VOL 35 NO 18 | APRIL 30 – MAY 6, 2016

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VOL 35 NO 18

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34 YEARS YOUR VOICE

Photos provided by Clipper Race

Amazing amateurs sail around the world in yacht race

Seattle woman missing in Mexico

Jenny Chen

By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Yuko Kikuchi smiling as she sailed home to Seattle April 15.

By Jason Cruz NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Earlier this month, Seattle served as one of the stops in a race around the world.

No, it wasn’t a reality television show,

Japan’s Mitsubishi Motors finds falsified fuel mileage tests

Yuko Kikuchi reunited with her husband.

though the voyage was truly amazing.

In the sixth leg of this eight-leg voyage around the globe, crews left the sailing city of Qingdao, China on March 20. The crews crossed the Pacific Ocean and began docking into Seattle April 15.

Twelve 70-foot ocean racing yachts participated in the Clipper 2015–16 “Round World Yacht Race.” The event is one-of-a-kind for amateur sailors. The race visits 14 ports. see YACHT RACE on 16

Former newsman, military man, and lawyer vie for #2 job in WA

Jenny Chen, 26, is missing after leaving the city of Oaxaca, Mexico for Cancún, where she was supposed to meet up with her husband, Jonathan Reinhard of Seattle.

Reinhard said on the “Help Find Jenny” GoFundMe page, “Jenny is a curious, passionate woman who loves to experience new things. I had planned to meet with her on April 15th in Cancun for a nice five-day vacation. She was located in Oaxaca and planned to travel across Mexico to meet me in Cancun — this was April 11th, and the last time any of her friends and family talked to her.”

Reinhard fears his wife has been sold into human trafficking. “Please help me find my wife,” he said. “My heart is see CHEN on 13

Brad Owen

By Yuri Kageyama AP BUSINESS WRITER TOKYO (AP) — Mitsubishi Motors Corp., the Japanese automaker tarnished by a massive recall cover-up 15 years ago, owned up to another scandal April 20, saying employees had intentionally falsified fuel mileage data for several vehicle models.

The inaccurate tests by the Tokyo-based automaker involved 157,000 of its own-brand eK Wagon and eK Space light passenger cars, and 468,000 Dayz and Dayz Roox vehicles produced for Nissan Motor Co. The models are all so-called “minicars” with tiny engines whose main attraction is generally

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see MITSUBISHI on 12

Phillip Yin

By Ruth Bayang NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Brad Owen is stepping down as our state’s lieutenant governor, and six candidates are competing to fill Owen’s seat. Three of the candidates have ties to the Asian Pacific Islander (API) community.

Phillip Yin, a Republican, believes he is the best qualified candidate, “because I have been a successful global journalist and portfolio manager. I will bring great jobs and business to Washington.”

Phillip Yin

Yin, 41, the son of immigrants from Hong Kong, was born in Mesa, Ariz., but moved to Yakima a few months later. He received his International MBA from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., an undergraduate business degree from the University of Washington, and a summer program at the Harvard Business School.

“I think what makes Washington great is they don’t subscribe to parties or labels, but subscribe to what’s right,” said Yin when asked why he

Steve Hobbs

Cyrus Habib

thinks he can win in a traditionally blue state.

“I want to create new jobs by having investors domestic and internationally create jobs in our state. We don’t have a state income tax, and we must keep it that way. We don’t want to risk losing businesses that can grow our … tax base. The Democrats have been in power in this state for a long time and I strongly believe our state is ready for new leadership.”

Yin launched CCTV America in Washington, D.C. and also worked for Bloomberg and CNBC. He said his reporting experience would allow him to build ties with leaders in Chinese business and government.

In 2011, Yin challenged sitting senator Maria Cantwell in the 2012 United States Senate election. He dropped out of the race due to fundraising concerns. At a recent fundraiser at the House of Hong in Seattle’s International District, Yin raised $20,000 for his lieutenant governor campaign.

At the time of this report’s printing, the Yin campaign had raised at minimum $120,000. see CANDIDATES on 15

IS IT REALLY VEGAN? Patrons go dumpster diving to find out the truth about a Seattle restaurant. » see 3

SUSHI ALERT Your love of sushi causing overfishing of bluefin tuna. » see 5

‘GHOST IN THE SHELL’ WHITEWASHED? ScarJo casting causes outcry from APIs. » see 9

COMMUNITY » 2 CALENDAR » 6 SUDOKU » 6 ASTROLOGY » 15

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2

34 YEARS

APRIL 30 – MAY 6, 2016

■ NAMES IN THE NEWS

Photo by Wen Liu

China Club’s 100th anniversary

Prize in fiction for his debut novel, “The Sympathizer.”

The award, announced April 18, recognizes distinguished fiction published in book form by an American author.

“The Sympathizer,” which follows a wickedly smart double-agent for South Vietnam, begins at the end of the Vietnam War, moves to Southern California, and eventually winds up on a film set.

Nguyen, who lives in Los Angeles, was born in Viet- “The Sympathizer” nam. His family came to the United States as refugees in 1975.

The University of Southern California professor expressed surprise and disbelief at the award. “I double checked with real people in my publisher’s office…” Nguyen shared on Facebook, “and they say that “The Sympathizer” really did win the Pulitzer Prize. Unless this is some cosmic virtual reality trick, I’m stunned.” 

Kay Hirai

China Club of Seattle celebrated its centennial on April 22 with a dinner featuring special guest speaker Gary Locke. Bart Fite, the Club president, presented Locke with a backpack, remaking the image of Locke carrying a backpack on his way to Beijing, a symbol of his down-toearth style.

Founded in 1916, the Club was a leader in opposing the Chinese Exclusion Act leading to its eventual repeal and reforming immigration laws. Today, the Club provides scholarships and financial aid to Chinese students coming to Seattle. 

FBI director honors Alan Lai

Peony & Bamboo Festival at Chinese Garden Photo provided by FBI Seattle Division

From left: Bart Fite, Gary Locke

The book tells of a post-World War II Japan, including first-hand experiences of what took “Keiko’s Journey” place during the war and how some rebuilt their lives in America. 

Tim Otani honored

Photo by Assunta Ng/NWAW

From left: FBI Director James B. Comey, Alan Lai

From left: Bob Santos, Tim Otani

Photo by Assunta Ng/NWAW

Tim Otani was honored at the 2016 InterIm CDA Gala on April 23 with the annual Bob Santos Leadership in Sustainability award.

From left: Tay Quach,volunteer, Pradeepta Upadhyay, Executive Director, and Mai Hoang, client.

InterIm CDA said, “Through Tim Otani’s leadership and influence with two financial institutions, the community served by InterIm CDA benefited greatly over the years, as have other communities of color. We thank him for his generosity, leadership, and support of our work.”

“Uncle” Bob Santos, the “unofficial mayor” of the International District, presented Otani with the award.

Tay Quach also received recognition and a gift certificate for her volunteer work with the InterIm CDA. 

FBI Director James B. Comey presented Alan Lai with the 2015 Director’s Community Leadership Award (DCLA) in a ceremony at FBI Headquarters on April 15.

Lai was honored for serving the Seattle-area community for more than 30 years. He was the first certified court interpreter in Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese in Washington state. Today, he is nationally known for his outstanding victim advocacy work, particularly on human trafficking cases targeting minority communities.

Lai is also an active member of the Public Safety Group of the Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority (SCIDpda) for 16 years.

He serves on the Seattle Police Department Advisory Council and the Bellevue Police Department Diversity Group, and has provided cultural training to officers of the Kent Police Department. 

Vietnamese American writer wins Pulitzer

Kay Hirai releases World War II memoir Kay Hirai, president of Seattle-based Studio 904 Salons, has published a book called “Keiko’s Journey.”

Hirai said, “‘Keiko’s Journey’ is my story — it was only after I went through the introspective process of writing this book that I realized how experiences from my childhood deeply influenced my life’s philosophy as an adult.”

Viet Thanh Nguyen

Viet Thanh Nguyen has won the prestigious Pulitzer

Seattle Chinese Garden celebrated its 2016 Peony & Bamboo Festival on April 16-17, featuring unusual bamboo varieties for sale

by Northwest specialty growers, displays, plant care talks and demon- Jim Dawson strations, and cultural entertainment and Chinese painting demonstrations.

Yiqiao Jiang, who introduced the Chinese peony to the Garden, said this year’s bloom outdid last year’s, probably even those in hometown Luoyang. Jim Dawson, acting president of the Garden, said this year, the Garden would launch a major capital fundraising campaign under Mason Blacher, the new fundraising counsel. 

Photo by Wen Liu

asianweekly

YOUR VOICE

■ COMMUNITY NEWS

APRIL 30 – MAY 6, 2016

asianweekly northwest

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Vegan or vegetarian? Questions arise surrounding Chinese restaurant menu

By Stacy Nguyen NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY On April 23, patrons of a local Chinese restaurant known for being vegan-friendly were shocked to learn that their beloved eatery may have been using animal-derived products.

Bamboo Garden in Queen Anne (364 Roy Street, Seattle) was the subject of a viral blog post, entitled, “Is beloved Seattle restaurant Bamboo Garden serving animal products to its vegan customers?” (bit.do/bamboogardenseattle).

The blog entry was posted anonymously, with a pseudonym “Sally Smith” used.

Smith is a local vegan, the post stated, and upon suspecting that a food item was not vegan, she asked Bamboo Garden to see food packaging. The request was denied, according to the blog entry.

The blog entry goes on to detail the efforts Smith and her friends went through to ascertain whether Bamboo Garden’s food is truly vegan or not. There are pictures posted of Bamboo Garden’s dumpsters, with discarded packaging from food items the restaurant uses. Pictures show that the ingredients of the package labels show non-vegan ingredients such as eggs, whey, milk, and honey.

