Sacramento firebombings and the fight over the PC’s independence

Vol. 117, No. 13, October 15, 1993. 12 pages. View this issue

Firebombings in Sacramento and a dispute over the Pacific Citizen’s independence ran through the October 15, 1993 issue. The front page reported that the home of Chinese American City Councilman Jimmy Yee was firebombed after the Sacramento JACL chapter office was attacked, and that Sen. Dianne Feinstein introduced tougher hate crime penalties. Commentary pages carried the other story: Lillian C. Kimura, Ronald Shibata, Clifford Uyeda and editor Richard Suenaga weighed in on the removal of PC Board chair Paul Shinkawa.

Also inside: a report on the Japanese American National Museum conference in Los Angeles, where Sony chairman Akio Morita spoke, and a page of book reviews by Harry K. Honda, including one on the 442nd Combat Team. Bill Hosokawa wrote on Japan’s reckoning with the war, and Randall K. Senzaki was named JACL’s new national executive director.

What’s in this issue

National

• Another Firebomb Hits Sacramento, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Following the firebombing of the Sacramento JACL chapter office, the home of Chinese American City Councilman Jimmy Yee was firebombed with a Molotov cocktail. No one was hurt, and police are investigating the attacks along with similar firebombings of the JACL and NAACP offices and a local synagogue, with a group calling itself the ‘Aryan Liberation Front’ claiming responsibility.
• Understanding Key to US-Japan Relations, Says Sony Chairman, by Gwen Muranaka, page 1. Sony Chairman Akio Morita spoke at the National Japanese American Conference, asking Japanese Americans to help Japan understand America given their unique bicultural perspective. He said Japanese Americans have insight into both countries and a worldly outlook lacking among many Japanese.
• Car Dealer Uses ‘Rising Sun’ Movie as Marketing Strategy, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A Richmond, Calif., Dodge dealership offered to reimburse movie tickets to ‘Rising Sun’ for customers who test-drove a Dodge, prompting criticism from JACL’s Fremont Chapter president Christine Nishihara. The dealership’s sales manager defended the ad as promoting American cars rather than being racially motivated.
• Feinstein Seeks Tougher Hate Crime Penalties, by P.C. Staff, page 1. In light of the Sacramento firebombings, Sen. Dianne Feinstein introduced legislation to extend prison terms by up to one-third for federal hate crimes based on race, color, gender, religion or sexual orientation. The ACLU has been divided on whether such legislation raises First Amendment concerns.
• Full of Bean Sprouts, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Fuji Natural Foods has become the largest bean-sprout farm in the U.S. at its new $7-million facility in Ontario, Calif., producing 30 tons daily. President Shoro Tanigawa credits the company’s success to the property’s unfiltered low-mineral ground water.
• Not Sure About Savings, Clinton, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Following President Clinton’s unveiling of the National Performance Review, critics including Susan Tanaka of the Committee for a Responsible Budget questioned the credibility of its projected cost savings. OMB Director Leon Panetta defended the estimates while acknowledging final savings would depend on which proposals survive Congress.

Community

• Conference Builds Cultural Bridges, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A two-day event in Los Angeles sponsored by the Japanese American National Museum featured speakers and seminars on politics, business, art and culture. Panelists included Dr. Franklin Odo, Amy Mass, Dr. Kaoru Oguri, Dr. James A. Hirabayashi, and Mei Nakano.
• Community Outreach Awards Highlight 4th Biennial PSW Recognitions Luncheon, by Harry K. Honda, page 5. The fourth biennial PSWDC recognitions luncheon honored community members who assisted victims of anti-Asian violence, including a dental team that treated riot victim Takao Hirata and others who helped victims of a Huntington Beach attack. Numerous JACL chapter honorees were also recognized for their service across the Pacific Southwest District.
• Seabrook Gears for 50th Anniversary, by Harry K. Honda, page 5. Model maker Bob Hasuike is building a scale model of the Seabrook, N.J., community where 2,000 Japanese Americans settled after wartime internment camps closed, ahead of the 50th anniversary reunion planned for next year. The Seabrook Educational and Cultural Center, launched in 1988, aims to preserve this unique piece of New Jersey and Japanese American history.
• Nikkei to Head Hawaii Agency, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Thomas S. Tanaka, 63, was appointed president of the Hawaii Visitors Bureau after serving as vice-president for Asia-Pacific since 1984. He will oversee a $30-million budget with a 30-member staff.
• Native Hawaiians Get Free Tuition, by P.C. Staff, page 11. A new Hawaii state law waives tuition for 250 students demonstrating Hawaiian ancestry across the 10-campus University of Hawaii system. The law aims to correct the underrepresentation of Native Hawaiian students in the university system.

