Preserving Japantowns, and a JACL budget crisis: June 2001

Vol. 132, No. 11, June 15, 2001. 8 pages. View this issue

California’s effort to preserve its three remaining Japantowns led the news. Martha Nakagawa reported that SB 307 passed the state Senate by one vote and moved to the Assembly, while CJACLC and JACL reached an agreement on June 11 over a moratorium clause. She also covered the L.A. City Council’s delay on a Little Tokyo gym proposal. JACL National President Floyd Mori wrote that the organization faced a financial crisis and asked members to give. The national board voted to support House Bill 619 on redress for Japanese Latin Americans under the Civil Liberties Act.

Other stories looked at Caroline Aoyagi’s report on eBay’s use of a racial slur in listings, and the June 29 ceremony for the National Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism, with Norman Mineta, Daniel Inouye and Robert Matsui. Chapter pages announced scholarships from Berkeley, Chicago, Eden Township and Watsonville-Santa Cruz. Also inside: the Poston restoration, a Junior Olympics report, and Christina Shigemura on Manzanar and Ralph Lazo.

What’s in this issue

JACL

• CJACLC and JACL Reach Agreement on Bill to Preserve Japantowns, by Martha Nakagawa, page 1. As California SB 307, a bill to preserve the state’s three remaining Japantowns, moved to the Assembly after passing the Senate by one vote, CJACLC members raised concerns over a moratorium clause and reached an agreement on June 11 to avoid jeopardizing the bill’s future. CJACLC proposed alternate wording supporting a review process for new development in the three Japantown cities, with a consultant working with legislators on exact language.’
• JACL Nat’l Bd. Votes to Support JLA Redress, by Martha Nakagawa, page 1. The national JACL board voted unanimously to publicly support House Bill 619, the Wartime Parity and Justice Act of 2001, which would provide redress equity for Japanese Latin Americans and others denied compensation under the Civil Liberties Act of 1988. National Director John Tateishi explained that JACL’s prior obligations tied to the Mochizuki settlement no longer applied under the new Bush administration, clearing the way for support.
• Bi-District to Address Resisters Resolution, by P.C. Staff, page 4. A July 14 education forum at the PNW-IDC bi-district conference in Seattle will address the JACL/Nisei veterans/resisters of conscience issue, featuring panelists including Bill Hosokawa, Fred Shiosaki, Frank Abe, and Mits Koshiyama. The forum follows JACL’s 2000 apology resolution to resisters and aims to fulfill a commitment to public education on the topic.
• Mori Memo: Pitching in for Progress (continued), by Floyd Mori, page 8. Continuing his appeal, JACL National President Floyd Mori details specific financial measures the organization has taken, including a hiring freeze eliminating eight full-time positions, program reductions, and possible closure of regional offices. He announces plans to form a president’s council of business and government leaders to seek corporate and foundation funding while urging members to donate immediately.
• J-Towns Bill Debate Continues Over Moratorium Wording, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Following a lengthy CJACLC board debate, a subcommittee was tasked with finding wording acceptable to representatives of the three historic Japantowns regarding a moratorium clause in SB 307. The amended bill, now called the California Japantown Preservation Pilot Project, narrowed its scope to the three Japantowns and reduced funding from $2 million to $750,000 before passing the Senate 27-12.

