Japan’s earthquake, and the Japanese Americans of the Jet Age

Vol. 152, No. 6, April 1, 2011. 16 pages. View this issue

Japan’s earthquake and tsunami ran through this issue. Nalea J. Ko reported that American donations passed $161 million as the Fukushima nuclear crisis worsened, and Peter Shigeki Frandsen and Harry K. Honda wrote about Sendai from personal and historical angles. Ko also wrote the cover story on the Nisei stewardesses Pan American World Airways hired beginning in 1955, drawing on Christine Yano’s book ‘Airborne Dreams.’ Floyd Mori’s column on JACL membership appeared on page 2 and continued on page 13.

Elsewhere, Amy Taxin reported on a citizenship workshop drive among Asian American groups, and the Nisei Diploma Project asked USC for honorary degrees. Community pages covered the Challenger Monument leaving Little Tokyo for repair, education workshops tied to the incarceration, and Mako Nakagawa as keynote for the April 30 Manzanar pilgrimage. Commentary included a reader’s call for civil discourse on immigration.

What’s in this issue

Commentary

• Don’t Forget About Books, by Nancy N. Conner, page 2. A reader responds to a previous Pacific Citizen article about cultural disconnect among Japanese American youth, noting that books are another valuable way to learn about JA history. She cites the Indianapolis public library’s 68 books on Japanese American internment as an example resource.
• Civil Discourse on Immigration, by J. DeGuzman, page 2. A JACL board member calls for a civil, evidence-based debate on immigration reform, noting that immigrants are significant economic contributors despite exploitation in labor markets. The writer praises JACL’s stance against the demonization of immigrants.
• Payback Comments are Distasteful, by Jon I. Takata, page 2. A reader criticizes racist ‘payback’ comments made about Japan following the earthquake, tying them to fear and misinformation about Pearl Harbor. He references the book ‘Day of Deceit’ to argue that the Pearl Harbor attack was not truly a surprise to Roosevelt.
• Warm Spring Thoughts, by Kevin J. Miyazaki, page 2. The writer reflects on his Midwest upbringing as a product of Japanese American postwar resettlement history and the small, aging JACL community in Milwaukee. He emphasizes the importance of the Pacific Citizen in connecting geographically dispersed JA communities.
• The Sendai Connection, by Harry K. Honda, page 8. Editor emeritus Harry Honda traces historical connections between Sendai, Japan and Japanese American history, including the 1613 Hasekura embassy to Europe and the 1869 Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Farm colony in California. The piece details the struggles and legacies of early Japanese immigrants like Okei Ito and the Masumizu family who settled in California after Japan’s civil war.
• The Sendai I Will Never Forget, by Peter Shigeki Frandsen, page 8. A JACL member recalls his time living in Sendai and touring Tohoku’s rural towns during a church mission in 2003, and reflects on the emotional devastation of watching those same places destroyed by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. He praises the resilience and community spirit of the Japanese people and urges continued support for disaster relief.
• Miyazaki, by Kevin J. Miyazaki, page 13. Continuing his column, Miyazaki emphasizes the importance of the Pacific Citizen in connecting dispersed Japanese American communities and preserving history through its online archive. He encourages readers to donate to the paper’s Spring Campaign, drawing a parallel to his father’s redress experience and society’s acknowledgment of wrongdoing.

JACL

• JACL Membership is an Ongoing Issue, by Floyd Mori, page 2. National JACL Director Floyd Mori thanks donors to the year-end giving program while emphasizing that JACL remains a membership-driven organization facing budgetary concerns and unfilled positions. He calls on members to help rebuild the membership base, especially among younger potential members.
• ‘Project: Community!’: Not Just a Summer Project, by Molly Serizawa, page 6. A college student describes how participating in JACL PSW’s ‘Project: Community!’ program transformed her understanding of her Japanese American identity and community responsibility. She credits the program’s mentors and mural project for inspiring her to transfer schools and pursue deeper engagement with the JA community.
• Mori, by Floyd Mori, page 13. Continuing his column, Floyd Mori highlights JACL regional directors’ youth programs and leadership conferences aimed at increasing membership among younger Japanese Americans. He suggests expanding JACL’s reach by welcoming other Asian American communities under its advocacy umbrella and thanks longtime members for their continued support.

In-Depth

• Japan Earthquake Fundraising Spikes, Nuclear Disaster Worsens, by Nalea J. Ko, page 3. American donations for Japan’s earthquake and tsunami disaster relief topped $161 million as the Fukushima nuclear crisis worsened, with radioactive water leaking and plutonium traces found in soil. Japanese Americans and organizations nationwide, including JACL chapters, mobilized fundraising and awareness efforts while residents in Japan grappled with fears over contaminated water and ongoing danger at the crippled plant.
• The Japanese Americans of the Jet Age, by Nalea J. Ko, page 4. Pan American World Airways recruited Japanese American ‘Nisei stewardesses’ beginning in 1955 to promote Tokyo-bound flights, a story documented in author Christine Yano’s book ‘Airborne Dreams.’ Former flight attendants recount the glamour, exhausting schedules, strict dress codes, and lasting friendships from their Jet Age careers, and continue to gather through World Wings International.’

