York sought to protect state benefits from being affected by redress payments.

Other coverage included Day of Remembrance events in Florin and Salinas, a sakura grove dedicated at the site of the Walerga Assembly Center, and plans for the 1990 JACL national convention in San Diego. Bill Hosokawa’s column looked at a collection of Nisei memorabilia and profiled Masakazu Iwata, author of a history of the Issei in agriculture, whose book chapter appeared on page 5.

What’s in this issue

JACL

• An Address from JACL-LEC Legislative Strategy Chair, by Grant Ujifusa, page 1. Grant Ujifusa, chair of JACL-LEC’s legislative strategy since 1985, delivers a speech in Spokane, Washington detailing how redress passed through Congress. He credits Senator Dan Inouye’s insider power on the Appropriations Committee, Senator Spark Matsunaga’s lobbying, and Reps. Norman Mineta and Bob Matsui for making the political miracle of entitlement possible.
• San Diego Princess Resort Site of 1990 National Convention, by Robert Ito, page 1. The 1990 National JACL Convention will be held June 17-23 at the San Diego Princess Resort, offering attendees a special convention room rate and luxury amenities including restaurants, pools, and tennis courts. George and Mary Ogawa of Torrance were the first official delegates to register for the convention.
• P.C. Board Appoints New Editor-in-Chief, page 1. The Pacific Citizen board has appointed Mark Osaki as editor-in-chief, following his career as principal editor at the University of California and editor of other publications. Osaki has received numerous awards for his writing and multimedia work and expressed enthusiasm for the challenges of his new position.

National

• National League of Cities: Asian Pacific Municipal Officials Caucus Holds Workshop on Black/Asian Relations, page 1. Paul Igasaki, JACL’s Washington Representative, participated in a workshop on Asian and African American relations at the National League of Cities Asian Pacific American Municipal Officials Caucus. Panelists including Marshall Wong and Ralph Dickerson discussed economic tensions between African American residents and Asian American merchants in inner cities and sought common ground based on shared experiences of racism.
• Spark to Stay on Job Despite Grave Illness, page 1. Hawaii Senator Spark Matsunaga’s prostate cancer has spread to his bones, confining him to a wheelchair, but he continues to work on his legislative agenda from his Maryland home. Matsunaga, who spearheaded the successful redress movement, has received an outpouring of support from constituents and colleagues since announcing his illness in January.
• Census Bureau Estimates: 70% Increase in Asian/Pacific People from 1980 to 1988 Due to Immigration, page 3. A Census Bureau report shows the Asian or Pacific Islander population grew by an estimated 70% (2.7 million people) from 1980 to 1988, primarily due to immigration, compared to smaller growth rates for other racial groups. As a result, Asians/Pacific Islanders now comprise 2.7% of the U.S. population, up from 1.7% in 1980.

Community

• Campaign to Protect State Benefits Under Way, page 1. A petition effort is underway in New York to persuade the state legislature to exempt redress payments from affecting income ceilings on social-service programs like Medicaid. JACL-LEC Executive Director JoAnne Kagiwada said supporters are seeking a Republican cosponsor to enhance the bill’s chances of passage.
• Vandals Damage Japanese Garden, page 1. Vandals caused an estimated $15,000 to $25,000 in damage to the Japanese Tea Garden in San Mateo’s Central Park, ripping up bonsai trees and knocking over a pagoda. Police believe the vandals were opportunistic rather than motivated by anti-Japanese sentiment, though there are no suspects.
• Sato to Make Run for House Seat, page 2. Eunice A. Sato, longtime Long Beach city councilwoman and former mayor, filed nomination papers for the 31st District congressional seat currently held by Mervyn Dymally. Sato is the lone Republican candidate who has filed for the June 5 primary election.
• Discount Airfares to Convention Announced, page 3. United Airlines, the official 1990 convention airline, is offering discount airfares of 5-40% to San Diego for the 31st Biennial JACL National Convention. Travelers can access these discounts by calling United Meeting Plus specialists and referencing a specific account number.
• Greater Portland Nikkei Reunion Slated Aug. 3-5, page 3. The Greater Portland Reunion 1990 is scheduled for Aug. 3-5, bringing together present and former Oregonians, Southwest Washingtonians, and friends for a weekend of events including a Friday mixer, Saturday banquet, and Sunday picnic. The committee is seeking additional information from interested participants.
• West Los Angeles JACL to Sponsor Discussion on Career Opportunities, page 3. West Los Angeles JACL is sponsoring a panel discussion titled ‘Japanese American Youth: Careers and Community in the 1990s’ featuring three Japanese American student leaders discussing career opportunities and community concerns. The event is part of a monthly lecture series on contemporary community issues.
• Amanda, Baby Leukemia Patient Helped but Dies, page 3. Baby Amanda Chiang, a 14-month-old leukemia patient, died from pneumonia and bone marrow rejection despite a campaign that added 2,000 Asian American names to the National Registry seeking bone marrow donors. Her case brought attention to the urgent needs of Asian leukemia patients nationwide.
• Scholarships Available for UCLA-Bound Nikkei, page 8. The UCLA Nikkei Student Union Scholarship Fund is offering scholarships ranging from $250 to $500 to incoming freshmen for Fall Quarter 1990. Criteria include academic excellence, commitment to the Japanese American community, and interest in Japanese American history and heritage.
• Author Amy Tan to Address UPAC Benefit, page 8. The Union of Pacific Asian Communities will hold its seventh annual benefit dinner in San Diego featuring author Amy Tan as guest speaker. Tan’s bestselling novel The Joy Luck Club has been nominated for a national award.