Community

• L.A. City Council to Revisit Little Tokyo Gym Proposal July 6, by Martha Nakagawa, page 1. Supporters of a Little Tokyo Recreation Center secured a 30-day delay after the L.A. City Council voted to postpone a decision on moving the Children’s Museum onto the site designated for the recreation center. The proposed move contradicted an earlier letter from the Children’s Museum board chair assuring that the museum’s footprint would not preclude development of the gymnasium.
• Junior Olympics Held in Northern California, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Over 250 young athletes participated in the 49th annual JACL Junior Olympics track and field meet, with the San Jose team winning the team trophy after East Bay’s five-year hold. Teams from Watsonville and Berkeley competed for the first time in years, and Stephanie Wilcox of San Jose was named Outstanding Athlete.
• Watsonville-Santa Cruz Announces Scholarships, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Watsonville-Santa Cruz chapter announced recipients of the Kee Kitayama Memorial Scholarships, including students headed to UC Santa Barbara and San Francisco State University. The scholarship winners have distinguished themselves through academics, sports, and community involvement.
• Eden Township Presents Scholarships, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Eden Township chapter awarded scholarships to six graduating high school seniors at a potluck dinner, with recipients heading to schools including UC Irvine, CSU Sacramento, and Tulane University. Awards included the Eden JACL award, the Tom Kitayama Jr. Memorial Scholarship, and the Shigenobu Sam Nakamura Memorial Scholarship.
• Berkeley Holds 11th Annual Scholarship Banquet, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Berkeley chapter held its 11th annual scholarship banquet, awarding scholarships to six East Bay students headed to UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, UC Santa Cruz, and UC Irvine. The chapter also presented its 2001 Pioneer Award to Tony Yokomizo and posthumously to Frank and Toshiko Yamasaki for their community service.
• Chicago Hosts 44th Annual Scholarship Luncheon, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Chicago chapter held its 44th annual JACL scholarship luncheon, honoring ten high school graduates for academics and community service with named memorial scholarships. The event was dedicated to the memory of Toshi Honda, and author Stewart David Ikeda spoke about JACL’s relevance today.
• Eighth-Graders Honor JA Soldiers With Quilt Project, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Eighth grade students in Lafayette, Indiana, under teacher Leila Meyerratken, created a quilt honoring Japanese American veterans using memorabilia donated by JA vets, to be displayed at the Memorial to Patriotism rededication in Washington, D.C. The project grew from a classroom incident involving racist remarks, leading students to study internment history, build a Japanese garden, and advocate before their community.

National

• eBay’s Use of ‘Jap’ on Auction Site Criticized, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 1. History professor Richard Imon has spent seven months campaigning against eBay’s use of the term ‘Jap’ in item listings and descriptions, some of which include anti-Japanese rhetoric from sellers. eBay officials say they remove items found to be racist or hateful on a case-by-case basis but have not agreed to ban the term outright, prompting JACL National Director John Tateishi to call the company’s stance ‘patently racist.’
• Judge to Appoint Special Master in Lee Defamation Case, by Associated Press, page 3. A federal judge said he will appoint a special master with high-level security clearance to oversee classified documents sought by attorneys for Wen Ho Lee in his defamation lawsuit against the government. Lee alleges the Justice and Energy departments leaked inaccurate information portraying him as a Chinese spy, and the judge rejected the government’s motion to dismiss his claims.
• Calif. Assembly Approves Nakano’s Hate Crimes Legislation, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The California State Assembly unanimously passed AB 1312, authored by Assemblyman Nakano, which appropriates $250,000 to develop a statewide hate crimes information database and education program for the Asian Pacific Islander community. Budget constraints from the energy crisis forced removal of $3 million originally allocated for full implementation, though the initial development phase remains funded.
• Court: FBI Sharpshooter Horiuchi Can Be Tried, by Associated Press, page 3. A federal appeals court ruled that FBI sharpshooter Lon Horiuchi can be tried for manslaughter in the 1992 death of Vicki Weaver during the Ruby Ridge standoff, rejecting claims of federal immunity. The ruling came after Idaho prosecutors sought to charge Horiuchi following the federal government’s decision not to prosecute him.
• JACL Opposes Airing of Racist ‘Bugs Bunny’ Cartoons, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Cartoon Network decided not to air 12 ‘Bugs Bunny’ episodes containing racial slurs and blackface, but JACL remains concerned the network could later show episodes with titles like ‘Bugs Nips the Nips.’ JACL Vice President Ryan Chin wrote to the network warning that such cartoons could damage children’s understanding of diversity and normalize racism.
• Mineta, Inouye, Matsui to Take Part in Nat’l JA Memorial to Patriotism Ceremony, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta, Senator Daniel Inouye, and Congressman Robert Matsui will join a ribbon-cutting ceremony officially opening the National Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism in Washington, D.C. on June 29. The memorial honors JAs who served in the military during WWII and those interned in camps, featuring granite walls, a bronze sculpture, and a reflection bell.
• France Honors Hawaii WWII Vets, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Sixty-six Hawaii World War II veterans were honored with ‘Thank You America’ certificates from the French government for their roles in the Normandy invasion and liberation of France. About 120 Hawaii veterans, including members of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, have registered so far to receive the recognition.
• Duong and Takamura Named to Bush Administration and California Posts, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The article covers appointments including a Vietnamese American to a Bush administration initiative addressing AAPI concerns in health, education, labor and housing, and Jeanette Takamura, former U.S. Assistant Secretary for Aging, taking on a new California role focused on aging policy. Both bring extensive backgrounds in community relations and federal aging programs including the National Family Caregiver Support Program.
• Mike Woo Loses L.A. City Council Bid to Eric Garcetti, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Former Councilman Mike Woo narrowly lost his bid for a Los Angeles City Council seat to college professor Eric Garcetti, garnering 48 percent of the vote to Garcetti’s 52 percent. Woo previously represented the 13th Council District and ran for mayor in 1993, and there are currently no Asian Americans on the L.A. City Council.
• eBay Controversy Continues as JACL Vows to Confront Company, by P.C. Staff, page 8. JACL National Director John Tateishi called eBay’s continued use of the term ‘Jap’ unconscionable and vowed the organization would confront eBay directly on the issue. Richard Imon, who has led a personal campaign against the site, noted an increase in anti-Japanese references following the release of the film ‘Pearl Harbor,’ and both his parents had been interned during WWII with family members serving in the MIS and 100th Battalion.

