California’s Japantowns bill and a week of anti-Asian incidents

Vol. 132, No. 7, April 20, 2001. 12 pages. View this issue

A California Senate bill to protect the state’s last three Japantowns led the news. Martha Nakagawa reported on SB 307, introduced by Sen. John Vasconcellos, which passed a Senate committee and headed to the Appropriations Committee. Alongside it, John Tateishi and Tracy Uba covered a week of racist incidents during the U.S.-China spy plane crisis, from talk radio slurs to graffiti at Stanford, and Caroline Aoyagi reported on student groups pressing the university for answers. JACL also mourned Dr. Roy Nishikawa, the longtime leader who died at 85.

Elsewhere in the issue, Ann Muto and Hiroshi Kashiwagi wrote about Tule Lake, and Yas Tokita described a Minidoka reunion in Las Vegas. Three letters from Leo Hosoda, Paul Tsuneishi and Jim Yamasaki revisited the draft resisters debate. A Manzanar advisory commission meeting and the planned restoration of the Far East building in Little Tokyo also appeared, with sports profiles of Corrie Mizusawa.

What’s in this issue

National

• Bill Looks to Preserve Remaining J-Towns, by Martha Nakagawa, page 1. State Senate Bill 307, introduced by Sen. John Vasconcellos, aims to create an ethnic heritage site designation program to preserve California’s remaining Japantowns and other historic ethnic enclaves. The bill passed a Senate committee hearing and heads to the Appropriations Committee, with JACL-affiliated leaders expressing optimism about its future.
• APAs Protest Talk Radio Slander Amid China Crisis, by Tracy Uba, page 1. Amid the U.S.-China spy plane detention crisis, Asian Pacific Americans have faced a surge of racist talk radio commentary and slurs across the country, from Illinois to California. JACL and other civil rights groups have condemned the incidents, comparing the backlash to anti-Japanese sentiment during past international conflicts.
• Family Worries About Korean American Accused of Spying, page 4. Song Hak-sam, a Korean American, was arrested in Seoul on charges of helping publish a pro-North Korea book, and his family fears for his fate. Song had visited a brother in North Korea after decades of separation, following the historic inter-Korean summit.
• Report: Segregation Persists Despite Growing Diversity, page 4. A Harvard Civil Rights Project report found that residential segregation persists in major U.S. cities despite growing racial and ethnic diversity, prompting calls for stronger fair-housing enforcement. The study found Asians, Hispanics, and whites were most segregated in New York, while blacks and whites were most segregated in Detroit.
• Court Upholds Affirmative Action Ruling, page 4. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to review a lower court ruling that permanently banned Fulton County, Georgia’s affirmative action program for awarding contracts to minority-owned businesses. A federal judge had found insufficient evidence of past discrimination to justify the program’s racial and gender goals.
• Calif. Attorney General Issues Hate Crimes Report, page 4. California Attorney General Bill Lockyer released a report from the Civil Rights Commission on Hate Crimes outlining 16 recommendations to improve hate crime reporting in communities, schools, and law enforcement. The commission, which included various community leaders, found social and cultural barriers continue to discourage victims from reporting hate crimes.
• Internet Hate Groups Concern Lawyers, page 4. Law officers and prosecutors in Reno, Nevada warned lawyers and judges about the growing use of the Internet by hate groups to recruit teenagers. An assistant district attorney noted the number of hate group websites grew dramatically in just a few years, following a 1999 firebombing of a local synagogue.
• Census: Residential Segregation Persists, page 4. A UCLA study of California census data found that despite growing diversity on paper, residential segregation is increasing among Asians and Hispanics even as it decreases slightly among whites and blacks. Researcher Paul Ong found Asians tended to integrate more while Hispanics became increasingly isolated in certain areas.
• Study: Green Tea May Not Prevent Cancer, page 4. A New England Journal of Medicine study by Japanese researchers found no significant link between green tea consumption and reduced stomach cancer risk among over 26,000 residents of Miyagi Prefecture. The findings challenge popular beliefs about green tea’s cancer-preventing properties despite its known antioxidant compounds.
• Stanford Hate Crime Investigation Continues Amid Criticism, page 10. Continuing coverage of the Stanford graffiti incidents details student frustration with the administration’s limited communication, including President Hennessy’s brief published letter that many found inadequate. Diversity statistics show low minority enrollment at Stanford, and student groups continue pushing for concrete policy changes despite the university’s silence on investigation details.

Sports

• Freshman Corrie Mizusawa Shines at St. Mary’s, by Lyndsey Shinoda, page 1. Freshman Corrie Mika Mizusawa led the St. Mary’s Gaels women’s basketball team to a WCC title and NCAA tournament berth, earning WCC Freshman of the Year honors. The Sansei point guard discussed her basketball upbringing, her decision to attend St. Mary’s near her hometown, and her admiration for coach Michelle Jacoby.
• Mizusawa Makes Impact at St. Mary’s, by Lyndsey Shinoda, page 10. Continuing coverage of freshman standout Corrie Mizusawa details her strong statistical season, leading the WCC in assist-to-turnover ratio while starting all 27 games for St. Mary’s. Mizusawa discusses her love of passing over shooting, her superstitions, and her aspirations including owning the Lakers and majoring in sports management.

