Nisei casualties in Korea and the end of the anti-Issei laws

Vol. 35, No. 10, September 6, 1952. 8 pages. View this issue

News of the Korean War opened this eight-page issue. The Department of Defense told the JACL Anti-Discrimination Committee that eight Nisei servicemen had been killed or wounded, two killed and six wounded, and the front page named them with their families in Hawaii and Utah. Richard Akagi wrote on page 2 that the 1952 immigration law removed the core of the anti-Issei statutes, though many state restrictions on work remained. Larry Tajiri looked back on the JACL’s ten years of work since the 1942 forced removal, and Elmer R. Smith examined the roots of prejudice against Japanese in North America.

Also in this issue: Bill Hosokawa’s column on married life, Wilson Makabe’s travels from Paris to Munich, and Betty Pepis’s profile of Isamu Noguchi and Shirley Yamaguchi at their Japanese farmhouse. Jack Uchida found homesteads where the Minidoka relocation center once stood. Sports pages cover Nisei baseball, bowling and football, and chapter news comes from Seabrook, Watsonville, Chicago, Portland and Cincinnati.

What’s in this issue

Military & Veterans

• Nisei GIs Killed, Wounded in Action in Korean War, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Department of Defense notified the JACL Anti-Discrimination Committee that eight Nisei servicemen in Korea were killed or wounded. Those listed include soldiers and Marines from Hawaii and Utah families.
• Nisei Pilot, Nephew Killed in Plane Crash, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A San Diego Nisei aircraft mechanic and his 9-year-old nephew died when their small plane struck a power line and crashed in a Reedley vineyard. The CAA found no mechanical failure.
• Hawaii Nisei Linguists Thank Minnesotans for Hospitality, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The MIS Linguist Associates in Hawaii awarded a $750 scholarship to a Minnesota graduate as thanks for wartime hospitality at Fort Snelling and Camp Savage. The scholarship funds graduate study at the University of Hawaii.
• Issei Killed in Lunge Into Hawaii Volcano, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Tamichi Oki, 60, of Honolulu fell or jumped into the Halemaumau crater of Kilauea volcano on Aug. 30. Witnesses reported he hesitated on the rim before slipping.
• Detroit Student Wins Masaoka Memorial Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Curt S. Sugiyama of Detroit was named the 1952 winner of the Pvt. Ben Frank Masaoka Memorial Scholarship. The award honors a soldier killed with the 442nd combat team.
• 442nd Veterans May Enter Hawaii Race, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Two 442nd veterans, Joe Itagaki and Akira Fukunaga, may run for the Territorial Senate in Hawaii’s party primaries. Several other Nisei legislators are also seeking office.