Commentary

• Pitching in for Progress, by Floyd Mori, page 1. JACL National President Floyd Mori writes that the organization faces a financial crisis requiring member contributions to maintain a minimal level of service. He urges all JACL members to donate to help the organization weather this critical period.
• Courage, by David C. Moore, page 2. A letter to the editor argues that so-called ‘no-no boys’ should not be labeled ‘draft resisters’ since refusing to forswear allegiance to Japan, which they never held, was a different matter. The writer contends that resisting the draft under those unjust wartime conditions took courage comparable to military service, and praises the patience and character of the evacuee generation.
• Tobacco Monies, by Steve Y. Okamoto, page 2. A JACL member describes introducing a resolution opposing acceptance of financial support from tobacco companies, similar to one passed by the NCWNP district council, which the national board adopted in amended form. The writer argues that while the ban has merit, the organization’s financial struggles should not allow debate over unrelated issues to divide members from the core JACL mission.
• Lights! Camera! Action!, by Christina Shigemura, page 6. The author criticizes the upcoming film ‘Pearl Harbor’ for equating patriotism with racism and erasing Asian American and Native Hawaiian presence from its depiction of Hawaii. She describes NCRR’s own film project honoring Ralph Lazo, a Mexican American teenager who voluntarily joined Japanese Americans at Manzanar, and appeals for WWII-era props and volunteer extras.

In-Depth

• Upcoming Symposiums Look at Italian and Japanese Immigrants During WWII, by P.C. Staff, page 5. A new book, ‘Una Storia Segreta,’ edited by Lawrence DiStasi, documents the WWII internment and persecution experiences of Italian immigrants in the United States, paralleling Japanese American experiences. DiStasi will join survivors from both communities at three symposiums in Santa Cruz and Los Angeles to discuss civil liberties violations during wartime.
• Poston Restoration Unveiled at Camp III Reunion, by P.C. Staff, page 6. An engineer-consultant unveiled a project by the Colorado River Indian Tribes Council to restore deteriorating school buildings and rebuild a model block at the former Poston internment camp site, presented at the 10th Poston III Reunion in Mission Valley. The project would relocate barracks buildings and convert model block apartments into a visitor’s center and exhibit areas.

Arts & Entertainment

• Aki Komai Awards to Be Presented at JANM, by P.C. Staff, page 7. An award ceremony will honor the legacy of Aki Komai, who helped revive Japanese American sports in Southern California by founding NAU in 1947, which grew from a basketball league into fast-pitch softball and baseball. Admission to the event is $10 per person.

Obituaries

• Obituaries, by P.C. Staff, page 7. This issue’s obituary listings include detailed tributes to community members such as Ritsu Harada, a Fukuoka-born Minnesota resident, and George Zensei Miyagi of Glendora, among many others who passed away in spring 2001. Several entries note internment camp histories, military service, and survived family 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.