According to the blog post, Smith and her friends also sent in Bamboo Garden’s food (takeout) for testing through IEH Laboratories and Consulting Group. The food tested positive, both for egg

ans are sometimes referred to as ‘strict vegetarians.’ This distinction is something that is becoming more and more common among the younger generation.

“I’m curious if it’s one of those lost in translation deals where they (Bamboo Garden) don’t know the difference [between vegetarianism and veganism],” said Tiffany Ran, who has eaten at Bamboo Garden in the past. Ran is a professional cook who has worked in the kitchen of a number of Seattle restaurants. (It should be noted that Ran is also a regular contributor to Northwest Asian Weekly.)

Website

Screenshot of Bamboo Garden’s website from Aug. 1, 2015.

These images are from the blog entry from “Sally Smith,” showing food wrappers with animal by-product ingredients.

and milk allergens.

Terminology

Veganism is actually a type of vegetarianism. According to a report from Medical Daily, vegetarians generally avoid consuming meat, but some do eat dairy, eggs,

gelatin, and other animal-derived food ingredients.

Vegans go a few steps further and, beyond eschewing meat, also avoid animal-derived ingredients.

Vegan and vegetarian diets are rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes.

According to the blog Peaceful Dumpling (peacefuldumpling. com), a woman named Aubrey Gates King — a vegan — lived in a rural village in Yunnan, China for two years. King wrote that Chinese only have a word for vegetarian, not vegan — though veg-

On April 25, two days after the unflattering blog entry was posted, Bamboo Garden updated its website.

Previously, the homepage of the website had a sentence that implied the restaurant was vegan: “Only the fortune cookies contain eggs.” The former homepage also had a contact email as being chinesevegan@gmail.com.

The updated website does not have the sentence about fortune cookies anymore. And the contact email has changed to bamboogardenseattle@gmail.com.

Bamboo Garden’s menu and its signage outside of the restaurant building both state that Bamboo Garden is vegetarian. Its website has always stated, “In the tradition of Chinese vegetarian cuisine, we are pleased to offer see BAMBOO GARDEN on 12

New citizens remember High profile cases, Asian judges what they left behind

By Tim Gruver NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

By Ruth Bayang NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

More than 80 people from 43 different countries began their new lives as U.S. citizens in a naturalization ceremony on April 7 at Seattle Central Library.

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray and staff members from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service presided over the ceremony. A prerecorded video address

by President Barack Obama celebrated America’s history of immigrants to the cheers of the auditorium’s new Americans.

They join over 1.3 million immigrants who have become naturalized since 2014, according to the Migration Policy Institute.

Their stories of hardship, diligence, and success are the result of many long journeys.

Hai Banh, an IT consultant for Lockheed Martin, first arrived in the United States at the age of 10 as a refugee in the late 1980s, after traveling with his family from northern Vietnam.

Banh recalled sailing with his parents and three younger siblings for six days at sea, surviving on as little as one cup

A divided U.S. Court of Appeals panel upheld NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s four-game suspension of Tom Brady for his involvement in “Deflategate” on April 25.

A three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan ruled 2-to1 that Goodell did not deprive Brady of “fundamental fairness” with his procedural rulings. The split decision may end the legal debate over the scandal that led to months of football fans arguing over under-pressurized footballs in the AFC Championship game against the Indianapolis Colts in January 2015.

The story got our attention here at the Northwest Asian Weekly, not only because we love the Seattle Seahawks, who lost to the Patriots in Super Bowl 49, but because of one of the circuit judges in the “Deflategate” case, Denny Chin, who was born in Hong Kong.

During oral arguments in March, Chin said evidence of ball tampering was “compelling, if not overwhelming” and there was evidence that Brady “knew about it, consented to it, encouraged it.”

of water per day, until a U.S. Navy patrol assisted them in reaching Malaysia and eventually the United States a year later.

The family stayed with Banh’s uncle, a pilot, in Lancaster, Pa. for a number of years, relying on several Vietnamese friends’ help while learning English.

Banh’s first job was as a paper carrier and his parents supported the family working in manufacturing.

Banh graduated with a degree in electrical engineering from California State University, Los Angeles before gaining his citizenship. He sees the United States not only as a place of opportunity, but as a democracy unlike the country he see CITIZENSHIP on 12

Denny Chin

Danny Chun

Chin has presided over other high profile cases, including the 2009 Bernie Madoff case — the disgraced investment banker who created one of the largest Ponzi schemes in American history.

Chin joined the court in 2010 after an appointment by President Barack Obama.

Another Asian judge involved with a big story recently is Acting Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun. He was the one who sentenced former New York police officer Peter Liang to five years’ probation and 800 hours of community service for the fatal shooting of Akai Gurley.

Judges, defense lawyers, and former see JUDGES on 14

asianweekly northwest

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APRIL 30 – MAY 6, 2016

34 YEARS

■ COMMUNITY NEWS

Photos by John Liu/NWAW

Let your voice be heard

Co-chairs Martha Choe and Gary Locke, AAPI Democracy Initiative.

AAPI Democracy Initiative meeting on April 25.

The Asian Counseling and Referral Services (ACRS)’s new Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Democracy Initiative needs your help to raise $200,000.

AAPIs are the fastest growing racial group, locally and nationally — the swing vote in many elections. Still, there is a disparity between the communities’ rapid growth and their civic participation.

“Our voice and our vote as Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are more impor-

ers through the initiative by putting more bilingual organizers on the ground to support the work already in progress.

Initiative co-chair and former governor Gary Locke said, “Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have given their blood, sweat, and tears for our country. If they care about the future of our country and communities that they helped shape, then they must be politically involved. The first step is registering to vote and then voting.”

tant now than ever before,” said Martha Choe, honorary co-chair of the initiative.

“This initiative will make a huge difference in helping our communities’ voices be heard in the political process.”

Language, culture, and traumatic experiences for many in the refugee and immigrant communities have been difficult barriers to overcome. ACRS and its partners in the Asian Pacific Islander Coalition of Washington look to overcome those barri-

Planning is also under way for voter education and mobilization efforts, such as a statewide AAPI Democracy Summit with the aim of a gubernatorial candidate forum. Other efforts include multilingual Get Out The Vote (GOTV) phone banking, door knocking, ballot parties, community events, and media activities. Also 350 leaders who speak the languages of the AAPI communities will be developed to boost civic engagement and participation. 

The road from Snohomish County to the Democratic National Convention (Note from the Editor: The following article represents the thoughts of a fire commissioner from Snohomish County and the process he’s going through to become a delegate for Bernie Sanders.

David Chan told us that besides Rep. Cindy Ryu, there are no significant representatives of the API community in Snohomish County).

I started my journey on March 28 at the Washington State Democrat Caucus.

At our precinct meeting, the number of delegates was determined based on the population of that precinct. I raised my hand to volunteer to be one of the delegates. It appeared there was no one else interested. So, I was selected as a delegate to represent our precinct. I passed the first level unscathed.

Legislative caucus

On April 17, on a very nice and sunny Sunday, more than 1,000 citizens gathered at the Meadowdale High School in Lynnwood to participate in the election of delegates. This is a very serious matter. All delegates and alternates elected from the precincts come together to caucus and select the delegates who would go to the next level: the Congressional District Caucus on May 21. There would be 17 delegates for Bernie Sanders and five delegates for Hillary Clinton. Supporters of Clinton and Sanders were separated into different areas to select their delegates.

Photos provided by David Chan

By David Chan SPECIAL TO THE NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

David Chan

Based on party rules, the delegates are allocated equally to men and women. For Sanders, there would be 9 men and 8 women delegates who go to the next level. Sixty-five men signed up to compete for nine spots. And 46 women were competing for the remaining eight spots. Each candidate was originally given one-minute to convince their fellow delegates that he/she should represent them at the next level.

I had done a lot of research and talked to past delegates about this process. In general, whoever can give a good speech will be elected. The speech has to be tight with no see CHAN on 14

David Chan flyer

YOUR VOICE

■ WORLD NEWS

APRIL 30 – MAY 6, 2016

asianweekly northwest

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Grim outlook for sushi lovers’ favorite, bluefin tuna

By Elaine Kurtenbach AP BUSINESS WRITER TOKYO (AP) — The latest scientific assessment paints a likely bleak future for the Pacific bluefin tuna, a sushi lovers’ favorite whose population has dropped by more than 97 percent from its historic levels.

A draft summary of a report by the International Scientific Committee for Tuna and Tuna-like Species in the North Pacific Ocean, seen by The Associated Press, shows the current population of bluefin tuna is estimated at 2.6 percent of its “unfished” size. A previous assessment put the population at an already dire 4.2 percent.

Overfishing has continued despite calls to reduce

catches to allow the species to recover. In some areas, bluefin tuna is harvested at triple the levels considered to be sustainable.

“The situation is really as bad as it appears,” said Amanda Nickson, director for Global Tuna Conservation at The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Limits imposed after the previous estimates actually allowed some countries to up their catches, she said.

“If those managers again fail to act in a conservation-minded way this time, it may be time for other actions, such as an international trade ban or complete fishing moratorium,” Nickson said.

The independent scientists who compiled the see TUNA on 12

Instagram pics of Hermes bags China plans may be costly for Thai actress to land on Mars by 2020 BANGKOK (AP) — Flaunting one’s wealth is a popular avocation among Thailand’s well-to-do, but one actress may find it as costly as a few high-fashion handbags.

Pechaya Wattanamontri posted photos of herself on Instagram with nine boxed Hermes handbags that she purchased abroad. A video also circulated of her purchasing one of the luxury bags, which cost upward of $3,000 apiece.

