Nisei Olympians at Helsinki and a new path to citizenship for Issei

Vol. 35, No. 5, August 2, 1952. 8 pages. View this issue

Nisei athletes at the Helsinki Olympics filled the sports pages. Tommy Kono took the lightweight weightlifting title with a new Olympic total, Yoshinobu Oyakawa won the 100-meter backstroke in record time, and Ford Konno swam in the 400-meter freestyle and anchored the U.S. relay. The front page also carried news of a fishing boat explosion off the Southern California coast that left two Nisei, Jack Fukunaga and Leonard Yoshino, missing. Elsewhere, JACL chapters prepared citizenship classes for Issei who become eligible for naturalization under the Walter-McCarran Act on December 24.

Other pages carried several stories of Nisei and Japanese nationals winning back U.S. citizenship, including one from the Tule Lake camp. Robert H. Hansen explained the McCarran Act, Larry Tajiri wrote about Nisei fiction, and Bill Hosokawa remembered a Denver restaurant that served evacuees. Page 8 reported on plans to rebuild the 442nd Regimental Combat Team in Hawaii.

What’s in this issue

Community

• Two Nisei Among Nine Lost When Fishing Boat Explodes Off Southern California Coast, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Two Nisei, Jack Fukunaga and Leonard Yoshino, are missing and presumed drowned after an explosion aboard the charter fishing boat Spare Time on July 27. Survivors described heroic efforts by crew and passengers before rescuers recovered three men from the sea.
• Salt Lake Chapter Thanks Supporters of ADC Program, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Salt Lake JACL chapter will send letters of appreciation to residents who assisted its JACL-ADC program. A list of community leaders and organizations to be thanked is provided.
• Tomi Kanazawa Will Sing in Latin America, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Soprano Tomi Kanazawa, a National JACL Distinguished Achievement Award winner, will perform Beethoven’s Ninth and Haydn’s Creation in San Salvador in August. She recently sang Madame Butterfly at the Cincinnati Zoo Opera.
• Fowler Nisei Aid Observation Corps at City Hall, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Local Nisei in Fowler, California are participating in the ground forces observation corps at Fowler City Hall. A roster of participants is listed.
• Pharmacist Wins Listing in Paper’s Gallery of Fame, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Denver Post’s Gallery of Fame recognized Yoshiye Yamaga as the outstanding woman graduate of the University of Colorado school of pharmacy. She received the American Pharmaceutical Auxiliary award for the top woman graduate.
• Hanging of Rustler Proves Almost Too Realistic for Youth, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Ten-year-old Bob Akagi of Draper, Utah was nearly strangled during a cowboy game when playmates hanged him from a tree. A neighbor found him and applied artificial respiration.
• Sacramento Postpones Civic Reception for Nisei Weightlifter, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Sacramento organizers said Army orders sending Tommy Kono to Germany will not cancel plans for a citywide reception. The celebration will be held upon his return.
• Chicago Chapter Plans Picnic at Munster Park, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Chicago JACL invites the public to an all-day outing on August 24 at Munster Park, Indiana. The event includes games, a golf course, pools, and a weenie-bake supper.
• Chicago Council Announces Outing, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Chicago City Wide Recreation Council sponsors a youth outing August 16-17 at Forest Beach Camp in Michigan. Activities include swimming, sand skiing, volleyball, golf and horseback riding.
• Family Files Suit in Father’s Death, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The widow and children of Toshio Ichikawa of Sunnyvale filed a $100,000 damages suit after he was struck by a defendant’s auto. The incident occurred February 13.
• Child Runs Under Wheels of Truck, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Allen Kunishige, age one, fell under the wheels of a ranch truck in Fresno County driven by his father and died instantly. The coroner ruled the death accidental.
• Honolulu Newsletter: Hawaii’s Worst Mass Murder Shocks Territory’s People, by Lawrence Nakatsuka, page 3. A farm hand killed five members of the Sumida family in Honolulu, leaving only 11-year-old Anthony Sumida alive. Donations for his education fund quickly passed $1,000 toward a $10,000 goal.
• Fowler Chapter Plans Bulletin, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Fowler JACL will begin publishing a monthly bulletin edited by Thomas Toyama to keep members informed. Sectional reporters and staff are named.
• George Saiki Wins Annual Golf Meet of Twin Cities UCL, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The United Citizens League held its annual golf tournament in Minneapolis, with George Saiki winning the top flight. Winners in the A and B flights are also listed.
• Chicago Picnic Attracts 4,000, by P.C. Staff, page 6. More than 4,000 attended the Chicago Resettlers Committee community picnic at Ryerson Woods on July 27. The event featured dances, games, and a tug-of-war.
• Nisei Lab Assistant Moves 1500 Mice to New Institute, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Norio Mitsuoka, a senior laboratory assistant at City of Hope, directed the move of about 1500 mice to the new cancer research institute. He works as an assistant to Dr. Ryojun Kinoshita.
• Two New Entrants in Contest for Festival Queen, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The field of contestants for Nisei Week Festival queen in Los Angeles expanded to thirteen with two new entries. The article names Yoko Ollie Tokuda and Ilene Miwa.
• St. Louis Chapter Has Annual Picnic, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The St. Louis JACL held its community picnic on July 20 at Eden Seminary with about 125 attending. Guests included war brides and students from Hawaii.
• Church Sponsors Oriental Carnival, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Japanese Church of Christ in Salt Lake City held its fourth annual Oriental Festival featuring food, music, and a musical production. Proceeds were raised to acquaint the public with Oriental culture.
• Denver Area Residents Give to JACL Fund, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Denver-area evacuee claimants contributed $534.82 to the JACL million dollar endowment fund as thanks for expedited loss payments. Colorado contributors are listed.
• Fete Citizenship Bill, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Members of the Marysville JACL and Issei Kai celebrated the passage of legislation opening naturalization to resident aliens of Japanese ancestry. The dinner was held at the Marysville Japanese Community Hall.
• Denverites Pass CPA Examination, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Roy T. Terada and Sam Kumagai of Denver passed Colorado CPA examinations and are believed to be the only Nisei CPAs in the state. Their career backgrounds are described.
• Nisei Businesses Will Be Affected by Redevelopment, by P.C. Staff, page 8. More than twenty Nisei commercial enterprises on Post Street in San Francisco will have to relocate when urban redevelopment begins. The Redevelopment Agency may start purchasing buildings next year.

