San Diego convention plans and a Pacific Citizen heritage supplement

Vol. 62, No. 22, June 3, 1966. 12 pages. View this issue

Planning for the 1966 National JACL Convention in San Diego ran through this 12-page issue. Tad Imoto’s front-page column urged delegates and chapters to send in room reservations and booster event sign-ups, with fees listed. The deadline for the Nisei of the Biennium nominations was extended to June 15. Mike Masaoka wrote on his Japan trip and on the California primaries, and Ellen Nakamura reported on his address to the Eastern District Council in Washington. The front page also reported that the California Supreme Court ordered conscientious objectors Katsuki Otsuka and John H. Abbott restored to the voter rolls.

Pages 3 through 6 carry a new quarterly supplement on cultural heritage. Tom Yee wrote on Japanese Buyo dance, Marie Kurihara described dance in the United States, and Dr. Harold S. Jacoby urged Sansei toward a realistic view of their heritage. Alice Kasai’s acceptance address for her late husband Henry Kasai is also here, along with Maj. Glenn Matsumoto’s Memorial Day tribute to the 442nd at Arlington.

What’s in this issue

Community

• Fiesta en San Diego: Hayaku Ne! Andale, Pronto!, by Tad Imoto, page 1. Delegates and chapters are urged to send in convention room reservations, package deal pre-registration, and booster event reservations for the 1966 National JACL Convention in San Diego. The column lists registration fees, booster event costs, and details about the convention booklet.
• Okei grave draws senator’s interest, by P.C. Staff, page 1. State Sen. John C. Begovich told the Placer County JACL he will work to acquire the Okei grave site as a historical spot. The grave is the resting place associated with the first Japanese colony in California, which arrived in 1869.
• San Jose Jr. JACL cites 5 local citizens, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The San Jose Jr. JACL honored five Nisei for community service at its first annual recognitions banquet. Honorees included a municipal judge, educators, and YMCA and JACL volunteers.
• Nomiya waitress brutally attacked, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Junko Ueda, a nomiya waitress, was stabbed in the neck and face in a Los Angeles restaurant washroom by an irate customer. Off-duty policemen apprehended the suspect, Frank A. Vitale, a block away.
• Sansei told of importance for keeping alive their heritage at EDC session, by Ellen Nakamura, page 1. Mike Masaoka addressed the JACL Eastern District Council banquet in Washington, emphasizing Japanese American heritage and achievements. He also spoke on present-day Japan and paid tribute to Nisei veterans from the Spanish-American War through World War II.
• Sanjo area adds Oriental voice on anti-poverty board, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Edward Hoshino was seated on the Santa Clara County Economic Opportunity Commission to represent Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, and American Indian ethnic groups. He announced an advisory group to orient members to the war on poverty.
• St. Louis hosts Midwest convention in grand style, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Midwest District Council supported the Chicago JACL nomination of Dr. Frank Sakamoto as 1000 Club national chairman at the upcoming San Diego convention. The council also discussed youth council organizational issues and convention planning at its St. Louis session.

JACL

• Nisei of Biennium deadline extended, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The deadline for nominations for the 1965-66 Nisei of the Biennium award has been extended to June 15. The award will be presented at the recognitions banquet of the National JACL Convention in San Diego on July 30.
• ’67 JACL bowling tournament plans proceed, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Plans for the 1967 National JACL Bowling Tournament in March at Holiday Bowl are taking shape, with headquarters at Airport Marina. Tournament chairman Easy Fujimoto reported on committee progress and membership requirements for participants.

Incarceration & Redress

• Nisei conscientious objector who served in prison re-enfranchised, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The California Supreme Court ruled that conscientious objectors who served federal prison time cannot be denied the right to vote. Katsuki Otsuka and John H. Abbott were ordered restored to the voter rolls in Los Angeles County.

