The Hattori verdict and the reaction in Japan and in JACL

Vol. 116, No. 21, May 28, 1993. 12 pages. View this issue

The acquittal of Rodney Peairs dominated the news. A Louisiana jury took three hours to find him not guilty of manslaughter in the shooting of 16-year-old Japanese exchange student Yoshihiro Hattori. The story ran again on page 11 with coverage from Japan, where his father, Masaichi Hattori, gathered signatures for gun control. The Japanese American Citizens League asked the Justice Department to investigate, in a letter to Attorney General Janet Reno. Page 1 also covered the Marky Mark campaign, the Thai temple murder trial, and EEOC Commissioner Joy Cherian on discrimination claims.

Harry K. Honda wrote about JACL’s Memorial Day tradition at Arlington National Cemetery and a revised book on relocation and redress. Bill Hosokawa and Jin Konomi wrote columns, and Fred Hirasuna urged redress recipients to give to the JACL Legacy Fund. Readers Gene Tuck and Carol Junaye-Matchews answered Bill Marutani’s column on homosexuality. Page 6 lists chapter scholarships from San Mateo and Sacramento.

What’s in this issue

National

• Jury Acquits Man Who Shot Japanese Student, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A Louisiana jury took three hours to acquit Rodney Peairs of manslaughter in the shooting death of 16-year-old Japanese exchange student Yoshihiro Hattori, who had mistakenly approached Peairs’ house looking for a Halloween party. The verdict shocked many in Japan and reinforced perceptions of America as gun-crazy, prompting Hattori’s father to gather signatures pushing for U.S. gun control legislation.
• Marky Mark Draws Attention for Racist Attacks, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Coalition Against Anti-Asian Violence (CAAV) launched a campaign against rapper Marky Mark after he was involved in incidents described as racist attacks on Asian Americans. As part of a resolution, Marky Mark agreed to record public service announcements denouncing racial bigotry.
• Prosecution: Money Was Motive in Thai Temple Murders, by Joe Aliman, page 1. Prosecutors in the 1991 murders of nine people at a Thai Buddhist temple in Arizona said 18-year-old Johnathan Doody’s motive was to get cash for a new car, with the total robbery take around $2,650. The defense argued investigators used improper interrogation tactics to obtain incriminating statements, and the trial was expected to last two months.
• Discrimination Claims Increasing, Says U.S. Agency, by P.C. Staff, page 1. EEOC Commissioner Joy Cherian said national origin discrimination charges rose nearly 30% between 1989 and 1992, warning that employers must establish training programs to prevent workplace disharmony. Cherian delivered the keynote address at an Asian Pacific American Heritage Month event sponsored by the U.S. Justice Department.
• Patsy Mink Would Consider Supreme Court Nomination, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Rep. Patsy Mink (D-Hawaii) said she would seriously consider a nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court following Justice Byron White’s retirement announcement. Many Asian Pacific American groups have been advocating for her nomination, and she holds a law degree from the University of Chicago.
• Melinda Yee Gets Commerce Post, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Melinda C. Yee was named special assistant to the Secretary of Commerce and senior advisor on the Pacific Rim, reporting to Secretary Ronald H. Brown. She previously worked in the White House Office of Presidential Personnel and was a founding member of the National Network Against Anti-Asian Violence.
• Verdict Draws Extensive Coverage in Japan, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Japanese media gave the Peairs verdict extensive coverage, with Masaichi Hattori expressing surprise at the acquittal and questioning why Americans feel the need to own guns. The story was reportedly the top news item in Japan at the time.

JACL

• JACL Wants Justice Department Investigation Into Hattori Shooting, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Japanese American Citizens League requested the Justice Department investigate the Hattori shooting case, sending a letter to Attorney General Janet Reno saying an investigation is clearly warranted. JACL representative Karen Narasaki and national director John Tateishi/Hayashi raised concerns about racial prejudice potentially influencing Peairs’ actions.

