JACL Congratulates Kiran Ahuja

November 16, 2009

Washington, D.C. – The Japanese American Citizens League, the largest and oldest civil and human rights organization in the nation, applauds Kiran Ahuja on her appointment by President Barack Obama as Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

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JACL Condemns Racist Comments of Fox News Guest

November 13, 2009

Bill Yoshino, Midwest Regional Director of the Japanese American Citizens League, has sent a letter to Roger Ailes, CEO of Fox News Channel, condemning the disgraceful behavior of one of the network’s guests, Bo Dietl.  As a guest on Don Ismus’ radio show, Bo made disparaging, racist comments against Asian Americans as part of a rant on Katie Couric’s appearance.  In the letter, Yoshino writes, “By continually inviting Dietl as a guest, Fox News gives credence to his childish behavior and the racist, hateful views he demonstrates."

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JACL Meets with Paramount Pictures Executives

November 12, 2009

Los Angeles, CA  – The Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), the nation’s oldest and largest Asian American civil and human rights organization, was represented at a meeting with Paramount Pictures by Floyd Mori, National Executive Director, and Craig Ishii, Regional Director of the Pacific Southwest District.  Paramount Pictures President and CEO, Adam Goodman had invited Mori to meet to discuss problems of racial stereotyping and racial casting by Paramount.  Bill Imada, CEO of the IW Group (formerly Imada Wong Communications Group), and Guy Aoki, co-founder of MAANA (Media Action Network for Asian Americans), also attended the meeting that included Paramount executives, Sharon Keyser and Katie Martinelli.  The meeting was a result of a letter Mori wrote to Goodman condemning the negative stereotype portrayed in the Paramount movie, The Goods:  Live Hard, Sell Hard.

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JACL Expresses Condolences and Sadness on Fort Hood Incident

November 6, 2009

Washington, D.C. --  The Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), the oldest and largest Asian American civil and human rights organization in the United States, joins the nation in expressing sincere condolences to the families and colleagues of those slain and injured yesterday at Ft. Hood, Texas.  The JACL community is saddened that brave and patriotic soldiers were sacrificed in such a defenseless manner.  The JACL strongly condemns this senseless taking of innocent lives regardless of the motivation. 

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Japanese Americans Gather at Ambassador's Residence

November 5, 2009

Washington, D.C. -- The Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), the oldest and largest Asian American civil and human rights organization in the nation, was well represented at a recent Japanese American focused event held at the residence of the Ambassador of Japan in Washington, D.C.  Although the Honorable Ichiro Fujisaki, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the United States of America, was called away to Japan in preparation for President Barack Obama’s upcoming visit to Japan, guests were greeted by the Ambassador’s wife, Mrs. Yoriko Fujisaki. 

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JACL Announces Success in Camp Preservation Funding

November 3, 2009

Washington, D.C. -- The Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) is proud to announce that the fiscal 2010 Department of Interior appropriations bill included funding for several World War II Concentration Camp preservation projects. Preservation of these historic camps in which Japanese Americans were incarcerated without due process has been a top priority of the JACL. The JACL Washington D.C. Office has worked closely with Senators Inouye and Feinstein as well as Congressman Honda in assuring the inclusion of camp preservation elements in the 2010 Fiscal Budget. President Obama signed the bill into law on October 30, 2009.

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JACL Victory on Hate Crimes Bill

October 22, 2009

Washington, D.C. - Late this afternoon, the Senate approved the FY 2010 Department of Defense Authorization Conference Report, which contains the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, by a vote of 68-28. The Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) has vigorously fought for this victory for over ten years and commends the leadership of both chambers of Congress on this momentous triumph.

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JACL NY/SC Calls for Halt of Power Line through Minidoka

October 14, 2009

Washington, D.C. - The National Youth/Student Council of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL NY/SC), the youth arm of the oldest and largest Asian Pacific American civil and human rights organization in the United States, calls upon Secretary Ken Salazar of the United States Department of Interior and members of Congress to revise plans for a power line which would run through the Minidoka National Historic Site in Idaho.

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White House Initiative on AAPI's Reestablished

October 14, 2009

Washington, D.C - President Barack Obama, at a special White House Ceremony, signed an Executive Order to reestablish the President’s Advisory Commission and White House Initiative on Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI).  This was first established by President Bill Clinton ten years ago.  The Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), the nation’s oldest and largest Asian American civil and human rights organization, joined with other groups from within the AAPI community in praising this action.
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JACL Praises CSU's Decision to Grant Honorary Degrees

September 25, 2009

San Francisco -- The Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) praised the California State University Board of Trustees for its decision to grant honorary bachelor’s degrees to Japanese Americans who were enrolled at CSU campuses, but forced to leave school due to Executive Order 9066.

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JACL Announces New Inouye Fellow

October 2, 2009

Washinton, D.C. -- The Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), announces Jean Shiraki as the new JACL Daniel K. Inouye Fellow, named after the esteemed Hawaii Senator. She begins her fellowship, funded by Eli Lilly, at the JACL office in Washington, D.C in September. The position focuses mainly on health care, and she will work with other Asian American organizations to raise more health awareness and work towards closing the disparities.

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National JACL Holds Successful Gala

September 18, 2009

Washington, D.C. - The third annual Gala Awards Dinner of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) was held at the J.W. Marriott Hotel in Washington, D.C.  The JACL paid special tribute to Japanese American veterans who served in the armed forces during World War II and the Korean War. The organizations recognized were:  The Japanese American Veterans Association (JAVA) which was started by World War II veterans, The Japanese American Korean War Veterans (JAKWR) which honors veterans of the Korean War, The Go for Broke National Education Center which keeps alive the history of the Japanese Americans, and The National Japanese American Historical Society (NJAHS) which is heavily involved with honoring the Military Intelligence Service (MIS) with a proposed center at the Presidio in San Francisco.

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