Remembering Toge Fujihira, and the 1973 energy crisis

Vol. 77, No. 24, December 14, 1973. 6 pages. View this issue

Photographer Toge Fujihira, who died suddenly in Vancouver on Nov. 28, was remembered on three pages of this six-page issue. National JACL President Henry T. Tanaka wrote about the documentary films that showed the spirit of people in villages and ghettos around the world, and Kats Kunitsugu recalled their boyhood friendship in Seattle.

The issue also covered a good deal of JACL and community news. The Eastern District Council committed to raising $10,000 for a public information room in the proposed JACL Headquarters Building, and the Intermountain District Council met in Boise. Harry K. Honda wrote about the possible blackouts of 1974, and Kunitsugu defended the Little Tokyo redevelopment plan. Barry D. Matsumoto answered a New York Times editorial on television films. Plaintiffs Wong and Lee rejected California Attorney General Evelle Younger’s apology over a report they called racist.

What’s in this issue

Obituaries

• RIP: Toge Fujihira, by Henry T. Tanaka, page 1. National JACL President Henry Tanaka remembers photographer Toge Fujihira, whose documentary films revealed the spirit of people in villages and ghettos around the world. Fujihira died suddenly in Vancouver on Nov. 28 while on assignment for the United Church of Canada.
• Toge Fujihira, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The United Methodist Board of Global Ministries staff photographer Toge Fujihira died suddenly in Vancouver on Nov. 28 at age 57. The article describes his decades of photographing people and communities worldwide and survivors.

JACL

• EDC raising $10,000 for public info room in new JACL bldg., by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Eastern District Council committed to raising $10,000 for a public information room in the proposed JACL Headquarters Building at its fall conference in Seabrook, NJ. Delegates also heard from JACL representatives on national programs and youth involvement.

Community

• Seven Intermountain chapters share in staging district confab, PNWDC guests, by Hid Hasegawa, page 1. Delegates gathered in Boise, Idaho for the Intermountain District Council convention, which included members of the Pacific Northwest District Council. Sessions covered education, public relations and employment/affirmative action under new district leadership.
• Fowler Nisei accorded high Masonic honors, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Harry E. Hiraoka of Fowler, California, a fruit orchardist, packer and shipper, was named a Knight Commander of the Court of Honor in Scottish Rite Freemasonry. The honor was granted by the Supreme Council meeting in Washington, D.C.
• CRA sells land to Little Tokyo group, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency approved the sale of four land parcels in the Little Tokyo redevelopment project to a firm of former property owners and tenants. The sale for a shopping mall, office and parking complex is subject to City Council approval.
• Pan-Am raises JACL charter flight fare, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Pan American World Airways informed the Portland JACL it must raise 1974 charter flight rates due to fuel supply limitations and higher prices. The fare for the Japan charter has risen from $325 to $350 per person.
• Cincinnati Echoes, by Joe Oyama, page 2. Joe Oyama reports on the Cincinnati International Folk Festival, where the local JACL ran a merchandise booth and cultural exhibit. He describes the performances and karate demonstrations and the variety of participating groups.
• Abe and Marumoto resigning from Hawaii Supreme Court, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Hawaii Supreme Court Justices Abe and Marumoto announced their resignations effective December 28, 1973. Governor Ariyoshi accepted the resignations with regret, praising their contributions to the court.

National

• Plaintiffs reject Younger apology of ‘racist’ report, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Plaintiffs Wong and Lee rejected a partial apology from California Attorney General Evelle Younger over a Criminal Law Bulletin that they said portrayed Asian Americans as the Mafia of the Far East. The lawsuit seeks a full retraction and aims to prevent similar publications.
• Aggressive U.S. sales to Japan market urged, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Japanese Ambassador Takeshi Yasukawa told a Los Angeles trade symposium that Japan’s $400 billion market is ready to be exploited by aggressive U.S. sales efforts. He stressed that the two nations’ economies depend on each other amid the energy crisis.
• Back House inquiry, by P.C. Staff, page 1. National JACL President Henry Tanaka expressed support for the House Judiciary Committee’s inquiry into possible impeachment of President Nixon and called for an independent special prosecutor. He argued the inquiry must proceed in a principled manner free of partisan considerations.
• Ethnic pressures effective in barring ‘offensive’ TV films, by Les Brown, page 1. Minority group organizations have pressured television stations to ban or edit films with racial stereotypes, including Charlie Chan and war films depicting Japanese. The New York Times reported on the growing censorship efforts, including the JACL’s list of objectionable films.
• Bilingual courts bill called vital, Senate panel told, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Senator John Tunney testified before a Senate subcommittee on his Bilingual Courts Act, which would provide simultaneous translation in federal courtroom proceedings. He argued non-English speakers must be able to understand charges against them.
• Strict federal protection for U.S. floriculture industry urged, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Rep. Burt Talcott urged the government to enforce quarantine laws against flower imports, which now account for 16 to 18 percent of domestic cut flower sales. He cited labor cost and transportation advantages enjoyed by foreign growers.

Commentary

• The Blackouts of 1974, by Harry K. Honda, page 2. The Pacific Citizen editor describes the prospect of rolling blackouts and 50-hour business limits in Los Angeles due to the energy crisis. He discusses how the blackouts would affect newspaper production and daily life.
• Special recognition, by Paul T. Bannai, page 2. Assemblyman Paul Bannai proposes recognizing Tak Kawagoe as the first honorary male member of JACL for supporting his wife Helen’s career and equal opportunity. The letter praises his encouragement of women’s advancement.
• Priorities, by P.C. Staff, page 2. National JACL outlines its 1974 priorities including membership form computerization, the national convention in August 1974, and the JACL building fund drive. The article calls on members to renew their energies and commitments to changing community needs.
• From the Frying Pan, by Kats Kunitsugu, page 3. Columnist Kats Kunitsugu writes a personal reminiscence of his boyhood friend Toge Fujihira, a photographer who died recently. He recalls their youth in Seattle and Fujihira’s gentle, curious character.
• On the Margin: Bamboozle Me Not (Part 2), by Kats Kunitsugu, page 3. Kunitsugu defends the Little Tokyo redevelopment plan against protests, arguing the CRA has assured residents no one will be evicted without housing provided. He urges stakeholders to think in terms of enlightened self-interest.
• Television’s Ethnic Censorship and JACL Washington Rep. reply, by Barry D. Matsumoto, page 3. JACL Washington Representative Barry Matsumoto responds to a New York Times editorial criticizing minority group pressure on TV stations. He argues minority groups are best placed to judge racial fairness and that removing offensive films is a legitimate response.

Military & Veterans

• Edwin T. Kaneko heads FAA office in Guam, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Edwin T. Kaneko of Honolulu was named the new FAA Director on Guam, serving as the regional representative for FAA offices there. He has previously worked in FAA operations analysis and Hawaii transportation.

In-Depth

• Japan aired at Tokyo seminar, by Robert Trumbull, page 4. A Tokyo seminar on Japanese American identity discussed the difficulties Nisei and Sansei face adjusting to Japanese society. Participants noted that many Nisei feel like foreigners and that Japanese expectations often clash with American-raised attitudes.

Arts & Entertainment

• Nightingale musical and Adams book review, by P.C. Staff, page 4. A review of a novel about William Adams, the English pilot who became a samurai under Ieyasu in Edo Japan. The reviewer finds the author’s research thorough but the characterization and plot weak.

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