Korematsu’s Medal of Freedom and the National Days of Dialogue

Vol. 126, No. 2, January 23, 1998. 12 pages. View this issue

Fred Korematsu’s Presidential Medal of Freedom led the news. He challenged the World War II incarceration (often called internment) of Japanese Americans all the way to the Supreme Court, and received the medal at the White House on Jan. 15. Bill Hosokawa asked why Min Yasui and Gordon Hirabayashi had not been honored too. Caroline Aoyagi covered the National Days of Dialogue, which brought more than 60 cities together for discussions on race relations, and profiled the young sumi-e artist Drue Kataoka. The front page also reported that FBI sharpshooter Lon Horiuchi won a move of his Ruby Ridge trial to federal court.

Redress and Day of Remembrance news ran through the middle pages, including the Jan. 31 filing deadline for redress applications and a Manzanar Committee call for photographs. Chapter news came from Riverside, Sacramento, San Jose and Honolulu. Akemi Kayleng wrote about JACL’s future, and Harry K. Honda remembered Little Tokyo chronicler Henry K. Mori.

What’s in this issue

National

• FBI Sharpshooter Case Moves to Federal Court, by P.C. Staff, page 1. FBI sharpshooter Lon Horiuchi, charged with involuntary manslaughter in the 1992 Ruby Ridge death of Vicki Weaver, won a ruling to move his trial from Idaho state court to federal court. A tentative trial date of March 10 has been set, though Horiuchi’s lawyers hope to get the case dismissed before then.
• Sixty Cities Take Part in First National Days of Dialogue, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 1. What began as a Los Angeles ‘Day of Dialogue’ after the O.J. Simpson trial grew into the ‘National Days of Dialogue,’ with more than 60 cities holding candid discussions on race relations from Jan. 14 to Martin Luther King Day. Leaders including Mark Ridley-Thomas and former Senator Bill Bradley launched the event at the Getty Center in LA.
• Denny’s Again Accused of Discrimination, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A Denny’s restaurant in Miami is accused of twice refusing to serve a group of black and white prison officers from the Everglades Correctional Institution, with the manager allegedly making a discriminatory remark. Denny’s suspended the manager pending an independent investigation, following prior discrimination cases against the chain in Maryland and Syracuse.
• DNC Lifts Ban on Donations From Legal Permanent Residents, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Democratic National Committee voted to lift its ban on accepting political donations from legal permanent residents, a ban imposed in 1996 amid fundraising scandal concerns. Asian Pacific American organizations, including JACL, said they were pleased the ban was repealed, noting it had unfairly scapegoated legal immigrants.
• Hate Crimes Rise in California, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Asian Pacific Islanders in California are the third most common group affected by hate crimes after whites and blacks, according to the state’s first extensive hate crimes study. In 1996 more than 2,500 people were victims of hate crimes in California, with 9.6 percent of racially motivated cases targeting APIs.

Incarceration & Redress

• Korematsu Receives Presidential Medal of Freedom, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Fred Korematsu, who challenged the WWII internment of Japanese Americans all the way to the Supreme Court, received the Presidential Medal of Freedom at a White House ceremony on Jan. 15. Korematsu said he continues making public appearances because many people still don’t know the internment happened.
• ‘Unsung Heroes’ to Be Honored by Florin JACL, March 7, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Florin JACL’s 16th Time of Remembrance program on March 7 will honor Caucasian relocation camp teachers and others who helped Nikkei during WWII, including the late Margaret Gunderson, a teacher at Tule Lake Tri-State High School. A scholarship fund has been established in Gunderson’s honor, with proceeds from a related book also supporting the fund.
• Sacramento ‘DOR’ and Potluck Event Feb. 28; Crab-Feed Precedes, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Sacramento JACL’s annual Day of Remembrance observance will be held Feb. 28 at the Sacramento Japanese United Methodist Church, combined with the chapter’s Senior Appreciation Day as a potluck event. Entertainment will be provided by Toru Saito and Bessie Masuda performing songs from the 1940s.
• Utah Turnout Lively at Meeting for ORA Team, by Jeff Itami, page 5. A large Nikkei turnout attended an Office of Redress Administration meeting in Salt Lake City to learn about the Jan. 31, 1998 filing deadline for redress applications. ORA officials discussed ongoing research into whether railroad and mining executives were influenced to fire Japanese Americans after Pearl Harbor.
• Board Encourages Former Internees to View WRA Files, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Civil Liberties Public Education Fund Board encourages former internees visiting Washington, D.C. for the National Day of Remembrance to view their War Relocation Authority files at the National Archives. Details are provided on how to request files and what information is needed to identify records.
• Manzanar Committee Seeking Photographs for Tour Book, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Manzanar Committee is seeking photographs of original gardens in Blocks 6, 9 and 12, as well as the historic auditorium/gymnasium, for its ‘Self-Guided Tours of Manzanar’ project. The committee has received CLPEF funding for the tour book project.
• Input Sought for DOR Events on ‘Web’, by P.C. Staff, page 5. A calendar of 1998 Day of Remembrance events will be posted on the Civil Liberties Public Education Fund’s website, and sponsors are asked to submit their scheduled events. The CLPEF program itself is scheduled for Feb. 19, 1998, at the Smithsonian’s American History Museum.
• CLPEF Grant Project Updates on Website, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Descriptions of Civil Liberties Public Education Fund grant projects are now posted on its website, based on revised program summaries submitted in March 1997. CLPEF and UC Berkeley will also hold a grant recipients conference in San Francisco from June 28 to July 1.
• National Days of Dialogue Continued: Multiethnic Discussion Sought, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Continuing coverage of the National Days of Dialogue notes Asian American leaders like Stewart Kwoh and Warren Furutani calling for greater AA participation in race relations discussions. Cornel West, a special guest, spoke about instilling courage to be compassionate as part of Martin Luther King’s legacy.
• Korematsu Continued: Community Leaders React to Medal of Freedom, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Attorney Dale Minami and JACL National Director Herbert Yamanishi praised Fred Korematsu’s Presidential Medal of Freedom as recognition of his landmark civil rights case. Congressman Bob Matsui also issued a statement crediting Korematsu with animating a national conscience to redress injustice against Japanese American citizens.