National

• Asian Americans Aim for ‘Ya es hora’-Style Citizenship, by Amy Taxin, page 5. Inspired by a Latino naturalization campaign, Asian American advocacy groups in California launched a citizenship workshop drive to help immigrants naturalize and build political power. The effort, backed by $250,000 in private donations, aims to eventually expand nationally to states with large Asian populations.
• Renewed Call for Confirmation of Edward Chen, by P.C. Staff, page 5. President Obama’s judicial nominee Edward Chen cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee for the fourth time, prompting renewed calls from Asian Pacific American leaders for his Senate confirmation without further delay. Chen, a former member of Fred Korematsu’s legal team, has waited longer than any other judicial nominee amid Republican opposition tied to his ACLU background.
• Student in Anti-Asian Rant Says She’ll Leave UCLA, by Associated Press, page 7. UCLA student Alexandra Wallace announced she will no longer attend classes after her viral video mocking Asian students sparked widespread backlash, even though the university declined to discipline her citing free speech protections. Wallace apologized again for her comments, which included mocking Asian language and complaining about students checking on Japan’s tsunami victims.
• Crash Highlights Chinese American Gambling Market, by Associated Press, page 7. A fatal bus crash returning from a Connecticut casino has drawn attention to how casinos heavily target New York’s Chinese American community through discount gambling bus packages. Advocates note gambling is deeply embedded in Chinese culture, and treatment specialists worry about compulsive gambling among elderly and immigrant populations who ride these buses.
• Report Stresses Asian Americans Need Hepatitis B Education, by P.C. Staff, page 10. A White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders report highlights that Asian Pacific Americans account for over half of the 1.5 million people in the U.S. with chronic Hepatitis B, many unaware of their infection. The report also addresses linguistic isolation, bullying, and civil rights issues facing APAs and was presented with recommendations for 25 federal agencies.
• Students Ask USC to Issue Honorary Degrees, by P.C. Staff, page 12. A coalition of current USC students launched the Nisei Diploma Project, petitioning the university to award honorary degrees to over 120 Japanese American students forced to leave USC during WWII due to Executive Order 9066. The effort follows a 2010 JACL national board resolution urging USC to prioritize issuing such degrees, similar to actions taken by other California universities under Assembly Bill 37.
• Universities Seeking Nisei For Honorary Degrees, by P.C. Staff, page 12. Santa Ana College and UC Hastings College of the Law are both seeking to identify former Japanese American students to award honorary degrees this spring, following Assembly Bill 37’s mandate for California colleges to retroactively grant such degrees. Santa Ana College has identified 22 students while UC Hastings and other UC schools have identified 10 so far.
• Maui WWII Internment Camp Sites are Part of Research, by Associated Press, page 12. The National Park Service identified two former Japanese internment camp sites on Maui, part of a 13-site statewide resource study across the Hawaiian islands. Officials are holding community meetings to gather input on how to preserve the history of these sites, of which little physical evidence remains.

Arts & Entertainment

• ‘The Biggest Loser’ Father and Daughter Race to the Finish, by Nalea J. Ko, page 9. Tongan American father-daughter duo Moses and Kaylee Kinikini discuss their weight-loss journey and bond while competing together on NBC’s ‘The Biggest Loser.’ Both have transformed physically and emotionally, crediting the experience with improving their health and family relationships despite the show’s competitive pressures.

Community

• Hawaii Braces for Downturn in Travelers From Japan, by Jaymes Song, page 10. Hawaii, heavily dependent on Japanese tourism, faces economic strain as travel bookings from Japan plummet following the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear crisis. Despite some travelers still visiting out of loyalty or logistics, officials expect a significant decline in visitor revenue and are analyzing how to respond.
• JAVA Offers Scholarships, by P.C. Staff, page 10. The Japanese American Veterans Association is offering eight $1,500 scholarships for 2011, open to descendants of WWII veterans from the 442nd RCT, 100th Battalion, and Military Intelligence Service. Applicants must submit an essay and proof of enrollment by the April 30 deadline.
• Little Tokyo’s Challenger Monument Ships Off for Repair, by P.C. Staff, page 11. The Space Shuttle Challenger Monument honoring astronaut Ellison S. Onizuka was removed from Little Tokyo’s Weller Court after 21 years for refurbishment by its original creator, Isao Hirai. The $70,000 restoration project will fix cracks and lighting before the monument is re-dedicated on June 24, Onizuka’s birthday.
• Mile-Hi JACL Hosts Teacher-Training Workshop, by P.C. Staff, page 11. The Mile-Hi JACL Education Committee sponsored a teacher-training workshop at the University of Denver focused on the WWII Japanese American incarceration experience, including a Day of Remembrance event the following day. Speakers discussed art education in camps and the irony of teaching democracy to incarcerated JA students.
• Twin Cities JACL Participates in Social Studies Conference, by P.C. Staff, page 11. The Twin Cities JACL Education Committee participated in the Minnesota Council for the Social Studies spring conference, staffing an informational booth and leading a breakout session on the Japanese American internment. Presenters compared post-9/11 hate crimes to anti-Japanese sentiment after Pearl Harbor and discussed integrating JA history into state academic standards.
• Mako Nakagawa to Keynote Manzanar Pilgrimage, by P.C. Staff, page 13. Community activist Mako Nakagawa, a leader of the ‘Power of Words’ movement to eliminate euphemisms describing the WWII JA incarceration, will keynote the April 30 Manzanar pilgrimage. The annual event draws over 1,000 attendees and will be followed by the Manzanar At Dusk program at Lone Pine High School.

Obituaries

• George Yoshito Masunaga, page 15. George Masunaga, born in 1914 in Fort Lupton, Colorado, served as an Army chemist and pharmacist during WWII and later ran drug stores in the Denver area with his brothers. He was a longtime Mile Hi JACL chapter president and mentor who organized the 1992 JACL National Convention in Denver.
• Shigeru “Shig” Motoki, page 15. Shigeru ‘Shig’ Motoki, born in 1922 in Japan, was incarcerated with his family at Minidoka during WWII before serving in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He later worked as a civil service supervisor at Hill Field Air Force Base and served as president of the Mount Olympus JACL chapter.

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