Kim Dae Jung’s abduction in Tokyo and a JACL district convention

Vol. 77, No. 10, September 7, 1973. 6 pages. View this issue

The abduction of Korean opposition leader Kim Dae Jung in Tokyo led this six-page issue. The front-page story, by the P.C. Staff, described how organized opposition to South Korean president Park Chung Hee was taking shape among Koreans in Japan and the United States, and how the case had pushed Japan-South Korea relations to their lowest point since 1965. JACL news filled much of the rest: Harry Honda reported on the joint Eastern and Midwest District Council convention in Detroit, where nearly 200 people attended, and the Executive Committee voted to open its board sessions to members.

Columns by Bill Hosokawa, Grayce Uyehara and Sachi Seko offered Sansei viewpoints, a look at the word Jap, and thoughts on grassroots membership. Also inside: Yokohama Specie Bank depositors receiving prewar claims, a California Assembly bill against bias toward the foreign-born, and a Texas look back at Crystal City. Harry K. Honda also covered George Takei’s Los Angeles council race.

What’s in this issue

National

• Opposition to South Korea Seen Taking Hold, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Organized opposition to South Korean president Park Chung Hee is forming among Korean nationals in Japan and the United States. The abduction of opposition leader Kim Dae Jung in Tokyo strained Japan-South Korea relations to their lowest point since 1965.
• Japanese Prewar Claims Finally Receive Payment, page 1. Depositors of the Yokohama Specie Bank are now receiving their prewar claims at a rate of 26.1 cents on the yen. The payment follows a Public Law passed by Congress to settle these long-pending claims.
• Anti-Bias Bill Passes California Assembly, page 1. A California Assembly bill to eliminate discrimination against foreign-born persons passed the Assembly and moved on. The measure addresses bias in the state.
• Police Right to Hold Suspected Aliens Affirmed, page 1. California Attorney General Evelle Younger issued a legal opinion that any law enforcement officer may detain a person suspected of being an illegal alien. Civil rights groups criticized the policy as discriminatory.

Community

• IDC Summer Quarterly Hosted by Wasatch JACL, page 1. The Intermountain District Council held its summer quarterly session in Ogden, Utah, where delegates prepared for the biennial convention. The meeting also welcomed the new Wasatch Front North chapter.
• Nearly 200 Attend EDC-MDC Convention, by Harry Honda, page 1. The Eastern and Midwest District Council joint convention in Detroit drew nearly 200 attendees over Labor Day weekend. Delegates held business sessions, a workshop on education and ethnicity, and a banquet.
• Chicago JACL Buys Northside Building for Midwest Office, page 1. The Chicago JACL membership approved purchase of a building to house the Midwest District Council, the Chicago JACL Federal Credit Union, and the chapter. A benefit movie fundraiser is planned for September.
• Issei Programs Prove Popular at Hamilton Senior Citizens Center, page 4. The Hamilton Senior Citizens Center in San Francisco celebrated its 17th anniversary with over 200 attendees. The center serves as a weekly gathering place for the Issei population and offers classes and activities.
• Salt Lake ‘Big Bazaar’ to Feature Handcrafts, by Tomoko Yano, page 4. The Salt Lake JACL Auxiliary prepared handcrafted items for its Big Bazaar set for September 15. Several workshops produced three-dimensional picture crafts and plaques for the event.

Incarceration & Redress

• Texans Reminded of Evacuation Story, page 1. A Texas article recounts the wartime evacuation of Japanese Americans, including the Taniguchi family’s internment at Crystal City. It reflects on the lasting effects of that period on the Japanese American community.
• FBI Break-in of Japan Consulate in Seattle Alleged, page 1. KING-TV reported that FBI agents broke into the Japanese consulate in Seattle in 1965 to install a listening device and photograph a coding machine. Consul General Yoshiro Yasui said he had no knowledge of such an incident.
• Stomu Yamashta Red Buddha Theatre Gets Local Coverage, page 6. Stomu Yamashta’s Red Buddha Theatre production of The Man From the East is scheduled for performances in Los Angeles and San Francisco. The production drew praise from European critics after its premiere.

JACL

• Open Board Sessions Voted at EXECOM in Detroit, page 1. The JACL Executive Committee voted to open its board sessions to members at the discretion of the chair. The EXECOM also adopted several recommendations on chapter guidelines, travel, and programs.
• PSWDC Chapters Seek Nominees, page 1. Nominations are open for six executive board positions on the Pacific Southwest District Council. Nominations are due by October 10 for the election at the November quarterly meeting.

Commentary

• Political Campaign, by Harry K. Honda, page 1. Harry Honda examines the special Los Angeles 10th District council election, in which actor George Takei is a candidate. He describes Takei’s grassroots campaigning and the field of contenders.
• Two Sansei Viewpoints, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Bill Hosokawa responds to letters from two Sansei students who disagreed with his earlier column on racial anxieties. Judy Kawamoto and Lois Shimamoto argue that today’s Sansei have greater racial consciousness shaped by the civil rights era.
• Did We Miss the Boat?, by Grayce Uyehara, page 4. Grayce Uyehara argues that JACL missed an opportunity to educate the public on the offensiveness of the word Jap after Senator Inouye was insulted on national TV. She says faster coordination with chapters and local media was needed.
• Cultivating Grassroots, by Sachi Seko, page 6. Sachi Seko uses the metaphor of gardening to reflect on JACL’s leadership transition and the role of grassroots members. She argues that members must cultivate active participation rather than accept an overgrown, stagnant organization.

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