Asian Pacific film in Los Angeles and the redress fund running low

Vol. 126, No. 11, June 5, 1998. 16 pages. View this issue

Asian American film and pop culture opened this 16-page issue. Caroline Aoyagi reported on the 13th Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film & Video Festival, where filmmakers such as Chris Tashima and Tamlyn Tomita spoke about building an audience for their work. Mika Tanner profiled Giant Robot magazine and reviewed the feature film hundred percent. Redress was the other main thread. Julie Small and the P.C. staff wrote about Japanese Latin Americans and a Civil Liberties Act fund nearing its August 10, 1998 sunset, and Marie Matsunami reflected on the movement.

Elsewhere, a UC Irvine seminar with Judge Lance Ito looked at Executive Order 9066 and the Yasui, Hirabayashi and Korematsu cases. Page 4 carries the platforms of candidates for national JACL office, and page 3 reports that AB 1915 (Honda) passed the California Assembly 51-10. Bill Hosokawa’s Uro-Iro column and a Little Tokyo Nisei Week announcement round out the issue.

What’s in this issue

Arts & Entertainment

• L.A. Asian Pacific Film & Video Festival Marks 13 Years, Still Seeks Mainstream Attention, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 1. The 13th annual Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film & Video Festival opened at the Director’s Guild of America showcasing over 70 productions, but organizers say mainstream Hollywood executives remain largely absent. Filmmakers and actors like Chris Tashima and Tamlyn Tomita discussed the festival’s role in building a structure and audience for APA works in the entertainment industry.
• Giant Robot Magazine Launches an Asian American Pop Culture Movement, by Mika Tanner, page 1. Giant Robot, a magazine covering sumo, Asian foods, Hong Kong films, and Japanese toys, has become a voice for young Japanese Americans outside the traditional community mainstream. Founder Eric Nakamura describes creating content driven by curiosity rather than following established movements, and the magazine’s growing influence has even drawn academic imitation without proper credit.
• Hundred Percent: Not a 100% Good Film, Reviewer Says, by Mika Tanner, page 6. A review of Eric Koyanagi’s feature film hundred percent, which follows three Asian American male friends in Venice, California, finds the film admirable for defying stereotypes but lacking in character depth and believability. The reviewer praises Garrett Wang’s storyline as the most realistic but criticizes underdeveloped romantic subplots and dialogue.
• Where’s the Mainstream? APA Filmmakers Seek Wider Industry Support, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 6. Filmmakers including Eric Koyanagi and Oscar-winner Chris Tashima discussed the challenges of getting APA films made and distributed, citing lack of mainstream industry support and structure. Despite obstacles, they see festivals like the L.A. AP Film & Video Festival as crucial building blocks toward greater recognition.

Incarceration & Redress

• Campaign for Justice Seeks Donations to Continue Redress Efforts for Japanese Latin Americans, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Campaign for Justice-Redress Now for Japanese Latin Americans is asking for donations to continue legal, legislative, and media efforts on behalf of Japanese Latin Americans seeking inclusion in the Civil Liberties Act of 1988. During WWII, 2,264 people of Japanese descent were removed from Latin America and interned in U.S. camps for use in prisoner exchanges.