Incarceration & Redress

• Sakura Grove Dedicated as Memorial to Walerga Assembly Center, by Toko Fujii, page 2. A grove of flowering sakura trees was dedicated at Walerga Park in Sacramento, site of the wartime Walerga Assembly Center where nearly 5,000 people were incarcerated before removal to Tulelake. The ceremony included remarks from Sacramento JACL vice president Mike Sawamura and a symbolic earth-turning by representatives of several organizations.
• Remembrance Rites in Florin Draws Large Crowd, page 2. Florin JACL held its eighth annual Day of Remembrance at the Florin Buddhist Hall with more than 300 in attendance, featuring speakers Rep. Norman Mineta and Jerry Enomoto. The event included a tribute to 27 local internees who had died since the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 was signed, with candles lit in their memory.
• Veteran MIS Instructor Keynote Speaker at Salinas Kinenhi Memorial Garden Event, page 3. Shig Kihara served as keynote speaker at the Feb. 19 Day of Remembrance held at Kinenhi Japanese Memorial Garden in Salinas, marking the 48th anniversary of Executive Order 9066. Kihara spoke about the constitutional violations of internment and the dual cultural heritage that sustained Japanese Americans through adversity.

Commentary

• A Clarification, page 4. The Pacific Citizen editorial explains that a statement by JACL National Director Bill Yoshino was mistakenly labeled as an ‘Editorial of the Pacific Citizen’ in a previous issue, when it was actually a separate JACL statement responding to a P.C. editorial on affirmative action. The paper clarifies its editorial independence from JACL, citing past instances where it reported controversy within the organization despite embarrassment to JACL leadership.
• Trade Policies Supported, by James Oda, page 4. A letter writer argues that Japanese Americans should support U.S. trade policies against Japan’s closed market system, which he says inflates prices for American goods sold in Japan. He contends this stance is necessary to maintain credibility when criticizing anti-Japanese sentiment or Japan-bashing.
• Trust Fund for JACL, by Yosh Nakashima, page 4. A letter writer expresses concern that JACL may rush into establishing a trust fund at the 1990 National Council meeting without adequate discussion, potentially pressuring redress recipients to donate out of guilt. He calls for more thoughtful, sensitive fundraising proposals developed at the grassroots level rather than last-minute decisions.
• A Treasure Trove of Nisei Memorabilia, by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. Bill Hosokawa describes the memorabilia collection of Mas Shiozaki, a diligent collector who periodically sends him historical clippings and documents about Nisei history and WWII military service. The column details several fascinating items including letters from Admiral Yamamoto’s son, Charlton Heston, and Konosuke Matsushita, plus historical photos of early Issei workers.
• From Southfield, Michigan, by Bill Marutani, page 4. Bill Marutani writes about American Citizens for Justice (ACJ), a civil rights organization based in Southfield, Michigan that actively investigates discrimination cases including the killing of Jim Loo in South Carolina. He notes the organization’s ecumenical solidarity among Asian American groups and highlights an upcoming rededication dinner featuring diverse programming.

In-Depth

• Excerpts — Chapter XVII: Into Indiana, Wisconsin; in 1940s into Seabrook, New Jersey, by Masakazu Iwata, page 5. This excerpt from Iwata’s book chronicles Issei agricultural pioneers who settled in Indiana, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, including farmers who succeeded in celery, onion, and mint production despite economic hardship. The piece also describes Seabrook Farms in New Jersey, which became a major site of Japanese American resettlement during WWII, housing thousands of workers recruited from relocation centers.
• The Author Is Reintroduced, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Bill Hosokawa profiles Masakazu Iwata, author of the upcoming book ‘Planted in Good Soil: A History of the Issei in United States Agriculture,’ describing his journey from farm boy to scholar who spent 25 years researching and writing the manuscript for JACL’s Japanese American Research Project. The book, to be published by Peter Lang Publishing, captures the Issei’s contributions and spirit through detailed historical research and interviews.

Obituaries

• Rev. Chiso Yamaguchi, 68, Buddhist Priest, page 7. Rev. Chiso Ken Yamaguchi of the Buddhist Churches of America collapsed during a church board meeting and died in San Francisco. Born in Brawley, he was interned in Poston during WWII, worked as an optometrist before studying to become a priest at age 50, and served BCA congregations in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
• Hitoshi Yoshida, 38, Muralist, page 7. Hokkaido-born set designer and muralist Hitoshi Yoshida died recently. He had worked with Filipino youths in his artistic endeavors.
• Hirosuke Inouye, 74, JACL President, page 7. Redwood City-born community leader Hirosuke Inouye, who served as San Mateo JACL president in 1959, died at Stanford Hospital. He is survived by his wife Ruby and several children.

Sports

• San Francisco’s Boy Scout Troop 12, Among U.S.’s Oldest, Founded by Issei, page 8. San Francisco’s Boy Scout Troop 12, founded in 1913 by Japanese language school principal Yoshizo Sano, will celebrate its 75th anniversary in June. The troop has a distinguished history including reestablishment during WWII internment at Topaz and features a celebrated Drum and Bugle Corps; organizers are seeking historical photos and memorabilia from past members.

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.