It wasn’t long before people raised a few awkward questions, such as whether she paid the 30 percent customs duty on them and whether celebrities get special treatment.

The Customs Department chief told inquiring reporters

that the actress has been contacted to clarify the matter.

The photos have been deleted from Instagram, but in their captions, Pechaya called the bags she bought in Singapore a pre-birthday gift to herself. The actress on a number of Thai television dramas and soaps turned 27 on April 28.

Customs Director-General Kulit Sombatsiri said if duties still needed to be paid, then the tariff plus a fine will be levied. “There are over 1,000 flights arriving a day, so we can’t check everyone,” he was quoted as saying in The Nation newspaper. But as to any special treatment, he said, “We don’t observe double standards here.” 

By Didi Tang ASSOCIATED PRESS

Pechaya Wattanamontri's Instagram post, which has since been deleted

Japan Catholic school sex-abuse victims demand to be heard

By Yuri Kageyama ASSOCIATED PRESS TOKYO (AP) — The Roman Catholic Church’s sex abuse scandal has stretched into one of the least Catholic countries: Japan, where former students at a prestigious all-boys parochial school allege they were molested or raped by religious brothers who taught there decades ago.

Three former students at St. Mary’s International School in Tokyo told The Associated Press they were sexually abused by brothers there. One described “health checkups” in which a brother touched boys’ testicles. Another says he was raped in the chapel by two brothers at age 11.

That former student received an in-person apology from one of the men, Brother Lawrence Lambert, in 2014. The former student’s account of the meeting suggests Lambert might have initially confused him with yet another victim whose assault

went unreported.

The former student said the school sent Lambert away after the 1965 attack, only to have him return to serve as elementary school principal for nearly two decades.

Allegations from former students have been published in an English-language Tokyo newspaper, but otherwise have received little attention in Japan. There are only about 500,000 Catholics in the country of 127 million, and the school is aimed at foreigners like the three former students rather than Japanese.

Many sex-abuse victims choose not to come forward in conservative Japan. Unlike the United States, in Japan, victims must press charges for cases to proceed. Japan’s statute of limitations is 10 years for rape and seven years for sexual assault.

School officials say they reported the chapel rape allegations to Tokyo police when the victim approached them in 2013. Yet see CATHOLIC SCHOOL on 13

BEIJING (AP) — Work is proceeding quickly on China’s planned mission to land a rover on Mars by 2020, the chief administrator of the country’s ambitious space program said April 22.

Formally announced in January, China’s Mars voyage will attempt to recreate the success of the United States’ Viking 1 mission that landed a rover on the planet four decades ago.

“What we would like to do is to orbit Mars, make a landing, and rove around for reconnaissance in one mission, which is quite a challenge,” China National Space Administration head Xu Dazhe said at a rare news conference. “This is a project that has attracted much attention from both the science and space fields.”

Xu said China will further explore civilian uses of space technology in areas, such as navigation, remote sensing, and communications, and will seek international collaborations.

Since conducting its first crewed mission on a Chinese-built Shenzhou spacecraft in 2003, China has launched an experimental space station called the Tiangong 1, staged a spacewalk, and landed its Yutu rover on the moon.

This year, it plans to launch components for a larger, permanent Tiangong 2 space station sometime after the beginning of June, as well as the Shenzhou 11 spaceship with two astronauts on board who are scheduled to dock with the station and live in it for several days. Administrators suggest a manned landing on the Moon may also be in the program’s future.

A source of enormous national pride, China’s military-backed space program plans a total of 20 space missions this year at a time when the United States and other countries’ programs are seeking new roles.

China is also developing the Long March 5 heavierlift rocket needed to launch the Tiangong 2 and other massive payloads. 

asianweekly northwest

6

APRIL 30 – MAY 6, 2016

34 YEARS

■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR APRIL

28

EASTERN NIGHTS PRESENTS, “PUT UP OR SHUT UP,” FREESTYLE BATTLE Eastern Cafe, 510 Maynard Ave S., Seattle 7–11 p.m. $5 to battle Free admission

30 SEATTLE’S CHINATOWN INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT CLEAN UP Hing Hay Park, Seattle 8 a.m.–1 p.m.

206-962-4032 OCA-GREATER SEATTLE’S CHINATOWN-ID SPRING CLEAN UP Danny Woo Garden 8 a.m. ocaseattle.org C.A.C.A. SEATTLE 5TH ANNIVERSARY ANNUAL BANQUET China Harbor Restaurant 6 p.m. $30/person cacaseattle.org FOCS ARTS FEST Nectar Lounge 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. focseattle.com ARTIST AZUMI HOSODA’S MODERN JAPANESE WAX RESIST DYEING RECEPTION KOBO 5–8 p.m.

MUCKLESHOOT CASINO’S OFFICIAL GUINESS WORLD RECORDS ATTEMPT Registration at 7 a.m., with one-minute session starting at 8 a.m. muckleshootcasino.com

MAY 1

ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH CELEBRATION Seattle Center Armory 11:45 a.m.–5 p.m.

Free admission apiheritage.com CHILDREN’S DAY FESTIVAL, “KODOMO NO HI” JCCCW, 1414 S. Weller St., Seattle 11 a.m.–5 p.m. jcccw.org

2 KERATON 2016: INDONESIAN FESTIVAL UW, Red Square 3–9 p.m. isauwco@gmail.com

2–26 BEYOND WORDS: CALLIGRAPHY FROM AROUND THE WORLD The M. Rosetta Hunter Art Gallery, Seattle Center College 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m., Mon–Fri 5–7 p.m., Tue and Wed Free admission seattlecentral.edu/artgallery

7 CISC’S 44TH ANNUAL FRIENDSHIP DINNER AND AUCTION, “EMBRACING THE OPPORTUNITIES IN A DIVERSE FUTURE” Bell Harbor International Conference Center, 2211 Alaskan Way, Pier 66, Seattle 5:30 p.m. $125/person cisc-seattle.org

ETHNIC HERITAGE COUNCIL’S 2016 ANNUAL DINNER & AWARDS CEREMONY Polish Cultural Center, 1714 18th Ave., Seattle 6–9 p.m. ethnicheritagecouncil.org NORTHWEST VIETNAMESE NEWSPAPER’S 30TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION, WITH EMCEE VIET THAO Filipino Community Center, 5740 Martin Luther King Jr. Way. S., Seattle 5:45–10:30 p.m. $50/ticket, $100/honorary supporting 801-573-2250

14 SEATTLE UNIVERSITY ROTARACT CLUB’S ANNUAL SPRING BANQUET & AUCTION Seattle University 6 p.m. seattleurotaract.weebly.com 2016 ASIAN HALL OF FAME CEREMONY Fairmont Olympic Hotel 6–10 p.m. $200/person asianhalloffame2016.shindigg.com

KIMONO AND KAISEKI KYOTO, “BEAUTIFUL JAPAN” Pike Place Market Elliot Bay Room, 3rd Floor 11 a.m.–2 p.m. $55/person, $50/per for a group up to 6 Kimonoart.org

MANAGING FINANCIAL RISK: RMB AND CANADIAN CURRENCY MARKETS East West Bank, 668 S. Lane St., Ste. 101, Seattle 3–5:30 p.m.

RSVP to 425-556-3574, polly. reverman@eastwestbank.com

KOREA DAY Asia Pacific Cultural Center, 4851 South Tacoma Way, Tacoma 1–3 p.m. apcc96.org, 253-383-3900

15

ARTIST STUDIO TOUR AND TALK WITH CHARAN SACHAR Federal Way (must register for exact location) 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. $25/members, $35/non-members friendsofasianart.org

9 KOREAN TEA TASTING Asia Pacific Cultural Center, 4851 South Tacoma Way, Tacoma 4–8 p.m. apcc96.org, 253-383-3900

KICK-OFF TO RE-ELECT SENATOR BOB HASEGAWA IAM (Machinists) Union Hall, South Park 2–4 p.m.

RSVP to bobhasegawa2016@gmail. com, 206-322-4804

21 ICHS’S BLOOM GALA, WITH GUEST EMCEE LORI MATSUKAWA FROM KING 5 Westin Seattle Hotel 7 p.m. $150 by April 30, $175 after April 30 ichs.com/bloom, 206-788-3672

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APRIL 30 – MAY 6, 2016

YOUR VOICE

■ ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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Board games inspired by Asia Ginger Ada

By Matthew Baldwin SPECIAL TO THE NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY It’s a warm April evening, and a group of friends have gathered for the Harvest Festival.

They take turns placing floating lights upon the surface of a placid lake, collecting lanterns of various shapes, and making dedications in exchange for honor.

They are not celebrating the traditional Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, however.

These participants are sitting around a table at Seattle’s Cafe Mox and playing Lanterns: The Harvest Festival, a contemporary board game.

Like a mix of dominoes and rummy, the game has players placing lake tiles on the table, trying to match sides, and collecting a set of seven different cards. Sets of cards are exchanged for points. The player who accumulates the most when the festival ends is declared the winner.

Lanterns is the creation of board game designer Christopher Chung. “From the getgo, I really wanted a game that was family friendly,” Chung explains. And so he created a game that feels less like a competition and more like a languid stroll through the park.

When early players described Lanterns as “soothing,” “zen-like,” and “peaceful,” Chung knew he had achieved his goal. “I couldn’t have been happier about the game’s development and success in capturing these emotions.”

The popularity of Lanterns is part of a larger trend in the United States, where the board games are more popular than ever. In this era of mobile phones and social networks, the play of games is seen as an antidote to the over-stimulation and isolation of 21st century technology. And there is no better illustration of this trend than the booming success of gaming parlors such as Cafe Mox. The Ballard establishment is a board game store, it loans out games from its library, and encourages patrons to play as they eat.