Commentary

• PC Needed Change in Leadership, by Lillian C. Kimura, page 3. National JACL President Lillian Kimura explains her decision to ask Pacific Citizen Board Chair Paul Shinkawa to resign amid controversy over PC’s coverage of the JAP Road and Rising Sun issues. She announces plans to form an ad hoc group to address ongoing tensions between PC’s editorial independence and JACL’s public relations needs.
• In Japan, Guilty Must Come Forward, by Bill Hosokawa, page 7. Hosokawa discusses Japan’s growing reckoning with WWII atrocities, including Unit 731 and forced sexual slavery, and contrasts Japan’s more individual sense of guilt among former soldiers with America’s tendency to blame ‘the government’ for the Japanese American internment. He notes that in both countries, younger generations remain largely unaware of these historical injustices.
• Will JACL Survive Its Credibility Crisis?, by Ronald Shibata, page 7. Shibata, a Pacific Citizen Board member, defends the PC Board’s independence per JACL bylaws and criticizes the National Board’s actions against PC Chair Paul Shinkawa at the September meeting. He argues National staff and certain board members overstepped their authority and violated the organization’s constitution in engineering Shinkawa’s removal.
• PC’s Role Rooted in JACL By-laws, by Clifford Uyeda, page 7. A letter to the editor recounts the historical amendment of JACL bylaws in 1984 granting the Pacific Citizen editorial independence to serve as a watchdog on JACL’s administrative functions. Uyeda argues PC should be free to report on JACL board meetings without intimidation from officers.
• PC Should Continue as Independent Press, by Herbert Lee, page 7. A letter to the editor expresses hope that the conflict between Kimura and Shinkawa will not alter PC’s editorial policy, praising its independent reporting on issues like Rising Sun and the ‘Jap’ Road controversy. The writer criticizes Kimura’s interference in editorial freedom and suggests the PC Board should be elected rather than appointed.
• Explaining JACL Funds, by Jonathan Kaji, page 8. JACL Secretary/Treasurer Jonathan Kaji provides an overview of the organization’s 14 restricted and 7 endowment funds, detailing their balances and purposes as of June 30, 1993. He also notes plans to adopt standardized investment guidelines for these funds following a recent audit by Grant Thornton.
• Why Ask Why?, by Richard Suenaga, page 8. In this editorial, PC editor Richard Suenaga criticizes National staff and Board members for what he characterizes as an engineered ouster of Paul Shinkawa as PC Board chairman. He argues that JACL members must hold accountable those who acted in their own interests rather than in the interest of open, rational resolution.
• Shinkawa’s Dismissal Should Be Reviewed, by Dan Nishio, page 9. A new JACL member writes expressing concern over the dismissal of Paul Shinkawa as PC Board chairperson after reading about it in a recent issue. He calls for re-examining whether the dismissal violated JACL’s constitutional principles and suggests reinstatement should be considered.
• PC Should Editorialize on Civil Rights Issues, by Floyd Mori, page 9. A letter criticizes PC’s editorial choice to focus on internal JACL board disputes rather than the Sacramento firebombing, arguing the editorial should have addressed racial violence and advocated for investigation. The writer, a PSW Regional Director, argues PC’s editorial mission should prioritize civil rights issues affecting the membership.
• Putting the ‘C’ Back in the League, by Karl Nobuyuki, page 9. Former JACL national director Karl Nobuyuki argues that JACL was founded on civic engagement, particularly voter registration, but that Japanese American voter turnout has declined significantly in recent years. He calls for JACL to re-emphasize citizenship obligations alongside its other programs.
• A Battle for the Soul of Public Education, by Warren Furutani, page 9. Former Los Angeles Board of Education president Warren Furutani argues against California’s Prop. 174 school voucher initiative, contending it would drain funding from public schools while failing to cover private school costs for most families. He warns that vouchers would leave disadvantaged students in an increasingly underfunded public system while wealthier families exit to private schools.
• A Triple Perspective, by Velina Hasu Houston, page 9. Houston reviews Regge Life’s documentary ‘Struggle and Success: The African American Experience in Japan,’ which portrays positive stories of African Americans who have made Japan their home. She reflects on her own mixed heritage and the long history of African-Japanese relations, including eighth-century military leader Sakanoue Tamaru.
• Clarifying Response Procedure from JACL, by Herbert Sasaki, page 10. A JACL Midwest Regional Director responds to a previous letter about lack of response from JACL officials, clarifying that there was no formal procedure requiring members to submit draft letters to staff before contacting officials. The writer apologizes for the lack of response and reaffirms JACL’s commitment to timely communication with members.
• Cronyism Still an Issue at Cal Poly, by Gay Kiroku Nishida, page 10. An alumna of Cal Poly Pomona expresses concern over allegations of cronyism against President Bob Suzuki, praising Professor David Lord for raising the issue despite facing backlash. She argues that cronyism, not racism, is the real issue and calls for continued scrutiny of Suzuki’s practices.
• Need to Check Perception of Nikkei, by Valerie Nao, page 10. The writer recounts the tragic death of her Nisei aunt after being struck by a car, describing her anguish when bystanders repeatedly asked if her aunt spoke English. She reflects on the painful irony of her aunt’s American identity being questioned even as she lay dying, despite having been unjustly interned during WWII.
• Likes Idea of Ratifying JACL National Director, by Merle Pideko Powell, page 10. A letter praises Karl Nobuyuki’s earlier column calling for chapters to ratify the national director, criticizing the impersonal nature of the writer’s own JACL membership experience. The writer argues for a more visible, chapter-engaged national director who communicates directly with members.

