Vol. 75, No. 14, October 6, 1972. 6 pages. View this issue
Criticism of a poster issued by the ILGWU, the garment workers’ union, led the front page. Asian American groups and the JACL called its ‘Made in Japan’ message racist and xenophobic, and the union’s label department was asked to remove it. Mike Masaoka and Florence Yoshiwara also wrote about a bill that passed the Senate to let interned Japanese nationals recover prewar yen certificates, with questions about documentation and unclaimed funds. A reprinted Wall Street Journal editorial, “Reviving the Yellow Peril,” took up the same worry about anti-Japanese prejudice.
Also inside: a report on a monument to immigrants dedicated near the Statue of Liberty, and Hawaii’s primary races. Sharon Deguchi, a Chicago delegate, described the national JACL convention in Washington, D.C. Reviews and views of NBC’s evacuation documentary, a Roy Doi column on understanding the Japanese, and Allan Beekman’s review of Asian plays fill the later pages.
What’s in this issue
Incarceration & Redress
- Criticism Mounts Against ILGWU Racist ‘Made in Japan’ Poster, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Asian American groups and the JACL protested an ILGWU ‘Made in Japan’ poster they called racist and xenophobic. The union’s label department was asked to remove the poster, and critics said the tactic recalled wartime anti-Japanese stereotypes.
- NBC Documentary ‘Guilty by Reason of Race’ Provokes Viewers, by P.C. Staff, page 3. NBC’s documentary on the wartime Evacuation drew mixed reactions from critics and viewers, with most letters praising it. Nisei commentators and critics assessed its strengths and omissions.
National
- Immigration Monument Dedicated; Changing Face of New York Immigration, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A monument to America’s immigrants was dedicated near the Statue of Liberty, and the article describes shifting immigration patterns toward Asia and Latin America. It also reports on Chinese, Japanese, Haitian and other communities in New York City.
- National JACL Convention: Events Great, Business Overshadows, by Sharon Deguchi, page 3. A Chicago JACL delegate reports on the national convention in Washington, D.C., praising the events while describing contentious business sessions. The convention approved a new executive director and a revised budget.
Community
- Hawaii Elections: Incumbents Favored in Isle Primary, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Hawaii’s primary picture is outlined, with Mayor Fasi facing challengers and the congressional campaigns of Spark Matsunaga and Fred Rohlfing reporting six-figure budgets. Debate challenges and campaign finance details are also covered.
- Fresno JACL Backs Issei Survey, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Fresno JACL chapter voted to raise funds for a Fresno State University study of elderly Japanese Americans. The study will examine how many there are, where they live, and what their needs are.
- Asian Representation on National Board of United Methodist Church Expanding, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Sachi Kajiwara was elected recording secretary of the United Methodist Women’s Division, and Asian American pastors were named to the Board of Global Ministries. The article highlights growing Asian American representation in the denomination.
Military & Veterans
- Yen Claims Bill Passes Senate; Questions and Answers Furnished, by Mike Masaoka, page 1. The Senate passed a bill letting interned Japanese nationals recover prewar yen certificates from the Yokohama Specie Bank. Masaoka responds to questions raised by Florence Yoshiwara about documentation, unclaimed funds and the legislation’s scope.
Commentary
- Obvious Facts Loom as Problems in Yen Claims, by Florence Yoshiwara, page 1. Yoshiwara argues that aging claimants, moves during internment, and missing documents will limit how much of the yen funds is returned. She urges JACL to ensure any unclaimed balance stays in the Japanese American community.
- Editorial: Reviving the Yellow Peril, by Wall Street Journal, page 2. A reprinted Wall Street Journal editorial warns that economic friction with Japan is reviving anti-Japanese slogans and prejudice. It argues the trend threatens progress made against anti-Asian bias since the wartime incarceration.
- Letters: Campaign Funds and Rohlfing Response, by George Miyasaka; Barbara Marumoto, page 2. Rohlfing campaign representatives rebut a PC article about Matsunaga’s fundraising and TV time purchases. They also criticize JACL for what they describe as racial appeals and personal attacks.
- A Nisei View of Japan: Understanding the Japanese, by Roy Doi, page 4. Dr. Roy Doi describes how language formality, status exchanges and vertical social relationships shape Japanese behavior. He argues that a Nikkei cannot fully understand Japanese culture without fluency and long immersion.
- Book Review: Asian Plays, Classic, Tragic, Comic, by Allan Beekman, page 5. Beekman reviews anthologies of classical Asian drama including Noh, Kabuki and Kyogen works. He describes the history and tone of these forms and the plays they contain.
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