JACL

• Chapter Asks Continuation of JACL Reporter, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The San Francisco JACL asked that the JACL Reporter, scheduled to be abandoned October 1, be continued. The chapter argued it is the only publication reaching every member and that membership fees partly funded subscriptions.

National

• JACL Groups Will Sponsor Classes to Prepare Issei for American Citizenship, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The JACL will sponsor citizenship classes for Issei who become eligible for naturalization under the Walter-McCarran Act on December 24. An estimated 83,000 persons of Japanese ancestry in Hawaii and the mainland will gain eligibility.
• Nearly 15 Percent of Bills Passed by Congress Aided Persons of Japanese Ancestry, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Of 1023 private bills passed by the 82nd Congress, nearly 15 percent benefited persons of Japanese ancestry according to the JACL ADC Washington office. The Walter-McCarran Act was the most significant measure, and its veto was overridden.

Incarceration & Redress

• Tule Renunciant Wins Restoration of Citizenship, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Chisa Ueno, who renounced citizenship at the Tule Lake camp, had it restored after the State Department found her renunciation was made under duress. She will return to the United States on an American passport.
• Two Nisei Strandees Win Restoration of Citizenship, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Judge William M. Byrne ordered U.S. citizenship restored to Teruo Naito and Minoru Furuno, who worked for Japanese government entities during the war. The court held there was no proof they voluntarily expatriated themselves.
• Two Strandees File Suit in Court for U.S. Rights, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Umeyo Kuwamoto and Sadako Matsuoka filed suit in Los Angeles federal court seeking return of citizenship lost through voting in Occupation-sponsored Japanese elections. They argue the votes were made under duress and were not voluntary.

Military & Veterans

• Tommy Kono Breaks Olympic Record to Take First Place in Weightlifting Competition, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Sacramento Nisei Tommy Kono, a U.S. Army soldier, won the lightweight weightlifting title at Helsinki with a new Olympic total. He was ordered to report for service in Germany afterward.
• Japanese Canadians Join Canuck Army Stationed in Japan, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Eleven Japanese Canadians who expatriated to Japan in 1946 enlisted in the Canadian Army stationed in Japan. They serve on the same basis and pay as other Canadian soldiers.
• Nisei Cited for Work with Air Force, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Mary M. Ideta, a Seattle-born civilian employee of the U.S. Air Force in Japan, was recommended for an award for exceptionally meritorious conduct as an intelligence analyst.
• War Hero Returns from Korea War, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Sgt. Frank Matsushima of the 180th Regiment, 45th Division, is returning home as the most decorated GI in his division. He led numerous night patrols and fought off an enemy ambush before rotating home.
• Army Moves to Bring Famed ‘Go for Broke’ Regiment to Full Strength in Hawaii, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Army plans to rebuild the 442nd Regimental Combat Team reserve unit in Hawaii to around 4,000 troops by drawing on draftees and ROTC officers. Officials stressed no active-duty recall is planned.