JACL

• Kimura Announces Senzaki Appointment, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Randall K. Senzaki was officially announced as the new national executive director of JACL by President Lillian Kimura, effective Oct. 25. Senzaki previously spent 21 years in higher education, including nine years as director of the Educational Opportunity Program at San Francisco State University.

Military & Veterans

• New Yorkers Share JANM Spotlight, by Harry K. Honda, page 6. Three prominent figures with New York ties—Francis Y. Sogi, Akio Morita, and Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan—spoke at the JANM annual fall conference banquet at the Century Plaza Hotel. Their remarks focused on building bridges and the vital role of the Japanese American National Museum in preserving history and demonstrating America’s diversity.

Arts & Entertainment

• Gambare — Go For Broke, by Harry K. Honda, page 6. A review of Dorothy Matsuo’s book ‘Boyhood to War: History and Anecdotes of the 442nd Combat Team,’ which highlights lesser-known units and personal stories from the 100th/442nd Regimental Combat Team. The review notes especially vivid anecdotes from Sen. Dan Inouye’s wartime service.
• The ‘Full’ Yasui Story, by Harry K. Honda, page 6. A review of Lauren Kessler’s book ‘Stubborn Twig: Three Generations in the Life of a Japanese American Family,’ chronicling the Yasui family from Masuo Yasui’s 1903 immigration through three generations. The review highlights the family’s prominence, including Min Yasui’s redress activism and living descendants Holly and Lise Yasui.
• Multicultural Resources Guide Reviewed, by Harry K. Honda, page 6. A review of ‘Guide to Multicultural Resources,’ a comprehensive directory of resources for African American, Hispanic American, Asian American and Native American communities. The reviewer notes with irony that the Pacific Citizen itself was omitted from the guide’s listings.
• Offbeat Themes in The Kobe Hotel, by Harry K. Honda, page 6. A review of Sanki Saito’s ‘The Kobe Hotel,’ translated stories about quirky characters living in a Western-style hotel in Kobe during World War II. The collection includes a haunting account of the author’s visit to Hiroshima after the atomic bombing.
• Cut the Wedding Cake, by Harry K. Honda, page 6. A review of Walter Edwards’ book on modern Japanese weddings, examining changing marriage customs and rising wedding costs in Japan. The reviewer finds the ethnographic study an insightful look at how Western influences have transformed Japanese wedding traditions.
• For Critics, Casual Fans: Japan Film Studies, by Harry K. Honda, page 6. A review of two academic books on Japanese cinema—Donald Kirihara’s study of director Kenji Mizoguchi’s 1930s films and Arthur Nolletti and David Dresser’s anthology ‘Reframing Japanese Cinema.’ Both books explore Japanese film history from the Meiji era through the postwar period.
• The Glorious Kimono, by Harry K. Honda, page 11. A review of ‘When Art Became Fashion: Kosode in Edo-Period Japan’ by Dale Carolyn Gluckman and Sharon S. Takeda, companion to a Los Angeles County Museum of Art exhibition. The lavishly illustrated book explores the cultural history and craftsmanship of kimono fashion during Japan’s Edo period.

In-Depth

• U.S.-Japan Forum Set for Oct. 24, by P.C. Staff, page 11. A forum on U.S.-Japan Relations will be held Oct. 24 in Gardena, Calif., sponsored by several JACL chapters. Panelists include academics and policy analysts from UCLA, USC, Pomona College, and the Rand Corporation, moderated by Steven C. Clemons.

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