When the owners of Card Kingdom decided to open the adjoining bar and restaurant in 2011, they were charting unknown territory.

Now Cafe Mox is packed nearly every night.

They’ve opened a second location in Bellevue, and more venues catering to “gamers” are springing up around the city. Patrons of such establishments appreciate the gathering and the opportunity to connect with others face-toface, rather than online. “It’s very inclusive,” said Ginger Adams who frequents the restaurant. “They are always very welcoming.”

More and more board games are released every year. And an ever-increasing number draw on Asian geography, culture, and imagery for inspiration. see BOARD GAMES on 15

asianweekly northwest

8

34 YEARS

APRIL 30 – MAY 6, 2016

■ PROFILE

“I was also rather obsessed with ninjas growing up. And, if I’m being honest, I’m still kind of obsessed with ninjas today.”

— Lucas Kelleher

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Lucas Kelleher

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“Way back in high school, I had already decided that I would live in Japan one day.

It wasn’t enough to simply vacation there, I wanted to fully experience life in Japan.”

That’s Lucas Kelleher, current Seattle resident, originally from Iowa. The author of “Shakotan Blue,” a memoir assembled from his blog posts about teaching English in the small Japanese town of Shakotan, he says he grew up with Japanese influences around him, even in his native Iowa.

“I think most kids of my generation had a similar experience with Japanese pop culture,” he elaborated. “One day you discover ‘Dragon Ball Z,’ or someone shows you ‘Akira,’ and suddenly you want to know more about where this stuff came from. For me, my brother introduced me to quality animation like ‘Lupin III’ and Studio Ghibli, and with each new item of pop culture, my interest grew.

“I was also rather obsessed with ninjas growing up,” he admitted. “And, if I’m being honest, I’m still kind of obsessed with ninjas today.”

Kelleher originally planned to live and work in Sapporo, Japan’s fourth-largest city and home to the famous beer of the same name. But literally the day before Kelleher flew to Japan, he received a phone call from his new employers asking me if he would be interested in being deployed elsewhere. They had just secured a new contract in a rural town on the coast, about two hours outside of Sapporo.

“This remote fishing village, called Shakotan, had never had a foreign resident English teacher before, so I’d be blazing a new trail, so to speak. Besides the junior high English teacher, no one there spoke any English. Despite the fact that I had forgotten all of my Japanese in between college and that time, I thought Shakotan sounded like more of an adventure than the big city, so I accepted the change in placement.”

Even after all of his Japanese studies, Kelleher experienced some culture shock.

“For me,” he explained, “the hardest things to adjust to were driving on the left side of the road, spending a lot of time completely on my own, and not being able to express myself very well. After some time struggling to communicate my more nuanced opinions to friends and colleagues, I just started keeping a lot of ideas to myself. I came to realize that people in Japan are often slow to share what they really think with you (unlike Americans, who won’t stop telling you). I decided to just be a bit more reserved while living abroad.”

Asked for the top five cultural surprises in Japan, Kelleher offered this list: 1. “When drinking with a group in Japan, your friends and/or hosts will constantly refill your beer. The Western impulse is to always finish your drink, but the Japanese custom is to never leave a glass empty. The combination/clash of these two customs can leave an American very, very drunk.

2. People in Japan give lots of compliments, but they don’t accept any. I was always thanking people for all the nice things they said about me, but in hindsight, that probably made me look like a bit of a braggart. You’re supposed to wave them off at all times.

3. Gift giving is so much more ubiquitous in Japan; lots of little gifts exchanged for even the smallest occasion. I received so many gifts from people but never had anything to give in return.

4. People in Japan generally don’t steal anything, ever. Leave your fancy digital camera on a park bench for several hours, it’ll be right there waiting for you when you get back.

5. The face masks that everybody wears when they have a cold or allergies these days were kind of jarring at first. People don’t often cover their faces in the U.S.” Cultural misunderstandings from both see KELLEHER on 15

YOUR VOICE

■ COMMENTARY

APRIL 30 – MAY 6, 2016

asianweekly northwest

9

Another controversial case of whitewashing, Scarlett Johansson cast as lead in “Ghost in the Shell”

By Eric Card NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY “Ghost in the Shell,” a popular Japanese manga series following a cyborg policewoman, is getting a live-action adaptation set to release in 2017. However, the film is already receiving a heavy dose of backlash over the casting of Scarlett Johansson as its lead character, Major Motoko Kusanagi. This is yet another example in a string of high-profile incidents that have caused uproar for casting white actors in traditional non-white roles, also known as “whitewashing.”

While this practice has been going on for years in the film industry, the criticism of whitewashing has gained traction and momentum in the last few years. The outcry is not simply a reaction to the lack of opportunity for Asian actors in the film industry, but the message these kinds of practices send.

While many are up in arms over the casting decision, there are others, such as Sam Yoshiba, who feel otherwise. Yoshiba, the director of the business division at Kondansha, the original publisher of the “Ghost in the Shell” series, fully supports Scarlett Johansson in the leading role.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Yoshiba explained, “She has the cyberpunk

Scarlett Johansson

feel. And we never imagined it would be a Japanese actor in the first place.”

When visiting the set in New Zealand, he was “impressed by the respect being shown for the source material.”

Yoshiba insinuates that even though people assume Major to be a Japanese character, the race of the cyborg is never specified.

Instead of focusing on the controversy, Yoshiba states that this adaptation is offering an opportunity for a Japanese property to be seen worldwide.

However, the casting in “Ghost in the Shell” is troubling in that many see this series as a reflection of Japanese culture.

Jon Tsuei, a writer of comic books and photographer, in a series of tweets, explained

how casting a white actor in this role goes beyond just another missed opportunity for an Asian actor in a prominent role. “The manga came out in 1989, the first film 1995.

An era when Japan was considered the leader in technology … This is a country that went from poised to conquer to the Pacific to forcibly disarmed. They poured their resources into their economy.” Tsuei goes on to explain, “And as a country that was unable to defend themselves, but was a world leader in tech, it created a relationship to tech that is unique … Ghost in the Shell plays off all of these themes. It is inherently a Japanese story, not a universal one.”

While other sources from Japan have been adapted to Western films, Tsuei argues that adapting this film within the context of American culture and starring a white lead undermines the fundamental core of

the story.

To further evidence whitewashing on a more blatant level, according to IMDb and other sources, the film has kept the character’s Japanese name, for now. While this may serve as an example of a movie studio “respecting” the source material, a character with a Japanese name should belong to a Japanese actor, or at the very least, an Asian actor. A recently released picture of Johansson as Major only added fuel to the fire, as the film appears to make Johansson look Asian. Ming-Na Wen, star of “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” in a recent panel discussion, spoke of how seeing Johansson “with her Asian-esque haircut” prompted her to critique the casting decision.

Furthermore, according to a Screencrush exclusive, which listed multiple independent sources close to the project, Paramount and DreamWorks commissioned visual effects tests that would alter Johansson to look more Asian. Constance Wu, star of ABC’s “Fresh Off the Boat,” in the same panel discussion that involved Wen, explained that the problem with these reported tests is it “reduces our race and ethnicity to mere physical appearance, when our race and culture are so much deeper than how we look.” Considering these bits of information, Yoshiba’s sentiments that the role is open to anyone with a “cyberpunk feel” starts to feel less genuine. In fact, this appears to be the opposite of respecting the source material. It becomes more evident that they merely want a big name, see WHITEWASH on 12

asianweekly northwest

34 YEARS

APRIL 30 – MAY 6, 2016

■ PUBLISHER’S BLOG

OPINION

Why I love lucky bamboos

By Assunta Ng NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Asian cultures believe lucky bamboos can bring prosperity. However, I have these cute plants in my home for more important purposes.

In the past, I used to give flowers to my friends as gifts, before I realized I was competing with many other flower givers on those special occasions. No one remembered my gift. And flowers die too quickly.

So I switched it up. Lucky bamboos have become my favorite gifts.

They last for years. A friend told me her lucky bamboo lasted for 12 years.

My bamboo plants have been with me for over five years, still growing strong and tall. I like the fact that they don’t take up a lot of space, especially if you live in a small apartment. They are also inexpensive.

Considering their longevity, these bamboos are good deals compared to other houseplants or flowers. Generally, the small ones with pots and pebbles, which cost close to $20, are my preferred size. In my opinion, little lucky bamboos are much prettier than the big ones. Those with twists are even more appealing.

I don’t live in a house, so I don’t have a yard. Those bamboos provide me with much needed oxygen in my home. If you live in a densely populated area and don’t have much time to take care of houseplants, the lucky bamboo is for you.

I have a confession. I am lazy when it comes to housework. And lucky bamboos are easy to care for. Basically, you just need to water them. I give each plant two ice cubes every week.

When I water them, I enjoy looking at them, and I thank them for cleansing the air and creating positive energy.

Sound silly? Not really. For me, it’s an enjoyable and de-stressing ritual every week to get away from computers and cell phones. It’s just another way of smelling the roses and living in the moment. Watching them grow just lifts my spirits.

Lucky bamboos are a beautiful enhancement of your space in your office or living rooms (but not bedrooms), especially in boring corners. The Chinese believe that those darling bamboos can bring you wealth if you design them with feng shui elements, such as tying a red ribbon around the bamboo. This is said to add the fire element to increase energy. Some people place the plant side by side with interesting artifacts. Whether or not you add anything is entirely up to you.

You don’t have to arrange them together with lavish things. I paired one of my lucky bamboos with oyster shells I brought back from Hawaii. It reminds me of my trip to the Big Island vividly and fondly.