Community

• Nisei Re-elected to Omaha City Council, by Em Nakadoi, page 1. Richard N. Takechi, a Nisei incumbent representing Omaha’s 5th District, was re-elected to a fourth term on the city council. Takechi, who works at his family jewelry business, has been active in JACL and various civic committees.
• Carol Hisatomi Honored With United Way Award, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Carol Hisatomi received the United Way Award for distinguished service and outstanding contributions to the Asian community from the Asian Bar Association of Sacramento. A private practice attorney and past president of the Florin JACL chapter, she has served on several local advisory committees.
• Lillian Kawasaki Appointed to Non-Profit Boards, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Lillian Y. Kawasaki, general manager of the Los Angeles Environmental Affairs Department, was appointed to serve on several non-profit boards including the American Lung Association. She previously served as director of environmental management for the Port of Los Angeles and serves on UCLA Extension’s advisory board.
• San Mateo Chapter Announces 1993 Scholarships, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The San Mateo Chapter JACL announced its 1993 scholarship recipients among local high school seniors, including Tomodachi Club and San Mateo Chapter scholarships. Recipients included Kenneth Nishimoto, Katharine Tyson, Sherri Sakamoto and others.
• JCHI Nursing Scholarships Presented at Annual Dinner, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Japanese Community Health, Inc. presented its third annual nursing scholarships at the Quiet Cannon in Montebello, awarding the JCHI Nursing Scholarship and Akita Family Nursing Scholarship to Gail Nakamura and Silvia Yabuta. Requirements included scholastic aptitude and fluency in both English and Japanese.
• Sacramento JACL Awards 26 Scholarships to Students, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Twenty-six students received scholarships at the 1993 Sacramento JACL community-wide dinner, chaired by Midori Ann Otani. Recipients came from multiple local high schools and received awards named for veterans and community memorials.
• Chicago Nikkei Chiye Tomihiro Honored by Senior Citizens Group, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Chiye Tomihiro, a longtime member of the Chicago JACL chapter, was inducted into the city’s Senior Citizens Hall of Fame for her many years advocating for redress locally and nationally. She has also developed anti-defamation materials and speaks publicly about her camp experiences.
• Names in the News: Honors, Appointments and Achievements, by P.C. Staff, page 7. A roundup of notable Japanese American achievements including Dorothy Enomoto’s ‘Women in History’ award, judicial appointments of Paula Nakayama in Hawaii, honors for professor Robert Hamada at University of Chicago, and Karen Yoshitomi being named Northwest Asian Weekly’s Japanese American Woman of the Year. Also included are notes on Scott Oki’s appointment to the University of Washington board of regents and various community award winners.
• Names in the News: Community Achievements and Appointments, by P.C. Staff, page 9. Additional notes on community figures including restoration of Japanese Canadian internment-era shacks in New Denver, B.C., sports achievements by golfer Fumie Graves and Andy Yamaguchi’s media award, and appointments including Tamotsu Yamaguchi as Union Bank president. James Hattori’s move to CBS’s Tokyo bureau is also noted.

Incarceration & Redress

• Time of Remembrance: JACL’s Arlington Memorial Day Tradition, by Harry K. Honda, page 1. National JACL’s Memorial Day observance at Arlington National Cemetery, including a wreath-laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, continues with Rep. Norman Mineta as reviewing officer and Turner Kobayashi as chairman. The tradition dates to 1947 when the first two Nisei war dead were reburied there, making the 442nd heroes the first ethnic Japanese remembered at Arlington since 1898.
• Memorial Day Events Held at Former Camp Sites, by P.C. Staff, page 4. As part of the ‘Return to Topaz ’93’ reunion, buses took participants to the former camp site near Delta, Utah for Memorial Day rites featuring speakers including Dr. Toaru Ishiyama and Eleanor Gerard Sekerak. In Los Angeles, the Nisei Veterans Coordinating Council held a Memorial Day service at Evergreen Cemetery honoring seven Issei who died aboard the USS Maine in 1898.

