Vol. 61, No. 24, December 10, 1965. 6 pages. View this issue
The new 1965 immigration law ran through this issue. Mike Masaoka explained its preference categories for relatives of US citizens and permanent residents, and a news story reported that the first ten Japanese immigrants had received visas now that quota restrictions were gone. On the front page, Japanese Ambassador Takeuchi told the Mountain-Plains District Council convention in Omaha that he commended the dignified wartime conduct of Nisei. Bill Hosokawa answered a Japanese journalist on Red China and Japan’s safety.
Other pieces looked at JACL itself. An editorial argued that district council bylaws should cover all 50 states, Ken Kondo reported on the new Fifth District Youth Council in the Pacific Northwest, and Kay Horita asked what kind of members JACL would have in 1980. The History Project traced Idaho’s Issei, from railroad work to sugar beet farming. Nisei Week named Jim Higashi chairman for 1966.
What’s in this issue
Community
- Mountain-Plains District Council Officers Installed; Ambassador Takeuchi Commends Nisei, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Mountain-Plains District Council convention in Omaha heard Japanese Ambassador Takeuchi praise the dignified wartime conduct of Nisei. The Ambassador also described Father Sasaki’s Boys Town in Kobe and paid tribute to JACL’s activities.
- Maryknoll Bishop Marks 50th Year as Priest While in Prison, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Bishop Walsh observed his 50th anniversary as a priest while serving a sentence after being convicted in March 1962 of charges related to the case. The story notes JACL’s earlier involvement in efforts to help persons affected by the situation.
- Nisei Week Sets 1966 Dates and Picks Chairman, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Nisei Week planners announced dates for the 1966 festival and selected Jim Higashi as chairman. The brief outlines the event’s upcoming schedule.
- Complete Acceptance? Not Yet, by Elmer Ogawa, page 3. Ogawa reports on a Tacoma panel discussion at the PNWDC convention, noting the city’s growth and the ongoing question of whether Japanese Americans have achieved full acceptance. He describes the community’s progress since the war.
- Fifth District Youth Council Formed in PNW, by Ken Kondo, page 4. Youth delegates from the Pacific Northwest formed the Fifth District Youth Council at a Tacoma meeting. The new council elected temporary officers and drafted a constitution.
- 10 Visas Granted Japanese Immigrants to U.S. as Quota Restrictions Removed, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The first ten Japanese immigrants received visas under the new immigration law removing quota restrictions. The article focuses on citizens’ spouses, parents and children who may now immigrate.
Commentary
- District Council Jurisdictions, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The editorial argues that JACL’s district council bylaws should be updated to cover all 50 states, since Japanese Americans now live nationwide. It proposes specific boundary revisions and new districts, including Alaska and Hawaii.
- Point of View: Red China and the Question of Japan’s Safety, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Hosokawa responds to a Japanese journalist who called the United States a nervous Nelly about Red China. He argues that Japan’s security depends on American strength and that the Communist powers’ record shows the threat is real.
- Final Report of the American Assembly, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The editorial praises the Final Report of the 25th American Assembly on US-Japan relations as restrained and important. It highlights the report’s call for improved communication and greater American and Japanese language study.
- JACL—1980, by Kay Horita, page 6. Horita reflects on a USDA booklet about America in 1980 and asks what kind of JACL members will build and inherit the future. He urges the Pacific Citizen to publish more on Japanese heritage and on Nikkei who serve their communities.
National
- Washington Newsletter: 1965 Immigration Laws, by Mike Masaoka, page 2. Mike Masaoka explains the new 1965 immigration law, including preference categories for relatives of US citizens and permanent residents. He notes the law takes effect December 1, 1965, opening new paths for Japanese immigrants.
In-Depth
- History Project: Idaho’s Issei, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The article traces the early Japanese presence in Idaho, beginning with railroad laborers in the first decade of the century. It describes how sugar beet farming drew Issei workers and how many later began leasing and buying their own land.
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