By the way, lucky bamboos are not real bamboo. It only resembles bamboo. Unlike real bamboo, which require lots of sunlight, lucky bam-

boo cannot be placed under direct sunlight. It will kill them instantly.

If your bamboo turns yellow, you should throw it away as Chinese culture preaches that any dead plant will bring you bad luck.

Bamboo plants are prized by many Asian gardeners and nursery owners, who distribute these greens to Asian grocery stories and mainstream retail outlets. When I buy bamboos, I am supporting the Asian community.

I am the publisher of an Asian medium. So, I always look for ways to support the community.

Have the bamboos brought me luck so far? I can’t really answer that.

It’s hard to verify how someone gets lucky. One thing is certain, my lucky bamboo gives me bliss — and we can never have enough! 

Photo by Assunta Ng/NWAW

10

Assunta Ng can be reached at assunta@nwasianweekly.com.

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APRIL 30 – MAY 6, 2016

YOUR VOICE

■ EDITORIAL

asianweekly northwest

11

OPINION

In Tubman we trust

A woman — specifically Harriet Tubman — will replace President Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill, U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew announced on April 20.

That news was celebrated by most. To take an iconic figure of 19th-century white supremacy off and replace him with a courageous Black female who was an abolitionist, a soldier for the North during the Civil War, and an advocate for women’s rights.

But it turns out, the plan is not to remove Jackson from the bill, but instead to do a split with Tubman on one side and Jackson on the other.

This is unacceptable. As a slave owner, putting Jackson on the other side of Tubman’s bill is particularly disgraceful. It’s as if Tubman will never be rid of a slave owner on her back, not even in her grave.

Lew’s open letter had much to say in praise of Tubman, but is baffling in its lack of an explanation of his deliberate decision to keep Jackson on our currency.

“The decision to put Harriet Tubman on the new $20 was driven by thousands of responses we received from Americans young and old. I have been particularly struck by the many comments and reactions from children for whom Harriet Tubman is not just a historical figure, but a role model for leadership and participation in our democracy. …

Looking back on her life, Tubman once said, ‘I would fight for liberty so long as my strength lasted.’ And she did

Susan B. Anthony

Alice Paul

Sojourner Truth

Harriet Tubman on a $20 bill

fight, for the freedom of slaves and for the right of women to vote. Her incredible story of courage and commitment to equality embodies the ideals of democracy that our nation celebrates, and we will continue to value her legacy by honoring her on our currency. The reverse of the new $20 will continue to feature the White House as well as an image of President Andrew Jackson.”

Despite this glaring oversight, placing Tubman on the $20 bill is an honor long overdue.

And now it appears we’ll have to wait just a bit longer.

The new $20 bill won’t see widespread circulation until 2030 or beyond, government sources reveal. That’s more than 14 years away.

The good news is that the new $10 bill will come out sooner, in 2020, in part to mark the 100th anniversary of

the constitutional amendment that gave women the right to vote. The first U.S. treasury Lucretia Mott secretary, Alex- Elizabeth Cady Stanton ander Hamilton, will remain on the front. But the back of the bill “will honor the 1913 march and the leaders of the suffrage movement — Susan B. Anthony, Alice Paul, Sojourner Truth, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Lucretia Mott — who were instrumental in the passage of the 19th Amendment.”

The back of the $5 bill will also be redesigned to include opera singer Marian Anderson, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, and civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It’s a step in the right direction. Perhaps, in the not too distant future, a U.S. note will feature an Asian face. 

■ LETTER

Letter to Seattle’s mayor about public safety concerns in Chinatown-International District

Dear Mayor Murray,

The International District Chinatown is the oldest existing ethnic neighborhood left in Seattle. Working with property owners, business owners, district employees, and most importantly, neighborhood residents, our community service agencies have worked to keep the Chinatown-International District (C-ID) a vibrant and safe neighborhood for all.

Several new housing developments are scheduled to open this spring and early next year. These new affordable and market rate units along with our existing housing stock will bring along sought out balance of housing diversity that will encourage new families to live in our neighborhood.

As we work to preserve the existing culture while gearing up the new tenants to join our Signed, — Pradeepta Upadhyay Executive Director InterIm Community Development Association

community, we are facing grave problems with a dangerous street element that has taken over our neighborhood.

As we continue to grieve the loss of Donnie Chin, who was shot and killed on July 23rd of last year, we must live with the fact that the killers are still at large. In addition to Donnie’s death, our public safety situation continues to deteriorate, as people without homes have established unregulated tents and shelters alongside public spaces, like Kobe Terrace Park and under I-5 on Jackson Street, King Street, and Dearborn Street. As a reminder to the City, our community co-existed with regulated tent cities, such as Nickelsville. We are, however, inundated by the proliferation of an increasing number of unregulated tents and open camping that have settled on our streets.

Our C-ID residents, employees, and

— Teresita Batayola Chief Executive Officer ICHS

— Jeffrey Hattori Chief Executive Officer Keiro Northwest

— Bob Santos InterIm Community Development Association

— Dorothy Wong Executive Director CISC

visitors increasingly have to navigate through an obstacle course of drug users, dealers, drunken troublemakers, human waste, bodily discharge, and a pile of trash that can reach as high as six feet adjacent to our community food bank. This garbage draws rats and other vermin. If that is not bad enough, car prowls and customers of our businesses are being harassed and even intimidated. In sum, our neighborhood is facing major public health and public safety problems.

Members of the Seattle Police Department recommend that we call 911 when problems arise. The problem, however, is when 911 calls are made, we don’t receive an immediate response or attention to our request. A recent example was when a young dad and school age daughter were selling Girl Scout cookies in Hing Hay Park last month. Unfortunately, a vagrant threatened and intimidated the two — Elaine Ishihara Director APICAT for Healthy Communities — Diane Narasaki Executive Director, ACRS

for 15 minutes. They were then bothered enough to place a 911 call for assistance, but after waiting 30 minutes with no SPD response, the father and daughter were forced to leave the area.

As a first step in recognizing our current situation, we urge the immediate closure of unregulated homeless camps in the International District Chinatown community.

The City should work with these individuals to help them find alternative places to stay and remove these tents. The City should additionally conduct a major clean-up of these areas, including the disposal of garbage and unclaimed property, restoration of damaged properties, and disinfecting areas that have been utilized as open restrooms. In addition, we would like to see regular beat patrols to be implemented during all shifts. 

— Dicky Mar IDEC — Harry Chin Owner, Tai Tung and Four Seas Restaurant

— Darlene Ung Owner Phnom Penh Restaurant

KING COUNTY NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed bids will be received for #C01028C16 Transit Roof Repairs, Building Envelope and Waterproofing 2016-2017 by the King County Procurement and Payables Section, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, until 1:30 PM on May 5, 2016. Late bids will not be accepted.

Brief Scope: Mobilize and perform waterproofing, roof and building envelope repairs, and maintenance work on facilities maintained by King County Transit.

Work may include, but not limited to, coating, caulking, cleaning, flashing, 3-coursing, seam and tear repair,

window replacement, HVAC upgrades and skylight replacement on single ply, hot mopped, cold applied, modified bitumen, metal or coated roofs as well as concrete walls, floors, and metal fascia. The contractor may have to utilize the independent services of an architect or structural engineer to determine the accurate scope of some work. All work will be authorized by individual Work Orders as directed by the Project Representative and in accordance with the Contract and technical specifications.

There is a 5% minimum Apprentice Utilization

Requirement on this contract.

There is a 5% minimum requirement for King County Certified Small Contractors and Suppliers (SCS) on this contract.

Not too exceed contract price: $1,000,000.

Complete Invitation to Bid Documents, including all project details, specifications, and contact information are available on our web page at: https://procurement. kingcounty.gov/procurement_ovr/default.aspx

asianweekly northwest

12

APRIL 30 – MAY 6, 2016

CITIZENSHIP from 3 left behind.

“The U.S. is not as corrupt as the places I saw,” Banh said.

“Its government has checks and balances. The freedom of news keeps the government honest.”

He found that life on the American West Coast moved at a faster pace than that of his homeland and he missed the more amicable nature of those back in Asia. Still, he has no regrets about the years he spent to achieve American citizenship.

If there’s anything Edgar Erestain, a Filipino, could do without, it’s traffic. Seattle’s traffic jams have only gotten worse in the 16 years that Erestain has lived in Washington state.

“Before, I could go from Seattle to Bellevue in, say, 15 to 20 minutes.” Erestain said. “Now, it takes me about an hour to an hour and a half.”

He said he is still thankful for the many opportunities that living in America has provided for him and his family.

His daughter is studying nursing at South Seattle Central TUNA from 5 report said improved data make them more confident in their latest estimates than in previous ones. The report is due to be reviewed by the committee in July.

The report estimated that in 2014, the total recruitment level of the fish, or the percentage of new fish that survive each year, was below 3.7 million fish, the second lowest level ever.

Under current levels of reproduction and management of the fisheries in the Pacific, the likelihood of rebuilding stocks to healthy levels is only 0.1 percent, the report says.

Cutting catches by a fifth would improve those odds to only 3 percent.

Japanese eat about 80 percent of all bluefin tuna caught worldwide, and stocks of all three bluefin species — the Pacific, Southern, and Atlantic — have fallen over the past 15 years as demand for the luscious, buttery pink-to-red fleshed fish has soared globally.

Organizations charged with helping to manage bluefin fisheries have set a goal of rebuilding the species’ population to 6.4 percent, or 42,592 metric tons, of unfished levels by 2024.

But 6.4 percent levels for a species like the Pacific bluefin, which can live for up to 40 years, are no guarantee of a recovery.