Sports

• Kono Learned Weightlifting Art at Relocation Center, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Tommy Kono began weightlifting at the Tule Lake relocation center, where camp residents bought weight equipment. He went on to win Northern California and national titles before his Olympic victory.
• Konno’s Record in 800 Meters Wins Recognition, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The International Swimming Federation officially recognized Ford Konno’s 800-meter freestyle time of 9:30.3 as a world standard. The mark was set July 7, 1951.
• Aoki Pilots Winning Entry in Denver Race, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Hutch Aoki, a GI from Salt Lake City, won the big inboard special event at the Denver regatta on Sloan’s Lake, driving his brother’s boat Miss Salt Lake. He also won the 135-class race.
• Yoshi Oyakawa Wins Finals of 100-Meter Backstroke in Record Olympic Time, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Yoshinobu Oyakawa won the 100-meter backstroke at Helsinki in 1:05.4, a new Olympic record. He became the first Nisei to win an Olympic swimming championship.
• Konno Beats Furuhashi Twice in 400 Meters at Helsinki, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Ford Konno, racing Japan’s Hironoshin Furuhashi in the 400-meter freestyle, finished second behind Frenchman Jean Boiteux in a new Olympic record. Konno also anchored the U.S. 800-meter relay team to victory over Japan.
• Jim Tsukamoto Fires Them for the Navy, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The column profiles Nisei pitchers Jim Tsukamoto and Jiro Nakamura and reports on their careers. Tsukamoto is serving in Korea aboard a Navy ship, and Nakamura pitched a shutout for San Jose.
• Umeda Faces Rematch with Keeny Teran, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Tommy Umeda’s status as California bantamweight champion depends on the extent of an injury suffered against Edel Ojeda, and a rematch with Keeny Teran is set for August 19. Philip Kim also won a knockout victory in California.
• Kitamura Becomes 9th Nisei in Japanese Pro Ball Leagues, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Dick Kitamura of Honolulu arrived in Tokyo to play for the Mainichi Orions, becoming the ninth Hawaiian to join Japanese pro teams. Other Nisei players such as Wally Yonamine are performing well in Japan.
• Name Zenimura on All-Star Team at Semi-Pro Meet, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Outfielder Howie Zenimura of the Atwater Packers was named to the non-professional all-star team at the California state semi-pro baseball tournament. Atwater lost in the finals to a GI team.
• Nakamura Pitches Zebras to Tourney Title, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Southpaw Jiro Nakamura pitched a two-hit shutout to give the San Jose Zebras the Utah JAAU baseball championship in Ogden. Mas Okuhara was named outstanding hitter for Lodi.
• Placer Nisei Defeat Colfax in League Tilt, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Placer JACL team defeated the Colfax Fireballs 10 to 6 in a night game at Auburn, stealing five bases and drawing walks. The win tied them for fourth in the league standings.

Arts & Entertainment

• Nisei Actresses Play Major Roles in New York Stage Play, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Eileen Nakamura and Mihoko Okamura made New York stage debuts in Ted Pollack’s interracial drama Wedding in Japan at the Yugoslav Hall. Their performances were praised for poise beyond their years.
• The Nisei and the Novel, by Larry Tajiri, page 4. Tajiri surveys Nisei fiction and notes that few Nisei writers have achieved national stature. He reviews Hanama Tasaki’s novels and other works that portray Nisei life.

Commentary

• Nisei and the Foreign Service, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial welcomes the State Department’s promise to consider appointing more non-Caucasians to Asian posts. It argues America’s diverse delegations, including Nisei Olympians, strengthen its image abroad.
• Prospects for Statehood, by P.C. Staff, page 4. With both major parties endorsing Hawaiian statehood, the editorial sees new hope for admission. It notes that restored naturalization for Issei removes a major argument against statehood.
• Open Door for Asians: McCarran Act Is New Bible of U.S. Immigration Service, by Robert H. Hansen, page 5. The McCarran Act ended racial bars to naturalization and brought Asians under the quota system. The article traces the history of exclusion laws leading to this reform.
• The End of an Evacuee Era, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Hosokawa reflects on the closing of the Club Seven Seas in Denver, formerly the Manchu Grill, which served evacuees as a restaurant and gathering place. He describes its changing identity over the years.

In-Depth

• Migrants to the West, by Elmer R. Smith, page 5. Smith examines the migration of Japanese to Hawaii, the mainland and Canada between 1885 and 1907. He explains settlement patterns along the Pacific Coast and the factors driving them.

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