Arts & Entertainment

• Sumi-e Artist Drue Kataoka Impresses With Her Innovative Style, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 1. Nineteen-year-old sumi-e artist Drue Kataoka, a Stanford sophomore born in Tokyo, has developed a unique American style depicting subjects like hula dancers, jazz musicians and tennis players. She has held eight national one-woman shows and was chosen to create the poster for the 100th Big Game between Stanford and UC Berkeley.
• Kataoka Continued: Capturing Moments Through Sumi-e, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 10. The continuation of the Drue Kataoka profile describes the meticulous, meditative process of sumi-e painting and her goal of sharing the art form within the Japanese American community. Kataoka plans to make painting her full-time career after graduating from Stanford, prioritizing sharing her art over profit.

Obituaries

• JACL Activist Mary Tsukamoto Passes Away, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Longtime JACL Florin Chapter member, community activist, educator and author Mary Tsukamoto died Jan. 6 in Sacramento at age 82 from complications of pneumonia. Born in San Francisco to Okinawan immigrant parents, she was interned at Jerome, Ark., during WWII and dedicated her life to civil rights and redress efforts, becoming one of the first to receive a reparations check from President Reagan.
• George Tsutakawa, 87, Renowned Sculptor-Painter, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Seattle-born artist George Tsutakawa, known for creating 18 fountains in Seattle and nearly 60 worldwide as well as sumi paintings, died Dec. 18 after a long illness. He graduated in art from the University of Washington, taught there after WWII, and is survived by his wife Ayame and several children and grandchildren.
• Paul Ishimoto, 83, Gov’t Translator of 36 Years, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Hawaii-born Paul Itsuo Ishimoto, who served 36 years as a government Japanese-language translator including work with the OSS during WWII and later the State and Commerce Departments, died Dec. 10 of a stroke. He was interned at Manzanar and Jerome, where he met his wife May, and later founded the Koyu-Kai community service group in the Washington D.C. area.
• Lynn Wakabayashi, 42, Koto Master, Linguist, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Sansei koto master and linguist Lynn Wakabayashi died in Tokyo on Dec. 26 after a long battle with breast cancer, having been the first foreigner to receive a master’s degree at Tokyo University of Fine Arts and Music. She organized the 1996 U.S. tour of the Yamada-Ryu Koto Ensemble and is survived by her parents and other family.

Commentary

• What’s Happening in PSW: A Perfect Time for Youth Involvement, by Nicole Inouye and Hiromi Ueha, page 3. The National Youth/Student Chair and Representative outline opportunities for youth involvement in 1998, including stipends for chapter programs, JACL scholarships, the Masaoka Fellowship, and plans for the National Convention in Philadelphia. They encourage participation in the Oratorical Contest, a youth day, and the youth luncheon at the convention.
• Why Is the President Ignoring Yasui and Hirabayashi?, by Bill Hosokawa, page 8. Bill Hosokawa questions why Fred Korematsu received the Presidential Medal of Freedom while fellow WWII resistance figures Min Yasui and Gordon Hirabayashi have not been similarly honored, drawing on Peter Irons’ research distinguishing their differing motives. He argues all three deserve recognition and asks how the decision to honor only Korematsu came about.
• The Lost Satellite, by Akemi Kayleng, page 8. Akemi Kayleng reflects on the loss of a satellite her husband Steve helped build, using it as a metaphor for uneasy feelings that JACL may not survive another decade as younger generations feel less connected. She compares Nisei attachment to JACL with the emotional loss felt over the satellite, even though life practically continues unaffected.
• Letters: Younger Members, Railroad Redress, and More, by Nathan Balderrama and others, page 9. A collection of letters to the editor address JACL’s struggle to attract younger members, criticism of columnist Akemi Kayleng’s tone, a call for redress for Japanese American railroad workers fired in 1942, memories from a 442nd veteran’s Alaska reunion, and a request to remove a name from the WWII Memorial Honor Roll. Additional letters discuss the design of the Washington D.C. memorial and readers’ reactions to Holiday Issue articles on Japanese imperial origins.