WHITEWASH from 9 irrespective of racial implications, in hopes of scoring big in the box office; hence, the hiring of a white actor for a seemingly Japanese character.

So should the “bottom line” business mentality dictate whether a white actor takes over a non-white role? After all, there are plenty of examples of whitewashing that did not equate to big box office numbers.

M. Night Shyamalan’s highly anticipated “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” also based off an anime where the main characters were universally thought of as Asian, featured an almost all-white cast. After receiving bad press and negative reviews, the movie flopped in the box office. Recent films such as “Aloha,” which cast Emma Stone as a Chinese Hawaiian character, and “Gods of Egypt,” which basically cast all whites to play Egyptians, also did poorly in the box office. As expected, both films also received a fair amount of bad press prior to and after its release. Not surprisingly, there seems to be a link between whitewashing and not respecting the source material resulting in poor reception and ticket sales.

We are entering a period where the noise for change is becoming loud and clear, and that’s a good thing. Whitewashing will continue for some time, but the film industry cannot continue being comfortable in making these decisions. They need

34 YEARS

College.

Benjawan Suwannakatesakul, or Pia to her friends, misses the friendly faces she remembers from her native Thailand.

“Everywhere you go, people smile and they seem happy because they appreciate what they have around them.

They’re happy about what they have and what they are,” Suwannakatesakul said.

Working as a language tutor to low-income children in her native country, she never thought about moving to America until she attended St. John’s University in New York City and later the University of Washington’s graduate school to study accounting.

Living in the United States for seven years on a student visa with a supportive host family, Suwannakatesakul described herself as homesick at first, experiencing challenges such as understanding fast food menus and conversing with new people.

“In the first year, it was really difficult,” Suwannakatesakul said. “When I came here, everything, the culture, the language, the people, the weather, the food, was all

Many experts believe 20 percent of historic levels is the minimum size for a sustainable fishery.

The international body that monitors fisheries in most of the Pacific Ocean, the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, was unable to reach consensus last year on either short-term or longterm measures to help restore the bluefin population.

In Europe, officials have agreed last month on implementing a recovery plan for bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean.

A next step by conservationists could include efforts to get Pacific bluefin tuna banned from international trading.

Pacific bluefin tuna are spawned in the western parts of the northern Pacific, but migrate throughout the ocean, complicating management of catches. The population of the species is estimated to have peaked in 1960.

An earlier estimate put the 2014 population of the bluefin at 26,000 tons. The most recent reduced that estimate by 9,000 tons, to 17,000 tons.

If the population of Pacific bluefins drops much further, it may no longer be economically feasible to fish for them.

At that point, “Pacific bluefin would be considered commercially extinct,” Nickson said. 

to be questioned whether these casting choices truly resulted from having “creative freedom” from the source material, or if there’s something else at play. Recently, the #OscarsSoWhite message criticized the Academy Awards for nominating mostly white people. The root problem isn’t necessarily the Academy itself (although they certainly aren’t helping), but the lack of roles offered to people of color in the first place. When there are opportunities for non-white actors, like “Ghost in the Shell,” they cast white actors anyway.

Not only are inherently Asian roles being given away to white actors, but stories that reflect different cultures and experiences are being bastardized to fit a certain narrative and for commercial success. Whitewashing is a practice where people don’t seem to fully grasp the weight of the message it sends. A lack of understanding in its implications seems to be one of the only viable explanations of why this continues to happen so frequently.

So keep making noise. Keep demanding answers. Keep pressuring the film industry.

Keep explaining why this is important.

Only then will they start to think more about the story itself, and less about money and traditional inclinations.  Eric Card can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.

different.”

Suwannakatesakul saw making friends as a means of breaking down language barriers.

“I try not to have friends who speak the same language as me,” Suwannakatesakul said. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t practice my English.”

Suwannakatesakul works as an accountant for Miller Laine Properties in Bellevue and is a part-time language instructor. Her passions include dancing, traveling, and Hello Kitty.

“I love my job,” Suwannakatesakul said. “I want to make sure that every day I wake up, I’m happy.”

Suwannakatesakul thinks of herself as lucky to have had the friends and support she received coming to America.

Learning the language can be difficult, but immigrants should never give up, she said.  Tim Gruver can be reached at info@nwasianweekly. com.

MITSUBISHI from 1 great mileage. They were produced from March 2013.

The scandal adds to the list of cases involving automakers inflating fuel mileage or providing faulty emissions data. It surfaced after Nissan pointed out inconsistencies in data, Mitsubishi said. Mitsubishi Motors conducted an internal probe and found that tire pressure data was falsified to make mileage appear better than it actually was.

“The wrongdoing was intentional. It is clear the falsification was done to make the mileage look better. But why they would resort to fraud to do this is still unclear,” company President Tetsuro Aikawa told reporters.

He and other company executives bowed in apology.

Aikawa said that although he was unaware the irregularities were happening, “I feel responsible.”

The company said it would investigate whether data were altered for vehicles sold overseas. A spokeswoman for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was checking to see if the agency is investigating Mitsubishi models sold in the United States.

The EPA lists the 2017 Mitsubishi Mirage subcompact with a three-cylinder engine as getting up to 43 miles per gallon on the highway, among the highest in the United States for gasoline-powered cars.

It’s likely that the EPA will take a closer look at Mitsubishi vehicles sold here because of the admission in Japan, said Alan Baum, a consultant in Detroit who advises automakers on fuel-economy regulations.

But because the number of cars sold by the company in the United States is relatively small, the cars won’t get a high priority, he said. Mitsubishi sold just over 95,000 vehicles in the United States last year, only 0.5 percent of the market.

Mitsubishi isn’t the only automaker that has given faulty mileage or emissions figures. Volkswagen has admitted that 11 million of its diesel-powered vehicles in the United States and elsewhere had software that cheated on emissions tests, turning on

BAMBOO GARDEN from 3 tantalizing dishes whose origins go back thousands of years to China’s early imperial dynasties …”

However, according to yelp.com reviews, Facebook business reviews, and Google reviews, the restaurant seems to have developed an informal reputation for being an all-vegan restaurant (except

pollution controls for government tests and shutting them off in real-world driving.

Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp. admitted in 2012 that they overstated the fuel economy of 1.2 million vehicles.

The companies paid a $100 million fine to settle a U.S. investigation. They also settled a class-action lawsuit by paying owners for the cost of extra gas they would buy. Ford Motor Co. also admitted in 2014 that it overstated the fuel economy of six models. The company compensated 200,000 customers.

The EPA didn’t fine Ford in that case.

In Japan, Mitsubishi said fuel economy was falsely boosted by about 5 percent or 10 percent on the models, which were billed as getting 71.5 miles per gallon.

Mitsubishi Motors struggled for years to win back consumer trust after an auto defects scandal in the early 2000s over cover-ups of problems, such as failing brakes, faulty clutches, and fuel tanks prone to falling off dating back to the 1970s.

Aikawa was asked if the latest impropriety highlighted how the company had not fundamentally fixed itself after the recall scandal, although it had promised repeatedly to come clean.

“I realize that view exists,” he said, his voice shaking slightly. “I see how difficult it can be to have compliance consciousness spread among all our employees.”

Mitsubishi Motors, which also makes the Outlander sport-utility vehicle and the i-MiEV electric car, said it is setting up a panel of outsiders to investigate the latest scandal.

Production and sales of all affected models were halted, according to the companies.

Nissan said in a statement that it recently discovered discrepancies in data from Mitsubishi Motors about light vehicles it provided while assessing the current model in preparation for its next-generation vehicle.

“In response to Nissan’s request, Mitsubishi admitted that data had been intentionally manipulated,” Nissan said.

It said that after consulting with Japan’s transport ministry, it told dealers to stop selling the affected vehicles. Nissan said it is considering ways to help the owners of cars already sold. 

for the fortune cookies), with its staff and an interior placard stating that the food is vegan.

Bamboo Garden did not respond to requests for comment at the time of this report’s printing.  Stacy Nguyen can be reached at stacy@ nwasianweekly.com.

GOT A TIP? editor@nwasianweekly.com

YOUR VOICE CATHOLIC SCHOOL from 5 Tokyo police spokesman Satoru Matsunaga said there were no records of the case in their files and no investigation is ongoing.

Though the victim said his family made St. Mary’s aware of the attack in 1965, Saburo Kagei, who has headed the school since 2013, said he had been unaware of them.

In October 2014, St. Mary’s set up an investigative panel to look into sex abuse at the school. Their findings are not ready, and the head of the panel declined to comment.

Kagei acknowledged Lambert’s apology without confirming the attack or any other sexual abuse.

“The last thing we would want any child to go through is any kind of harm,” he said. “We want to uphold and take care of the children who are placed in our care.”

Founded by the Brothers of Christian Instruction in 1954, St. Mary’s runs from first to 12th grade. Its 900 students hail from 60 countries, and it boasts having 13,500 alumni. It bills itself as the “most prestigious international school for boys.”

The Archdiocese of Tokyo declined to comment, saying St. Mary’s is handling the matter. Conrad Lord, a lawyer for the Brothers of Christian Instruction, which runs St. Mary’s, said Lambert’s apology had been obtained by “coercion,” and that both brothers were wrongfully accused, but declined to comment further.

The Vatican does not get involved in specific cases.

Brother Albert Heinrich, who heads the brotherhood in the United States and taught at St. Mary’s in the 1980s, said he learned of the abuse only in recent years. “I had no knowledge at that time of any alleged problems at the school,” he said in an email from Alfred, Maine.

Religious brothers are not ordained as priests, but take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience and work in a variety of ministries, including education.