Military & Veterans

• Yamashita Rejects Marine Offer, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Bruce Yamashita, disenrolled in 1989 from Marine Officer Candidate School, rejected an offer that would have restored his commission as second lieutenant, calling it unacceptable. Yamashita said discrimination does occur in the Marine Corps and that there can be no half solutions, indicating he may take the matter to President Clinton.

Arts & Entertainment

• On the Bookshelf, by Harry K. Honda, page 5. A roundup of newly released titles including a biography of POW Frank Fujita, the children’s book ‘Baseball Saved Us’ by Ken Mochizuki, and a legal history journal article on martial law and constitutional liberty during WWII in Hawaii. Also featured are Amy Uyematsu’s poetry collection and Pat Adachi’s history of Japanese Canadian baseball, ‘Asahi: A Legend in Baseball.’

In-Depth

• Revised Edition of Japanese Americans Study Released, by Harry K. Honda, page 5. A revised edition of the book by Daniels, Taylor and Kitano on Japanese American relocation and redress has been released, adding a new section on redress achievements. The article lists many scholars and camp survivors who contributed to the original conference behind the book.

Commentary

• Our Enduring Foundation: What Passes for News Says About Society, by Bill Hosokawa, page 8. Bill Hosokawa reflects on his travels and observes a troubling sameness in local news coverage across the country focused on crime, corruption and social problems. He argues this coverage, while sometimes criticized as sensationalized, reflects genuine societal challenges that Americans nationwide share and must address together.
• How Sweet It Could Have Been, by Jin Konomi, page 8. Columnist Jin Konomi recalls his six years working at the prewar Rafu Shimpo, during which he ate the same doughy apple pie at Iwaki’s lunch counter daily, never once visiting the nearby Mikawaya or Fugetsudo Japanese confectioneries just steps away. He recounts his wife’s disbelief upon learning this, realizing in hindsight how much better mochigashi treats were available for less money.
• Homosexuality: A View on Marutani Column, by Gene Tuck, page 8. A reader from Fresno responds to Bill Marutani’s column on homosexuality, agreeing with much of it but pushing back on Marutani’s reluctance to equate gay rights with civil rights. The letter argues sexual orientation is as inherent as racial characteristics.
• More Disagreement on Marutani Column, by Carol Junaye-Matchews, page 8. A Sonoma Chapter JACL member takes issue with Bill Marutani’s self-description as a ‘reforming homophobic,’ arguing that discrimination based on sexual preference is as intolerable as discrimination based on race. The writer contends schools should expose children to diversity rather than avoid discussing homosexuality.
• Redress-Legacy Fund Connection: A Gesture of Gratitude, by Fred Hirasuna, page 9. Fred Hirasuna argues that despite the government issuing about 70,000 redress checks totaling $1.4 billion, only about 4,000 people have donated to the JACL Legacy Fund, totaling roughly $3.8 million. He urges those who received redress payments to show gratitude to JACL for its advocacy by contributing to the fund.
• Voices From Japan: Let’s Give Peace a Chance, by Makoto Iokibe, page 9. Makoto Iokibe discusses Japan’s cautious approach to expanding its Self-Defense Forces’ role in UN peacekeeping operations, noting Prime Minister Miyazawa’s decision to avoid combat zones for now. He argues Japan’s economic and cultural influence will become more important in the 21st century as global power shifts from military to economic and cultural strength.
• Thoughtful Advice to Clinton on Japan, by Harry Honda, page 9. Harvard professor Joseph S. Nye Jr. wrote in Foreign Policy urging the Clinton administration to ease U.S.-Japan tensions rather than inflame them, warning that a small chance of future conflict between the two Pacific powers should not be dismissed. Nye suggests recognizing Japan’s global civilian role, including a temporary UN Security Council seat, to transform Japan into a nonmilitary global power.

Obituaries

• Elmer Tanigoshi Death Notice, by P.C. Staff, page 12. Elmer Tanigoshi of Riverside, California, died on April 12 at age 78. Born in Los Angeles, he is survived by his wife Holly, son Dr. Lynell, daughter Sharon, granddaughter Holly, and brother William ‘Bill’.

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