JACL

• Political Empowerment and the JACL Civil Rights Agenda, by Al Muratsuchi, page 3. The PSW Regional Director discusses the importance of political leadership development within JACL, highlighting the annual Washington D.C. leadership program. He cites Michael Matsuda of SELANOCO JACL, who is running for a state Assembly seat, as an example of JACL’s success in developing future leaders.
• Pocatello-Blackfoot Chapter to Hold Big Bash/IDC Meeting on Feb. 7-8, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The new IDC Governor Larry Grant will hold a district council meeting in conjunction with the Pocatello-Blackfoot chapter’s Big Bash on Feb. 7-8 at Cactus Petes in Jackpot, Nev. The chapter elected new officers at a Dec. 7 meeting, including Micki Kawakami and Dwight Morimoto, and announced various committee assignments.
• Jeff Yoshioka, CPA, to Lead San Jose JACL, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Jeff Yoshioka, a certified public accountant, was installed as San Jose JACL’s 1998 president along with a full slate of officers including Dr. Kaz Uyesugi and Tom Maeda. Richard Konda of the Asian Law Alliance administered the oath of office, and retiring San Jose police assistant chief Thomas Shigemasa was honored after 30 years of service.
• Honolulu Elects Attorney Ikei as President, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The chapter held its board of directors election at its annual meeting on Dec. 14, 1997, at the Ala Moana Hotel, naming newly elected and continuing board members for 1998-1999. The board includes a mix of returning and new members serving various leadership roles.
• St. Louis Chapter Elects New Board, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The JACL St. Louis Chapter elected its officers and board for the coming year, with Dr. Kendall Itoku as president. Other officers include Irma Yokota, Steve Mitori, Bob Mitori, and Wendy Roll in various roles.

Community

• Riverside JACL to Mark 30th Anniversary at Luncheon, by Lily Taka, page 3. Riverside JACL will hold its 30th anniversary installation luncheon Feb. 8, honoring chapter founders with P.C. editor emeritus Harry K. Honda installing officers. Longtime members Dr. Gen Ogata and wife Dolly were also recently recognized for community service by the Martin Luther King Jr. Monument Visionaries.
• Eden Township Honors Yoshiye ‘Yo’ Kawabata, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Eden Township Chapter JACL and Eden Youth Club installed 1998 board members at a November dinner, with a silver pin presented to longtime board officer Yoshiye ‘Yo’ Kawabata for her outstanding contributions. National Director Herb Yamanishi presented the award, and guest speaker Lance Gima, Director of the State DNA laboratory, addressed attendees.
• Sacramento JACL Honors Doris Matsui at Community Service Dinner, by Toko Fujii, page 4. Sacramento JACL’s Fourth Annual Community Service Recognition Dinner drew nearly 500 attendees to honor Doris Matsui, Ted Kobata, and Ralph T. Sugimoto for their community contributions. National JACL President Helen Kawagoe and other local officials spoke, and Herb Yamanishi installed the 1998 officers led by new president Miyoko Sawamura.
• Greater L.A. Singles Installs ’98 Cabinet in Holiday Spirit, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Janet Okubo was re-elected and installed as the 1998 Greater Los Angeles Singles chapter president at a holiday party at the Proud Bird Restaurant, with officers installed by PSW regional director Al Muratsuchi. The chapter, founded in 1983, meets biweekly at the Gardena Valley YWCA and is open to the public.
• All-American Nikkei Conference on Race/Identity Planned April 3-5, by P.C. Staff, page 5. A conference titled ‘Ties that Bind: a Japanese American Community Conference’ will be held April 3-5 at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center to redefine Nikkei identity and community. Numerous organizational sponsors have joined the event, which is funded partly by the Civil Liberties Public Education Fund.
• Councilman Fukai Announces Retirement, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Gardena City Councilman Mas Fukai announced he will retire March 10 after 24 years on the job, citing health issues from a stroke three years ago. Fukai, former chief deputy to the late County Supervisor Kenneth Hahn, was credited for his work on youth anti-drug programs.
• A Little Tokyo Chronicler: Henry K. Mori Remembered, by Harry K. Honda, page 8. Longtime Rafu Shimpo journalist Henry K. Mori, who chronicled Little Tokyo life for decades including his ‘Making the Deadline’ and ‘Los Angeles Newsletter’ columns, died Jan. 10 at age 81 from stroke complications. Harry Honda recalls Mori’s storytelling legacy and his contributions to the Pacific Citizen over many years.

In-Depth

• Tenno-ka Yudaya-jin: Is the Lost Tribe of Israel the Founder of Japan’s Imperial Family?, by James Oda, page 6. James Oda reviews Hisanori Shinohara’s book examining theories that Japan’s imperial family descends from the Lost Tribe of Israel, citing the Takamatsuzuka Mound excavation, Herod and King David crests found at Ise Shrine, and legends of Jesus and Moses visiting ancient Japan. The essay is the fourth in a series exploring purported Jewish-Japanese historical connections.

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