Community

• Refund Checks Await Six Utah Residents, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Six persons of Japanese ancestry are among about 400 Utah residents whose 1951 federal income tax refunds could not be delivered. Their names and last known addresses were published.
• Seabrook Chapter Assists Voter Registration, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Seabrook JACL helped register eligible voters through a committee and assisted at a Fourth of July carnival. A local resident won a Nash Rambler at the event.
• Masaokas Will Leave Soon on Trips to Hawaii, Japan, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Mike and Etsu Masaoka will tour Hawaii and Japan after conferences on the West Coast. They plan to return to the mainland in early December.
• Nisei Named New Principal of Arkansas School, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Paul Makabe, a native of Loomis, California, was named principal of Lincoln High School in Arkansas. He had previously served as principal at Damascus High and recently earned a master’s degree from the University of Arkansas.
• Nisei Architect Wins Prize in National Small Homes Contest, by P.C. Staff, page 1. San Francisco architect Roy Marubayashi received fourth prize of $250 in a national small house competition. More than 1,000 entries were judged.
• Silversmith Wins Top Prize at California Fair, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Harry A. Osaki of Pasadena won first prize in the flat silver set division at the California State Fair crafts competition. Kay Keiko Sukimachi of Berkeley also placed in the drapery design category.
• Nisei Woman Wins Commission After Navy Reserve Training, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Achie Atsuko Emoto of Long Beach became believed to be the first Japanese American woman in the Naval Reserve line corps to be commissioned as an ensign. She will serve as communications watch officer at Long Beach Naval Station.
• Denverite Ups ADC Donation, by P.C. Staff, page 2. George Fukuma of Denver contributed an additional $100 to the JACL-ADC fund drive after receiving an evacuation claims settlement. Chairman Kanegaye explained the goals of the planned JACL endowment fund.
• Nisei in Tokyo Enlists in Army, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Yoshiaki Noguchi, a 21-year-old Hawaii-born Nisei who lived in Tokyo, enlisted in the U.S. Army. He had been bombed out of his home in 1944 and later worked for the Logistical Command.
• Nisei Family Escapes Injury as Plane Crashes Into House, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A light plane crashed into the Takemori family home in northwest Phoenix on Sept. 1, shearing off part of the porch. The family members escaped injury and the pilot was reported in critical condition.
• Bureau Explains Shonien Drive, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A Los Angeles bureau was organized to explain the Shonien children’s home program to community groups. Speakers outlined the new child care program developed by experts.
• Gardena Club Gives $160 to Shonien, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Gardena Adelphis Club donated $160 to the Shonien building fund for a children’s home. The money was raised through the group’s Summer Carnival dance.
• First Nisei Bus Driver Goes to Work for Denver System, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Don Yokooji became the first Nisei bus driver in Denver after completing his probationary period with the Denver Tramway Co. He described the company’s benefits and cordial treatment and encouraged other Nisei to apply.
• Watsonville Nisei Raise Funds for JACL Building, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Watsonville JACL launched a $3,000 fund drive to repair its building and support the ADC. The building will become a community center and chapter office.
• East Bay Chapter Fetes Issei Group, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The East Bay JACL chapter held a dinner in Oakland honoring Issei who contributed to ADC efforts. Speakers reviewed the JACL ADC’s major projects and victories.
• Chicago Chapter Plans Big Bazaar, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Chicago JACL is preparing a bazaar-carnival for October 18-19 at the Olivet Institute gym. Committees have been formed for concessions, entertainment, and food.
• Ladies Guild Plans September Events, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Ladies Guild of the West Los Angeles Buddhist Church scheduled a paper drive, a joint social meeting, a beach party, and a cancer film discussion for September. Members are invited to all events.
• Hawaii-Born Nisei Author Publishes Second Book in U.S., by P.C. Staff, page 7. Hanama Tasaki, a Hawaii-born Nisei living in Japan, published his second novel, The Mountains Remain. The book follows a postwar Japanese family and their conflicts between old and new Japan.
• Evacuee Returns, Finds Homesteads in Minidoka Area, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Jack Uchida revisited the former Minidoka relocation center and found most barracks moved away and the land being homesteaded. Some structures remain, including the garage and guardhouse.
• California Nisei Wins Honors from Floral Fraternity, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Kee Kitayama of Alvarado, California received the Pi Alpha Xi scholarship plaque at Ohio State University. He now operates a nursery with his brothers.
• Get-together Will Start Fall Term, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Cincinnati JACL will open its fall season with a dinner on Sept. 27 featuring a League of Women Voters speaker on the gubernatorial election. Reservations are required in advance.
• Portland Plans Next Activities, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Portland JACL scheduled a follow-up to its voters rally, fund drives for the ADC and Masaoka fund, and discussed possible Americanization classes. Several members were named to committees.

JACL

• Postpone Testimonial Banquets Until After November Election, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL president George Inagaki announced the Los Angeles banquet honoring congressmen behind immigration and naturalization equality is postponed to early December. The delay lets key legislators attend after the fall elections.

National

• Sparkman Hails Patriotism of Nisei During Evacuation, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. John Sparkman met Nisei Democrats in Los Angeles and praised Nisei cooperation during evacuation. He recalled Mike Masaoka’s testimony before the Tolan Committee in 1942.
• No Racial Bloc Voting in Hawaii, New York Times Writer Learns, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A New York Times report from Hawaii said fears among some Caucasians about Nisei political takeover were met with rebuttals. Experts noted that racial bloc voting is unknown in the islands.
• Report Issei Missing from Pacific Ship, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Tadao Oshima, a 66-year-old Issei from Minneapolis, is presumed to have drowned after disappearing from the President Cleveland. His cabin mate described him as uncommunicative during the voyage.
• Deportation Suspension Bids Not Affected by New Statute, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Washington JACL ADC office said Japanese aliens who already applied for suspension of deportation need not renew under the new Immigration and Nationality Act. Roughly 2,000 aliens have benefited from the earlier amendment.
• Japanese Asking U.S. Visas Must Prove Qualifications, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Washington JACL ADC office reported that all Japanese immigration visa applicants must document health, moral character and other qualifications. Non-quota applicants must also meet basic requirements.
• Open Court Hearing Over Refunds to California Nisei for Escheated Farm Lands, by P.C. Staff, page 8. A Sacramento Superior Court hearing may decide whether Nisei will receive refunds of money paid to the state for escheat settlements under the Alien Land Act. The California Supreme Court had declared the act unconstitutional earlier this year.
• JACL to Take Part in Naturalization Conference, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Rikio Kumagai, Richard Akagi and Miyeko Kosobayashi will take part in the National Conference on Citizenship in Washington, D.C. Eleanor Roosevelt will address the closing luncheon.