National

• Mexican Americans meet with President Johnson, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Mexican American leaders met with President Johnson and his staff to explore ways of improving the well-being of Spanish-speaking persons. It was the first in a series of White House conferences on the special problems of Latin American descent citizens.
• Immigration hurt by Labor red-tape, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy said Labor Department red-tape is restricting immigration of foreign workers to labor-short areas. He noted the Senate had anticipated blanket employment certification for skilled occupations, which had not been implemented.
• 1966 civil rights bill being prepared in House, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The House civil rights subcommittee concluded public hearings on the administration’s civil rights bill. Rep. Emanuel Celler predicted the bill will come out of the Judiciary Committee by June containing a ban on housing discrimination.

Military & Veterans

• Nisei Pentagon official pays tribute to 442, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Maj. Glenn Matsumoto, assigned to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke at the National JACL Memorial Day service at Arlington Cemetery. He paid tribute to Nisei war dead and said the 442nd won victories both in Europe and in the U.S.
• May 30 Rites at Arlington, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL participated in the Memorial Day wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery, where National JACL was represented by D.C. Chairman Charles Pace. The large JACL wreath was placed on the Tomb of the Unknown, and the organization has taken part in these services for many years.

Commentary

• Suzuki and Sato Most Popular Names, by Tamotsu Murayama, page 1. A recent survey of Japanese surnames found Suzuki and Sato to be the most common, with regional variations in popularity. The column also explains how certain name elements relate to rice fields and lists the most popular names by region.
• Japan Trip: Part 2, by Mike Masaoka, page 1. Mike Masaoka discusses Japanese government views on emigration to the United States after the 1965 immigration amendments. He observes that few Japanese are emigrating due to prosperity and bureaucratic obstacles.
• Legalized Objector: Letters from Our Readers, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Marie Kurihara praises the San Francisco Jr. JACL’s Hanasaka Jiji spring show as a high-quality cultural production. She describes the performance’s story, music, and dances and reports enthusiastic audience reactions.
• Californio Primaries, by Mike Masaoka, page 2. Mike Masaoka shares his personal preferences in the California primaries, favoring George Christopher as the Republican gubernatorial candidate. He notes JACL cannot endorse candidates but urges members to vote in the June 7 primary.
• Realistic attitude of Issei heritage asked, by Dr. Harold S. Jacoby, page 2. Dr. Harold Jacoby urges Sansei to adopt a realistic attitude toward their Japanese heritage rather than romanticizing it. He argues that achievement in American life, not cultural symbolism alone, will define future identity.
• Editor’s Desk: Something new added today—a quarterly, by Harry K. Honda, page 4. The Pacific Citizen introduces a quarterly supplement focused on cultural heritage, especially Japanese dance and Issei ethics. The editorial also discusses the importance of understanding Japan as a key American ally in the Pacific.
• Circa 1900 – Japanese Society and Values, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The supplement examines Meiji-era Japanese virtues such as frugality, endurance, obedience, and altruism, drawing on a British observer’s account. It asks how well Nisei can transmit these traits to Sansei without understanding their social history.
• My Dad, by William T. Kawai, page 6. William Kawai recalls his father’s kitchen lectures on education, temper, and people’s character. The essay honors the lessons his father taught him about self-reliance and life.

In-Depth

• Vivid scenes of Japan customs seen in Dance, by Tom Yee, page 3. Tom Yee explains the historical background, framework, costumes, and makeup of Japanese Buyo dance drama. He also summarizes early twentieth-century observations of Japanese character and values.
• Dance of Japan, by Marie Kurihara, page 5. Marie Kurihara and Tom Yee describe Japanese dance as taught and performed in the United States, especially by women, and the role of male performers like Yee. The article covers the history, dance schools, teaching licensure, and the significance of Japanese dance as cultural heritage.
• Alice Kasai: Man of the Year acceptance address for Henry Kasai, by Alice Kasai, page 5. Alice Kasai accepts the 1966 Phi Delta Kappa Man of the Year award on behalf of her late husband Henry Kasai. She recounts his life, struggles against anti-Japanese land laws in Utah, and contributions to Japanese American civil rights.

Thank you for exploring the Pacific Citizen archive. The title, introduction and contents on this page were written by an AI model from scans of the printed issue, so they may contain mistakes. If you spot one, we would be grateful if you let us know.