Vol. 81, No. 20, November 14, 1975. 4 pages. View this issue
A fair trial fund for Wendy Yoshimura led the news in this four-page issue. The Central California JACL District Council and the Fresno Buddhist Betsuin organized the fund, and National JACL President Shig Sugiyama endorsed it. Yoshimura pleaded innocent to machine gun and explosives charges in Alameda Superior Court, where a January 14 trial date was set. Elsewhere on the front page, George Kondo was named NC-WN Regional Director, and a report summarized the 1975 JACL travel program, which carried 1,142 members to Japan.
The commentary pages offered Shig Sugiyama on how decisions are made in Japan and America, and Edison T. Uno urging Nisei and Issei to record their family histories of the wartime incarceration. Bill Hosokawa’s column took a lighter turn. Page 2 also announced a Nov. 19 San Francisco forum tied to the Executive Order 9066 exhibit, with Jerry Enomoto and Judge Earl Warren Jr. among the speakers.
What’s in this issue
Commentary
- On Decision Making, by Shig Sugiyama, page 1. Sugiyama recounts a lunch conversation with publisher Shichihei Yamamoto about how decisions are made in Japanese versus American society. He observes that Japanese subordinates often agree outwardly and then complain afterward, while Americans may be just as indirect in their own ways.
- Family Histories, by Edison T. Uno, page 2. Uno argues that personal family histories of the wartime incarceration remain untold and urges Nisei and Issei to document them before they are lost. He stresses that each individual story is a vital piece of the Japanese American experience.
- The Emblem to Avoid, by Bill Hosokawa, page 2. Hosokawa offers his Frying Pan column as a go-between for a Nisei woman seeking a compatible husband, using a baishaku-style mail drop. He explains he will forward letters unopened to the correspondent.
Community
- Kondo Named NC-WN Regional Director, by P.C. Staff, page 1. George Kondo of the Oakland area has been appointed NC-WN Regional Director at JACL national headquarters, filling a vacancy. He brings extensive civic experience, including service on the Oakland Museum Advisory Commission and as a Berkeley JACL board member.
- Woman ROTC Commander, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Rita Tamayo, a Filipino American psychology major at Santa Clara, will be commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant and is the nation’s first woman commander of an Army ROTC unit. Her military interest runs in her family.
- San Francisco Group Hears Defense Attorney, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A Nov. 19 public forum at Christ United Presbyterian Church in San Francisco, tied to the Executive Order 9066 exhibit, will address Japanese American and minority rights. Speakers include Jerry Enomoto, Charles Marzen, and Judge Earl Warren Jr.
Incarceration & Redress
- Fair Trial Fund Started for Wendy Yoshimura, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Central California JACL District Council and the Fresno Buddhist Betsuin organized a fair trial fund for Wendy Yoshimura, with committee members and bank details announced. Donations are to be strictly earmarked for trial expenses.
National
- Pres. Sugiyama Backs Wendy Fair Trial Fund, by P.C. Staff, page 1. National JACL President Shig Sugiyama endorsed the Wendy Yoshimura Fair Trial Fund and urged respect for the presumption of innocence. He noted the case’s coverage in the Japanese American press has been limited.
- Wendy Yoshimura Pleads Not Guilty at Hearing, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Wendy Yoshimura pleaded innocent to machine gun and explosives charges in Alameda Superior Court, and a January 14 trial date was set. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for December 5, when her attorney will seek bail reduction.
- Hayakawa Senate Bid Said to Be Informal, by P.C. Staff, page 2. S.I. Hayakawa explained that his remarks in San Diego about running for the U.S. Senate were not meant as a formal announcement. He said a formal announcement and position statement would come at the end of the year.
- Employment Discrimination Case in Washington, D.C., by P.C. Staff, page 3. JACL is backing a complaint alleging employment discrimination by the Office of the Federal Aviation Administration against John Oshino in Washington, D.C. The case has national significance for Japanese Americans because it concerns hiring and promotion rights.
JACL
- National JACL Travel Program Bouquets and Brickbats, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The 1975 National JACL travel program operated eight charter or affinity flights to Japan carrying 1,142 members. Passenger evaluations praised service and tours while noting complaints about schedules and in-flight entertainment.
Military & Veterans
- Mukaeda Decorated for Third Time, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Little Tokyo community leader Katsuma Mukaeda received the Second Order of the Sacred Treasure from the Japanese government. It was his third decoration, following awards in 1964 and 1970.
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