Teja Arboleda, 53, a former St. Mary’s student who says he was sexually abused by a brother in the mid-1970s, said students at the time “were told not to say anything. Otherwise, they would do something bad to us.”

Arboleda, a movie producer, is working on a documentary about sex-abuse survivors at Catholic schools around the world, including St. Mary’s, titled “Ring Around the Collar.”

“Most of them will not talk about it for the rest of their lives. Many of them are in denial,” he said in a telephone interview from Dedham, Mass.

“People, I think, often believe this only takes place in the United States because Americans are much more vocal.”

Arboleda says he was sexually abused by a brother who died in 1980. Ferdinand Stoer, another former St. Mary’s student, said he was abused by the same teacher.

Stoer, 56, said his class of about 30 students underwent a health checkup in which they were told to take off all their clothes, then the brother touched their testicles while they coughed. He was not a medical doctor.

CHEN from 1 broken about this whole situation, and I just want to see my beloved alive and well.”

According to information on Chen’s page at couchsurfing.com, a hospitality exchange and social media site, Chen was born in China and moved to the United States in 2013.

Her husband says Chen’s citizenship makes it difficult to get help from the U.S. Department of State. “I have contacted government and press agencies, local friends of Jenny in Mexico, and my local congressman and senator’s office. So far, there are no leads,” said Reinhard. He’s been talking with consulates from the United States and China, and Mexican authorities.

But he gets no sense that any agency is doing anything to find Chen.

Reinhard is trying to raise $15,000 on his GoFundMe page for a private investigator and possibly “more for ransom money.” 

APRIL 30 – MAY 6, 2016 “It was weird,” said Stoer, who lives in Sacramento, Calif., and like Arboleda, agreed to have his name published. Some of the boys talked about it among themselves, but he did not tell his parents, and the checkup was not taken up as a problem at the school at that time.

In fall 2014, Stoer and some other alumni received an email in which Kagei acknowledged sex abuse allegations had been made against former teachers. Stoer assumed it was about the checkups.

In fact, the email was sent after the former student who said he was raped began reaching out to school and church officials and authorities in Japan and Canada. Police in Quebec, where the Brothers of Christian Instruction are based, said they have no jurisdiction over crimes in Japan.

No lawsuits have been filed over any of the allegations. Now 61, the former student believes he deserves compensation, but has little hope that will happen.

“Nothing can be done,” he told the AP. “They decided to do nothing.”

The AP generally does not identify victims of sexual abuse who do not wish to be named.

The former student remembers many details of the rape, down to what his mother had made him for lunch that day: rollmops, or pickled herring held with wooden skewers. He is Jewish, and the school lunches served at St. Mary’s weren’t kosher.

He decided to eat alone, in the chapel. The two brothers walked in, making signs of the cross, and announced he had to be punished

for eating there.

He was forced to face a table. His pants were pulled down. He was quiet. He thought maybe he was going to be spanked.

He didn’t know what was happening. All he remembers is the pain.

One brother raped him, and then the other man pulled his T-shirt over his head and raped him again.

When he was finally alone, he looked down and saw he had been clenching his fist so hard a rollmops skewer had stabbed through the skin of his palm.

He did not tell anyone, but his family’s maid found his bloodied underwear in the laundry. He initially refused to tell his parents who attacked him, but finally said he could not tell because “Brother Lawrence” might do the same thing to his 4-year-old brother.

The former student said his family did not pursue charges, but demanded that Lambert be kept away from children. They were told he was reassigned to Canada after the rape.

Decades later, he learned that Lambert returned to St. Mary’s, serving as principal of its elementary school from 1982 until retiring in 2011. After that, he lived at a brothers’ residence in Japan.

The Brothers of Christian Instruction declined to reveal Lambert’s current whereabouts. Kagei said in his 2014 letter to alumni that he was no longer in Japan.

The AP found the second brother the former student accuses of rape, at a Japanese school in Yokohama where he continues to teach. He declined to comment.

asianweekly northwest

13

The former student left Japan with his family back to his native Australia soon after the rape. He did not return until January 2014, when he met Lambert in Tokyo. The meeting was set in a synagogue with a rabbi present. The former student did not feel safe anywhere else.

Lambert, accompanied by a fellow brother, read two letters of apology aloud and signed them. The former student had seen both letters before in emails and had brought printed versions. The brother sent him the second after the former student demanded a fuller explanation than he had provided in the first.

The former student was also handed a letter from Kagei’s predecessor as school head, who apologized on the school’s behalf without confirming any specific allegations.

That official, also a brother, did not come to the meeting and did not lead the school at the time of the alleged rape.

“The simple truth is that still today, I cannot understand the fact that I raped you,” one of Lambert’s letters read. “It was the first time that I did that in my life, and I did not do that again. I was on my way to my bedroom upstairs when I saw you and saw nothing wrong with talking to you on the way. But then somehow passion suddenly took over...”

That account did not match the victim’s at all. An explanation might be found in Lambert’s reaction when he first saw the former student at the start of the meeting.

“Oh,” he recalled Lambert saying, “you were the one in the chapel.” 

asianweekly northwest

14

APRIL 30 – MAY 6, 2016

34 YEARS

JUDGES from 3 colleagues say Chun — the state court system’s first Korean American judge — is fair, has a sharp knowledge of the law, and keeps an even keel on the bench.

Chun, 54, said during an interview with the Law Journal earlier this month, “Every case I hear, I take it very seriously.”

Chin — Chun’s friend of nearly 30 years — describes Chun as “a good person…

I think he’s someone who is considered tough but fair, which is, I think, the ideal judge should be.” 

CHAN from 4 wasted words. Humor and some visual presentation should really help. I spent almost a week preparing for my speech.

I also made up flyers describing myself and passed them out to the crowd.

In addition, I made and placed a few large signs around the gym, so people would become familiar with my name.

It was really a full blown campaign.

To my surprise, I was the only person who had gone through all this trouble.

Because so many people signed up to speak, our time was cut down to 45

seconds each. I knew I needed to do something to stand out. So, here is how I started my speech: “My name is David Chan, and Jackie Chan is my cousin.

So, I am your Kick A… delegate.”

This opening received roaring laughter from the crowd and got their attention immediately. I pointed out that I was the most prepared candidate and took this delegate job very seriously. I also stated my purpose to encourage the API community to participate in our democratic process. I would share my experience by writing articles in our Asian community newspaper and

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I couldn’t believe that I got a high number of votes and became the only API out of the nine men to move to the next level. Now, I am asking the API community at large to support me and cheer for me as I move up to the next level. I hope to report to you from Philadelphia. 

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APRIL 30 – MAY 6, 2016

YOUR VOICE

■ ASTROLOGY

asianweekly northwest

15

Predictions and advice for the week of April 30–May 6

By Sun Lee Chang Rat — Doing your best doesn’t mean that the results have to be perfect. For some things, it’s enough that you tried.

Dragon — Are you back from a tiresome journey?

Allow some time to unwind before doing anything else.

Monkey — A stickler for detail, little escapes your notice. That does not mean that you are responsible for all that goes out of line.

Ox — Have you been looking for an opportunity to show what you can do? It is very near, so be ready to hit the ground running.

Snake — Don’t let a couple of hiccups throw you off. The sooner you leave it behind you, the faster you can move forward.

Rooster — Who says field trips are just for kids?

Grab a friend and go on a little adventure that’s sure to spark some interest.

Tiger — Keep your expectations in check with reality. Letting them go wild won’t serve you well in the long run.

Horse — Some lessons need to be learned from firsthand experience but, where you can, learn from the mistakes of others.

Rabbit — Are you nervous about letting go of too much information? Even though you feel this way, it is better not to keep your partner in the dark.

Goat — Given the choice between something that is good for you and what you actually prefer, try not to always pick one over the other.

Dog — Has it been hard to figure out where to focus your energies lately? The longer you wait, the more likely it is that choice will be made for you.

Pig — What appears to be the safe alternative may not be as sound as you think. Sometimes it is better to go out on a limb.

What’s your animal sign?

Rat 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008 Ox 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009 Tiger 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010 Rabbit 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011 Dragon 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012 Snake 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013 Horse 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014 Goat 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015 Monkey 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016 Rooster 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005 Dog 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006 Pig 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007

*The year ends on the first new moon of the following year. For those born in January and February, please take care when determining your sign.

KELLEHER from 8 sides can arise. “Americans,” Kelleher elaborated, “tend to think Japanese people are all the same, super serious, stoic, and businessminded, live hi-tech lives, love anime and video games, and they often expect young people will know anything about Pearl Harbor. These things don’t represent Japanese people overall.

“The Japanese tend to think that Americans are tall, blond, brash, outgoing and extroverted, love to eat bread, cannot use chopsticks, are incapable of understanding simple aspects of Japanese culture, and they often expect Americans to know [little] about the world outside of the U.S. These things don’t represent Americans overall either.”

Coming back to the States wasn’t easy on the author. “After forging some incredible friendships, it was really difficult to leave,” he recalled. “Saying goodbye to my students, and my fellow teachers especially, I choked up repeatedly and just broke down crying. I felt like my colleagues had done so much to help me and I couldn’t properly express my immense gratitude. There was a family in Sapporo who I spent many of my weekends with, and

I came to regard them as my own family. Saying goodbye to them was definitely the hardest part.

“Readjusting to America was particularly interesting,” he concluded. “When I first got back, I had no filter when it came to overhearing strangers’ conversations in public places. After having to strain just to follow the words of someone speaking directly to me in Japanese, hearing comprehensible English everywhere made me feel like a mutant telepath who couldn’t keep the thoughts of others out. I was like Professor X! It took a long time to just ignore the random conversations around me.

