Vol. 64, No. 19, May 12, 1967. 6 pages. View this issue
The Pacific Southwest District Council convention in Los Angeles, held May 5-7, was the main story of this six-page issue. Frances Kitagawa reported that about 300 delegates came and that it was widely praised as the best in years. National President Jerry Enomoto’s address to the convention is printed in full, and Ron Shiozaki wrote his own impressions of the weekend. Also on the front page, Norman Ishimoto reported that Maryland Gov. Spiro T. Agnew named Goro George Asaki to the Anne Arundel County Board of Education.
Elsewhere, Masaru Funai testified for the Chicago JACL on the Partee Fair Housing Bill, the Sonoma County chapter won Chapter of the Year, and Mike Masaoka was elected president of the Japan-America Society of Washington. Columns come from Masaoka, Elmer Ogawa, Bill Hosokawa and Yoshio Hotta, who introduces his new column. John Y. Yoshino’s tribute to his mother, an Issei picture bride, is on page 6.
What’s in this issue
Community
- Maryland Governor Names Nisei to County Board of Education, by Norman Ishimoto, page 1. Goro George Asaki, a Westinghouse engineer and Washington JACL member, was appointed to the Anne Arundel County Board of Education by Maryland Gov. Spiro T. Agnew, becoming the first Nisei named to an important post in the state. Gov. Agnew cited Asaki’s sound educational background and keen interest in county schools.
- Portlanders Aid in ‘Japan Week’, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A Salute to Japan week sponsored by the World Affairs Council of Oregon, the Japan Society of Oregon and the Portland Chamber of Commerce ran April 29 through May 6 with direct assistance from local JACLers. Programs included traditional dance, music, martial arts demonstrations, and exhibits of Japanese art and goods.
Military & Veterans
- Venice-Culver Worried PSW Confab to Success, by Frances Kitagawa, page 1. The Venice-Culver JACL hosted the Pacific Southwest District Council convention May 5-7 in Los Angeles, which drew some 300 delegates and was widely praised as the best in years. Highlights included the youth presence, an art show, speaker Victor Carter, and National President Jerry Enomoto’s address.
- Mike Masaoka Elected President of Japan-America Society of Washington, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Mike Masaoka, Washington representative of the JACL, was elected president of the Japan-America Society of Washington, D.C., becoming the first Japanese American to head such a society in the United States. Other officers and trustees were also named.
Incarceration & Redress
- JACL Only Ethnic Group Called in Ill. Housing Study, by Chicago JACLer, page 2. Masaru Funai testified for the Chicago JACL before the Illinois Senate committee in support of the Partee Fair Housing Bill, citing the Japanese American wartime evacuation as a warning about discrimination. The JACL was the only ethnic group invited to testify on the bill.
JACL
- Sonoma County Wins NC-WNDC Chapter of Year, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Sonoma County JACL chapter, winner of the Northern California-Western Nevada-Pacific District Chapter of the Year award, hosted the district’s quarterly meeting in Santa Rosa on May 7. Delegates heard remarks on community involvement and approved support for the California Committee on Fair Practices.
- Enomoto Address to PSWDC Convention: Pride in the JACL, by Jerry Enomoto, page 4. National President Jerry Enomoto addressed the PSWDC convention, urging members to take pride in the JACL and its history. He discussed youth programs, membership growth, civil rights and housing efforts, and tribute to Mike Masaoka.
Commentary
- It Can Happen, by Mike Masaoka, page 2. Masaoka examines the election of leftist Dr. Ryokichi Minobe as Governor of Tokyo and a Communist mayor in Shiojiri, warning these results could affect U.S.-Japan relations and the 1970 Mutual Security Treaty renewal. He urges Japanese Americans and JACL to consider the long-range implications.
- Springtime in Seattle, by Elmer Ogawa, page 2. Ogawa describes Seattle’s attractions, from the University of Washington stadium and the Space Needle to its floating bridges and underground tour. He contrasts the city’s growth with its enduring charm as a tourist destination.
- From the Frying Pan, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Hosokawa recounts a Chicago gathering with Capt. Allan Bosworth, author of America’s Concentration Camps, and reflects on travels to Louisville and New York. He also describes a visit to Reader’s Digest where Roy Otake works in Tokyo.
- Introduction, by Yoshio Hotta, page 4. Hotta, assistant national JACL director, introduces his new column and reflects on the JACL’s history, the value of pride in one’s heritage, and the organization’s ongoing work. He notes the youth programs and the organization’s contributions over decades.
- Our Queen for All Seasons, by John Y. Yoshino, page 6. Yoshino honors his mother, an Issei picture bride who raised ten Nisei children and remains active in her community at an advanced age. He describes her garden, her love of learning, and her sons’ service in the U.S. Army during World War II.
- Ugly Americans?, by Jim Henry, page 6. Henry summarizes a Japanese weekly’s critique of American attitudes toward Asia, including the Vietnam war, prejudice against Asians, and lack of understanding of foreign news. The article presents nine reasons the magazine gives for declining world confidence in the United States.
- Immigration Law: More Changes Needed, by Chicago JACLer, page 6. The writer reviews the 1965 Immigration Law amendment, praising its quota-pooling and family reunification provisions while criticizing the labor certification requirement. The changes are said to hurt immigrants without scarce skills, and remedial legislation is needed.
- PSW Impressions, by Ron Shiozaki, page 6. Shiozaki recaps the PSWDC convention, highlighting the 1000 Club Whing-Ding, the district council meeting, and the awards banquet. He also notes planned projects including a Long Beach Symphony concert and a Japan Days event.
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