Incarceration & Redress

• Jungle of Anti-Issei Statutes Not Wholly Cleared Despite Passage of Omnibus Measure, by Richard Akagi, page 2. Akagi argues that the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 removed the core of anti-Issei laws but many discriminatory occupational restrictions remain in states. He catalogs restrictions in California, Oregon, New York and other states.

In-Depth

• Honolulu Report: Wartime Transfer of Shinto Temple Told at Hearing, by Lawrence Nakatsuka, page 2. Officers of a Honolulu Shinto shrine allege they were intimidated during World War II into transferring shrine property to the city. Supervisors have held hearings and the case may go to the courts.
• A Visit to Bavaria, by Wilson Makabe, page 6. Wilson Makabe describes his travels from Paris through Geneva, Lausanne, Bern and Zurich while driving students across Switzerland. He recounts hospitality and sights before arriving in Munich.

Commentary

• Greetings for Bruyeres, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The people of Bruyeres, France, will hold their annual liberation ceremony at the memorial honoring Nisei of the 442nd who died rescuing the Lost Battalion. Wilson Makabe, an amputee veteran, will represent the JACL at this year’s ceremony.
• The Neighborhood Pattern, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The NAACP will challenge the San Francisco Housing Authority’s neighborhood pattern policy, which allows only whites in a new North Beach project. The editorial condemns the government-funded racial exclusion.
• Japanese in the Americas, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Prof. Elmer R. Smith’s series on Japanese immigration to the Americas will conclude next week. The paper acknowledges the series as a valuable contribution to Japanese American history.
• A Decade of Decision, by Larry Tajiri, page 4. Tajiri reviews the JACL’s ten years of work since the 1942 evacuation, crediting it with securing naturalization rights and indemnification. He argues remaining housing and economic discrimination must still be addressed.
• Roots of Prejudice, by Elmer R. Smith, page 5. Smith examines cultural and economic roots of prejudice against Japanese in North America, including cultural difference, manifest destiny ideology, and scapegoating. He notes the Japanese maintained their cultural identity, which deepened conflict.
• From the Frying Pan, by Bill Hosokawa, page 6. Hosokawa reflects humorously on his marriage to Alice, describing their negotiated household arrangements and her enthusiasms. He notes the couple never celebrated anniversaries but enjoy a partnership.

Arts & Entertainment

• Artist at Home, by Betty Pepis, page 5. Betty Pepis profiles sculptor Isamu Noguchi and his wife, film star Shirley Yamaguchi, at their Japanese farmhouse studio in Kitakamura. The article describes the house’s traditional architecture and Noguchi’s modern studio design.

Sports

• Nisei Turn Out for Hawaii’s Rainbows, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The University of Hawaii football team will again include several Nisei players, including returning players and first-year men. Nisei prep and college athletes across the islands and mainland are also noted.
• Oshita Wins Salt Lake Bowling Classic, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Al Oshita won the Labor Day Singles Classic at Pal-D-Mar in Salt Lake City. Other Nisei bowlers also placed in the money and team leagues began play.
• Zenimura Hits Well for U.S. Team, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Harvey Zenimura went two for two as the Pacific Coast College All-Stars defeated Japan’s All-Stars. Several Nisei players in Hawaii and Japan professional baseball were also reported.
• Utah Squad Wins Denver Ball Tourney, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Ogden, Utah, JAAU team won the Labor Day Nisei baseball tournament in Denver for the fourth straight year. Utaka Harada pitched the full game for the 3-2 win.
• Catcher Hurt as Two Nisei Bump Heads at Home Plate, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Nisei catcher Jyun Hirota of the Yomiuri Giants was injured when he collided with Nisei outfielder Kojima of the Hanshin Tigers at home plate. The Giants won 5-4 in eleven innings.

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.