“It also felt impossibly weird blowing my nose in public, or not take off my shoes when entering a house. Relearning to drive on the right side of the road just took careful practice. But I found myself using Japanese hand gestures all the time, even when speaking on the phone — in English! I still do some of those gestures today.

I’ve at least finally stopped bowing to people, though I still give people a head nod, which is really just a mini-bow.”  Andrew Hamlin can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

BOARD GAMES from 7 Those who play Tokaido, for instance, are “transported to the ancient Tokugawa dynasty, and travel along one of the most famed and beautiful paths in all of Japan.” Players visit villages, temples, and hot springs as they trek from Kyoto to Edo on the East Sea Road, meeting fellow travelers along the way, and stopping at inns to partake in meals.

As with Lanterns, those who play Tokaido often describe the experience as soothing, an impression encouraged by the gorgeous art and simple rules. The game amply demonstrates that the journey is more important than the destination.

The designer of Tokaido, Antoine Bauza, has set several other games in Asia as well. In Takenoko, players collectively move a caretaker and a panda through a royal garden, the former cultivating bamboo groves and the latter wolfing them down. Taoist monks cooperate to defend their village from Wu-Feng and his army of undead in Ghost Stories. And in Hanabi, winner of the prestigious Game of the Year award, players work as a team to stage the most impressive fireworks show Tokyo has ever seen.

CANDIDATES from 1

Steve Hobbs

Another candidate, Sen. Steve Hobbs , has raised twice that amount, $250,000. The Democrat is best known for his work on a state transportation bill passed by the legislature last year. “I spent the last two years traveling the state discussing the construction and passage of the 2015 transportation package,” said Hobbs. “It is the largest transportation infrastructure investment bill in the history of Washington state, and I am incredibly proud of the bipartisan, statewide work we did to make it a reality.”

Hobbs, 45, was born in Everett and raised in Lake Stevens, where he still lives with his wife, Pam, and their three sons. Hobbs’ mother was a Japanese immigrant and his father was an U.S. Air Force veteran. They divorced when he was a child. Hobbs continued the family military tradition, joining the U.S. Army Reserve at 17. He graduated from the University of Washington in 1994 and enlisted in the regular Army in 1997. In a seven-year career, he was deployed to war zones in Kosovo and, in 2004–2005, to Iraq. Hobbs left the Army in 2005, but remains in the state National Guard.

“I am the only candidate in this race who understands emergency management,” said Hobbs.

“On-the-job training cannot be the way a new lieutenant governor learns how to manage a crisis.”

Hobbs has served as a state senator since 2007.

He ran for Congress in 2012 from the 1st District, a contest eventually won by U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene, D–Wash.

Cyrus Habib

state Sen. Cyrus Habib, is also in the running.

Habib was born in Baltimore, Md., to parents who emigrated from Iran. A three-time cancer survivor, Habib lost his eyesight and became fully blind at age 8. Shortly afterwards, his family moved to Bellevue.

“Losing my eyesight to cancer... taught me the importance of hard work and creative solutions,” said Habib. “And that’s precisely what the people of Washington state need in their next lieutenant governor, someone who will work tirelessly and embrace innovation so that the Legislature can finish its work on time, pass budgets that meet our constitutional and moral obligations, and function in a less partisan fashion.”

Habib, 34, is also a Rhodes Scholar, Yale Law School graduate, and intellectual property lawyer at Perkins Coie. He has $425,000 in his campaign war chest. Habib hopes to make the lieutenant governor office a “megaphone” for issues, such as education reforms and action on climate change.

Habib praised Owen’s work on trade and economic development and said he wants to build on that.

“I have used my time in the state legislature to champion policies addressing the opportunity gap, income inequality, and climate change, to ensure that we leave this state and all its residents with more and better opportunities and a higher quality of life,” said Habib.

Owen announced his retirement on March 8, ending a 20-year tenure in a post that has had just three occupants over the past 60 years.  Ruth Bayang can be reached at editor@ nwasianweekly.com.

Another one of Hobb’s Democratic colleagues,

“I’ve been fond of Japan ever since I was a kid,” Bauza says. “I visit at least once a year, and it has become a major influence in my work as a game designer.”

Japan is not only the setting of many games sold by Cafe Mox, but also their country of origin. In 2012, a tiny game called Love Letter crossed the Pacific, and impressed many with its economy of design. With only 16 cards, designer Seiji Kanai created a game in which players vie for the affections of a Japanese Princess through the help of the royal staff, including advisers, jesters, guards, and samurai.

Nate Murray of IDW Games, who flew to the Tokyo Game Market in early April in search of new titles, is a huge fan of the pocket-sized Love Letter. “With gaming becoming so popular, portability is becoming important,” he said. “It’s great to be able to turn happy hour at a bar into an impromptu game night. And Japanese designers seem to have the edge in distilling a lot of fun into small packages.”

Murray knows what he’s talking about. In 2012, IDW games released Machi Koro by Masao Suganuma, in which each player becomes the mayor of a small but rapidly expanding Japanese city. As bakeries and cheese factories produce revenue, players can choose to build

more businesses, or invest those funds into landmarks and theme parks.

Machi Koro was hailed as a near perfect family game, thanks to its simplicity and its focus on fun. Murray describes it as “a game that’s not just a total blast, but also focused and tight. There’s no fat on the design. That certainly seems like it’s emblematic to where it’s from.”

“There’s a lot of great stuff seeing U.S. publication,” Murray said of Japanese designs. “And even more being discovered every month.”

“They’re definitely more popular than ever,” agrees Christopher Chung. “Gamers have really opened up to the interesting themes that come with the culture of countries we embrace, from an international development and economic standpoint. China and Japan hold deep roots within our culture, and designers and publishers have really seen a boom of not just great themes, but also a whole new wave of tabletop gaming potential.”  Matthew Baldwin can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

asianweekly northwest

16

34 YEARS

APRIL 30 – MAY 6, 2016

Seattle amateur sailor Yuko Kikuchi was among the ones to cross the Pacific in this leg of the race. Kikuchi was pleased when she spotted the familiar downtown skyline.

“Seattle had never looked so good as we approached and I saw the Space Needle!”

Kikuchi noted that the trip from China had its challenging moments. She and the crew of the Mission Performance had to deal with very cold and wet conditions. There were numerous storms which created huge waves. “There was tons of rough weather,” recalled Kikuchi.

Notably, one of the yachts in the race, the Da Nang – Viet Nam, was knocked down by a large wave during the leg from China.

It made it to Seattle four days after Mission Performance.

In addition to Kikuchi, there were other Pan-Asian crew members participating in this race, including individuals from South Korea, China, Singapore, and Vietnam.

For the 40-year-old Kikuchi, the voyage was a great adventure. She said her husband supported her throughout her preparation and dedication to the race. “He thinks I’m crazy,” she joked. “[But] he was really supportive of me.” Kikuchi, who owns and operates a real estate development company, also credited her employees for running the business in her absence.

The yacht Kikuchi sailed on comprised 14 crew members and one skipper. She explained that the crew was divided into two groups that worked around the clock in fourhour shifts, so they could “eat and then sleep.”

She estimated getting no more than two hours of sleep in each four hours of off-time. She noted that the crew watched movies or read.

Also, many people kept a diary, although she did not.

Kikuchi recalled the best times of the journey was looking up at all the stars at night.

She also saw airplanes and satellites overhead as they crossed the Pacific. The sightings gave her some comfort. “Okay, we’re not alone,” Kikuchi said.

Photo provided by Clipper Race

YACHT RACE from 1

Mission Performance arrives in Seattle.

The Qingdao to Seattle leg was not Kikuchi’s first race. She sailed across the Southern Ocean from South Africa to Australia in November. She re-joined the race in March to sail across the Pacific Ocean.

Sailing has been a way for Kikuchi to deal with an emotional time. Originally from Ishinomaki, Japan, where the 2011 earthquake and tsunami occurred, the race was a way to cope. “I experienced some personal difficulty in the last few years and I realized I had to do something for myself. Going through the big earthquake and tsunami, I was avoiding the ocean as it took lives in my city.”

Yet, Kikuchi believed it necessary to move on. “I had to do it,” said Kikuchi. “I wanted to give some encouragement to the people that it

is okay to go back to the ocean and enjoy it.”

In order to prepare to sail, Kikuchi worked with a personal trainer to ensure she was ready for the physical demand of being an active member of a sailing crew. She worked mainly on upper body strength, so she could carry and pull sails on the yachts.

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is a unique event for amateur sailors led by professional skippers. Twelve amateur teams made up of 700 amateur sailors from more than 40 different countries are participating in this event. It was established in 1996 by Sir Robin Knox-Johnson, the first person to sail solo, non-stop, around the world. This year’s event began in August 2015 in London, England and will return on July 2016. It was the

first time that Seattle has hosted this unique race.

The next leg of the race will have crews leave Seattle and sail to New York via the Panama Canal. After that, the final leg will see crews leave New York, cross 3,000 nautical miles over the Atlantic Ocean, and arrive in London, England. The entire race has encompassed six continents over 11 months.  Unicef is the official charity for the race.

The organization had a team that sailed in a donated yacht.

Jason Cruz can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.

Trashion fashion

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Entries due {July 8} Trashion Show {July 16} TO ENTER, SEND: — Your name, address, phone number, and e-mail address.

— Up to to 3 photographs of your design — A brief description of your work

Northwest Asian Weekly Attn: Trash to Treasure 412 Maynard South Seattle, WA 98104 (Multiple entries and all ages welcomed!)

Finalists will be announced in the NWAW’s {July 9} issue. *Finalists must be available to showcase their designs on {July 16} at Chinatown/ International District Dragon Fest to be eligible for prizes.

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Team of designer and model Julie Stone and Karissa Lew

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