Commentary

• The Week That Was, by John Tateishi, page 1. JACL Executive Director John Tateishi recounts a week filled with anti-Asian racist incidents, including graffiti at Stanford, racial slurs against Ichiro Suzuki, offensive talk radio comments, and a racist cartoon and comedy skit mocking Chinese people amid the U.S.-China spy plane crisis. He warns that these incidents signal a troubling rise in anti-Asian sentiment and underscore the continued need for JACL’s civil rights mission.
• Skit Mocks Chinese During ASNE Convention, by Martha Nakagawa, page 3. A skit performed by the comedy troupe Capitol Steps at an American Society of Newspaper Editors convention mocked Chinese officials with racist stereotypes, drawing laughter from editors and criticism from a student reporter and AAJA leadership. ASNE defended free speech while distancing itself from endorsing the racist content.
• Tule Lake Review, by Hiroshi Kashiwagi, page 5. The author recounts a visit to the Tule Lake camp site and a nostalgic baseball game reunion between the Tule Lake All-Stars and a Klamath Falls team, decades after WWII. He reflects on the area’s history, including Captain Jack’s Modoc War, and a warm reunion with a former ballplayer he had once watched play.
• Gone to the Dogs, by Christina Kumba and Neika, page 8. In honor of Be Kind to Animals Week, this column offers advice on responsible dog ownership, including spaying/neutering, adopting from shelters or rescue groups, proper nutrition, and effective training methods. The authors draw on personal experience volunteering with a dog rescue foundation and share tips for teaching children to interact safely with dogs.
• Bon Appetit: Japanese Dining Etiquette, page 8. Continuing a series on Japanese etiquette, the columnist explores detailed rules for eating rice, soup, and pickles during a traditional Japanese meal, drawing from a book on Japanese etiquette. The piece humorously questions some of the more elaborate customs, including how to properly handle rice bowls and chopsticks.
• The 442nd Should Not Apologize, by Leo Hosoda, page 9. Responding to JACL’s Resolution of Apology to draft resisters, the author argues that JACL leaders and volunteers who served in the military deserve praise rather than blame, noting JACL was a small minority organization at the time. He contends that the dissenters, not JACL, should be examined for their actions during the wartime controversy.
• My Issei Pop Was Right 48 Years Ago, by Paul Tsuneishi, page 9. The author shares his Issei father’s 1980 written testimony supporting the right of Nisei draft resisters at Heart Mountain to have their case heard, even while three of his own sons served in the military. He argues that JACL’s 2000 apology to resisters was the correct decision, echoing his father’s belief that the wartime incarceration was fundamentally wrong.
• The Ongoing Nisei Conflict, by Jim Yamasaki, page 9. The author reflects on the enduring conflict between Nisei who served in the military and those who resisted the draft or answered ‘no-no’ on the loyalty questionnaire, describing his own difficult compromise answer. He argues both groups deserve understanding given the unjust wartime circumstances, and suggests the controversy will take generations to fully resolve.

Community

• Stanford Unhappy With School’s Response to Racist Graffiti; AA and Minority Student Groups Mobilize to Raise Awareness on Campus, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 1. After racist graffiti targeting Asian Americans and other minorities was discovered at Stanford University, minority student groups criticized the administration for its lack of transparency and are now organizing a week against hate. The coalition is demanding an apology, a university-wide hate crimes protocol, diversity training, and increased funding and staff diversity.
• Berkeley JACL to Hold Scholarship Luncheon May 20, page 5. The Berkeley JACL will hold its 11th annual scholarship luncheon honoring six East Bay scholarship recipients and presenting its 2001 Pioneer Award to Frank and Toshiko Yamasaki and Tony Yokomizo. ABC7 news co-anchor Thuy Vu will serve as guest speaker at the event.
• New York JACL Holds Member Recruiting Event, page 5. The New York chapter of JACL held a member recruiting event featuring guest speaker Kristine Minami, JACL’s Washington, D.C. representative. Minami discussed JACL’s public affairs program covering hate crime legislation and other national legislative initiatives.
• Watsonville-Santa Cruz Chapter Celebrates Senior Center’s 30th Anniversary, page 6. The Watsonville-Santa Cruz JACL Tokushige Kizuka Senior Center celebrated its 30th anniversary with 125 members and guests honoring former leaders and founder Tokushige Kizuka. The event featured a nostalgic video, traditional performances, and remarks from chapter president Marcia Hashimoto and guest speaker Rev. Sumio Koga.
• Alzheimer’s and Dementia: New Services for Older API Adults, page 6. A new statewide project called the Asian and Pacific Islander Dementia Care Network has launched in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area to provide culturally competent dementia care services to Japanese, Chinese, and Vietnamese families. The program offers home care, respite services, and specialized training as the API older adult population grows rapidly.
• Manzanar Advisory Commission to Meet, page 6. The Manzanar National Historic Site Advisory Commission will meet April 27 in Independence, California to discuss the park’s development, management, and interpretation. The commission includes local residents, Japanese American scholars, and former internees who advise the Secretary of the Interior.
• LTSC’s Computer Adoption Program Connects the Disadvantaged, page 6. The Little Tokyo Service Center Community Development Corporation runs a computer adoption program that provides free computers and training to low-income families at Angelina Apartments in Los Angeles. Program creator Davis Park views public access to technology as a social justice issue, with computers donated by Morgan Stanley Dean Witter.
• Asian American Landmark in L.A. to be Restored, page 8. The historic Far East building in Little Tokyo, home to the beloved Far East Cafe for 59 years, has been acquired by the Little Tokyo Service Center Community Development Corporation for restoration into affordable housing. The building, damaged in the 1994 Northridge earthquake, holds deep sentimental value for generations of Japanese Americans who held wedding and funeral receptions there.
• Cedars-Sinai Provides Hospice Help in Japanese, page 8. Cedars-Sinai offers a hospice program with Japanese-speaking staff to provide physical, emotional, and spiritual support to terminally ill patients and their families. The program offers 24-hour availability and specialized equipment paid for by insurance.
• Keiro Support Group Donates Vans to Keiro Nursing Home, page 12. Visions for Keiro, a volunteer support group, donated two handicap-accessible vans to Keiro Nursing Home to transport residents to medical appointments and outings, completing a five-year pledge to provide transportation vehicles. The donation brings the group’s total vehicle donations to Keiro Services to four.
• Canadian Nikkei Heritage Centre Pays Off $1.6 Million Mortgage, page 12. The National Nikkei Heritage Centre Society paid off its $1.6 million mortgage after raising $8 million, exceeding its $7.5 million fundraising goal, and now holds clear title to the property. Nearly 3,000 individuals, families, businesses, and the government contributed to the ‘Put the Centre into Place’ campaign over three years.