Commentary

• JLAs Likely to Get Short End of the Stick in Redress Settlement, by Julie Small, Co-Director, Campaign for Justice, page 1. The Office of Redress Administration’s statements about available reparation funds for Japanese Latin Americans may be misleading, as there is not enough money for JLAs to receive the same redress as Japanese Americans. The author argues ORA has failed to be explicit about the funding shortfall, doing a disservice to the JLA community.
• Small Kid Time, by Gwen Muranaka, page 2. A cartoon-style column titled Small Kid Time appears with accompanying illustration. The piece addresses family and childhood themes typical of the column’s recurring format.
• Redress: Against All Odds, by Marie Matsunami, MDC Governor, page 5. MDC Governor Marie Matsunami reflects on her childhood memories of WWII and her later involvement with JACL, describing the redress movement as a story of tenacity against long odds. She emphasizes that JACL continues to fight for all who deserve redress as the program approaches its sunset date.
• If It’s Asian American, Can It Be Bad?, by Mika Tanner, page 7. The author reflects on the difficulty of writing an honest, critical review of an Asian American film without appearing to betray the community, noting a pattern of uncritical praise for AA artistic works. She argues that withholding criticism does a disservice to community artists and that honest reviews are necessary for growth.
• Equal Educational Opportunity Initiative Seeks to Restore Affirmative Action Considerations, by Emily Murase, page 12. Emily Murase discusses the negative impacts of Proposition 209 on minority enrollment at institutions like UC Berkeley’s Boalt Law School, noting zero African American enrollment in the graduating class of 2000. She promotes the Equal Educational Opportunity Initiative, which seeks California voter signatures to allow consideration of economic background, race, sex, and national origin in public education decisions.
• Uro-Iro: Useless but Interesting Facts About Japan, by Bill Hosokawa, page 12. Bill Hosokawa shares a collection of quirky facts about Japan gleaned from a Japan Airlines newsletter, covering topics from lawyer bar exam pass rates to mochi choking deaths and lost umbrellas. The column highlights cultural differences between Japan and the United States through statistics and anecdotes.
• JLAs Seek Fair Deal as Redress Fund Runs Low, by P.C. Staff, page 12. The article details the financial shortfall facing the Civil Liberties Act reparations fund as it approaches its August 10, 1998 sunset, warning that Japanese Latin Americans and remaining Japanese American claimants could receive far less than the full $20,000 redress payment. The piece calls on the ORA and President Clinton to augment the fund to ensure all legitimate claims are honored.
• National Japanese American Memorial Project Is a Symbol Worth Supporting, by Rep. Kip Tokuda, page 13. Washington State Representative Kip Tokuda reflects on his family’s WWII internment experience and the dual legacy of Japanese American military service and civil disobedience during the war. He expresses strong support for the National Japanese American Memorial Project as a lasting symbol of resilience and a reminder to remain vigilant against injustice.
• Is Mr. Odoi for Real?, by Stanley N. Kanzaki, page 13. In a letter to the editor, Stanley Kanzaki strongly criticizes a previous letter writer, Mas Odoi, for suggesting Japanese Americans should forgive wartime officials responsible for internment. Kanzaki argues that key officials like Roosevelt, McCloy, DeWitt, and Bendetsen never atoned for their actions and that forgiving should not mean forgetting the injustice.
• Life, Liberty, and Fred Korematsu, page 13. A brief letter draws a parallel between Dred Scott and Fred Korematsu as symbols of denied liberty and the pursuit of happiness for American citizens. The writer argues true equality requires recognizing these historical denials of rights.

Community

• Domestic Violence Awareness Needed in the APA Community, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 1. Jung Kwoun, a survivor of domestic violence and now a social worker counseling batterers, shared her story of growing up in an abusive Korean American household. Community leaders gathered for a groundbreaking ceremony for a new long-term shelter for domestic violence survivors sponsored by the Asian Pacific Women’s Center in Los Angeles.
• HIF and A3M Host Bone Marrow Drive for Hapa Woman, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Hapa Issues Forum and Asians for Miracle Marrow Match held a bone marrow drive at the Japanese American National Museum for Sachi Pace, a mixed Japanese and Caucasian woman diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. The event highlighted the need for more mixed-race Asian American donors in the bone marrow registry.
• 58th Annual Nisei Week Japanese Festival Announces Grand Marshal and Parade Marshal, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The 58th Annual Nisei Week Japanese Festival announced its leadership for the upcoming celebration in Little Tokyo, honoring homecoming and community heritage. Huell Howser of KCET’s Visiting… series will participate, along with community leader Ken Kaji who recently received the Kunsho Award from the Emperor of Japan.
• P.C. Internship Deadline June 15, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Pacific Citizen announced it is seeking a full-time summer intern for its Monterey Park office, with duties including reporting, writing, and photography. The deadline to apply was June 15, 1998.

National

• Letter Objecting to JLA Redress Resolution Draws Criticism, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A letter sent by a senator in mid-May objected to a joint resolution supporting apology and reparations for Japanese Latin Americans interned in the U.S. during WWII, containing racist slurs and distorted facts according to community groups. JACL Riverside Chapter President Clyde Wilson is leading an effort to obtain a retraction and apology from the senator.
• FBI Sharpshooter Horiuchi Cleared of Manslaughter Charges in Ruby Ridge Case, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Lon Horiuchi, the FBI sharpshooter who accidentally killed Vicki Weaver during the 1992 Ruby Ridge siege, was cleared of manslaughter charges by a federal judge who ruled he was properly performing his duties. The case involved the deaths of Weaver, a U.S. Marshal, and the Weavers’ teenage son during the standoff with white separatist Randy Weaver.
• Three Japanese Killed in Chicago Helicopter Crash, by Hiro Miyagawa, page 3. Three Japanese nationals and the pilot were killed when a helicopter hired to take aerial photos for the Futaba-Kai Japanese School crashed into a home in Arlington Heights. The victims included the school’s vice principal, an art teacher, and a photographer, along with pilot Scott Maras.
• AB 1915 (Honda) Passes California State Assembly, by P.C. Staff, page 3. AB 1915, legislation creating a California Civil Liberties Public Education Board, passed the California State Assembly on a 51-10 vote. The bill aims to fund education about the WWII incarceration of Japanese Americans.

JACL

• Candidates for National JACL Office Present Platforms, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Multiple candidates for national JACL offices, including President, VP for Planning and Development, VP for 1000 Club and Membership Services, Secretary/Treasurer, and National Youth/Student Council Chairperson, presented their backgrounds and candidate statements. Candidates outlined goals including membership growth, leadership development, fiscal responsibility, and continued advocacy for redress and civil rights.
• National Convention Update: NCWNP Supports Soko Bukai Lawsuit, by By the Board, page 5. The Sheraton Society Hill Hotel rooms for the 35th Biennial National Convention have sold out, with late registrants directed to the nearby Holiday Inn. The NCWNP District Council donated funds to support the Soko Bukai lawsuit against the YWCA over the historic Japantown YWCA building in San Francisco, which Issei women helped fund in trust for the Japanese American community.

Military & Veterans

• 100th/442nd/MIS/1399th Engineers Post-Memorial Celebration in Las Vegas Due in October, by P.C. Staff, page 6. A post-memorial celebration for the 100th/442nd/MIS/1399th Engineers veterans will be held in Las Vegas at the California Hotel, October 18-22, following the Go For Broke Monument dedication in Little Tokyo on October 17. Space reservations were due by June 30 with veteran leader Ben Tagami.

In-Depth

• Seminar Examines Legal, Political, and Personal Perspectives on Japanese American Internment, by Harry K. Honda, page 7. A UC Irvine seminar featured Judge Lance Ito, Magistrate Anthony Nakazato, Selanoco JACLer Dorothy Ito Shundo, and historian Art Hansen discussing the political, legal, and personal history of Japanese American internment. Speakers traced anti-Asian discrimination from the Gold Rush era through EO 9066 and the wartime court cases of Yasui, Hirabayashi, and Korematsu.

Obituaries

• Kay Nobusada, 82; Monterey Peninsula Leader, by P.C. Staff, page 15. Kiyoshi ‘Mr. K’ Nobusada, 82, an entrepreneur who developed a fish processing plant in Seaside with Ken Sato that grew into Consolidated Factors Inc., died April 20 at Monterey Hospice. He is survived by his son Warren and several other relatives.
• Bill Endow, Las Vegas Chapter President, Dies at Age 62, by P.C. Staff, page 15. Bill Endow, longtime JACL Las Vegas Chapter president and community activist who was interned at Tule Lake as a child, passed away March 29. He helped create the JACL Scholarship Fund and was active in numerous Asian American community organizations, and is remembered as an inspiring leader.
• Shizuyo M. Shigekuni, 102, by P.C. Staff, page 15. Shizuyo Shigekuni, 102, a native of Hiroshima, Japan who lived most of her life in Los Angeles County and was incarcerated for 3 1/2 years at Granada, died May 1. She is survived by her sons Henry and Thomas and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

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