Obituaries

• Dr. Roy Nishikawa, 85, Dean of JACL National Presidents, Dies, by Harry K. Honda, page 1. Dr. Roy M. Nishikawa, a longtime JACL leader who served as national JACL president in 1956 and held numerous other leadership roles over nearly 65 years, died April 8 at age 85. He was remembered for his tireless fundraising efforts and steady leadership guiding the organization through many phases of its history.
• John Ishii, 80 — Lay President of St. Martin’s College, page 11. Dr. John David Ishii, the first lay president of Saint Martin’s College in Washington, died March 18 at age 80. A WWII MIS veteran and former State Department Foreign Service officer, he later advised Malaysia’s prime minister before returning to lead St. Martin’s and founding its Pacific Rim Institute.
• Nishikawa Remembered by JACL Colleagues, page 11. Multiple JACL colleagues and chapters, including former national president Frank Chuman and editor emeritus Harry Honda, offered tributes honoring Dr. Roy Nishikawa’s nearly 65 years of service to JACL. They praised his steady leadership, financial stewardship, and lasting impact on the organization’s growth.

JACL

• JACL of Today, by Mori Mori Memo, JACL National President, page 3. JACL National President reflects on growing up around JACL activities and the organization’s evolution through different historical phases, from social survival to civil rights protest to political action. A Blue Ribbon Committee is studying how to develop JACL programs in social, political, and economic realms to attract today’s generation.
• J-Towns Bill Background: How SB 307 Idea Came About, page 7. The push for SB 307 grew out of years of networking among California Nikkei community leaders, beginning with a 1995 Synergy Conference and continuing through subsequent conferences including ‘Ties That Bind’ and ‘Nikkei 2000.’ Paul Osaki and others researched historic preservation law and worked with legislators to craft a bill flexible enough to protect Japantowns without imposing restrictive business regulations.

In-Depth

• A ‘Happening’ at Tulelake, by Ann Muto, page 5. The Japanese American Resource Center/Museum, Tule Lake Committee, and JACL NCWNP district council held teacher training workshops and a tour of the former Tule Lake internment camp, drawing over 40 participants. Former internees shared personal accounts of camp life, the loyalty questionnaire controversy, and the segregation of resisters and renunciants.
• Memories From the Minidoka Reunion, by Yas Tokita, page 6. At the Minidoka reunion in Las Vegas, attendee Aiji Uchiyama presented a 1943 photograph he had secretly taken of George and Grayce Gojio playing badminton at the camp, leading to an emotional reunion with Grayce and George’s widow. The reunion, organized by Jim Akagi and Mits Kawachi, attracted 675 participants.
• Tule Lake Camp: Confidential, page 9. An article adapted from a memoir by Noburu Shirai describes his experiences at the Tule Lake Segregation Center, one of ten WWII internment camps, and his reflections on Japan’s postwar recovery. The piece is part of a translation project funded by the California Civil Liberties Public Education Program.

Arts & Entertainment

• Joel Nakamura’s Poster Commemorates Earth Day, page 8. The U.S. State Department commissioned artist Joel Nakamura of Santa Fe to create a poster celebrating living organisms in the biosphere for the 30th anniversary of Earth Day. The poster will be displayed in U.S. embassies worldwide, showcasing Nakamura’s distinctive style of acrylic paints on tooled metal.

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