(13) Official Apology and Compensation Voted by Congress in 1988

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1985c (252) In 1980, Congress re-opened investigations into the treatment of Japanese-Americans during World War II and created the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians. After nearly three years of careful examination of the evidence, which included testimony from 750 witnesses, the Commission issued a report on February 25, 1983. The report concluded: "A grave injustice was done to American citizens and resident aliens of Japanese ancestry who, without individual review or any probative evidence against them, were excluded, removed, and detained by the United States during World War II."
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1990a (674-5) As the years passed and the emotions of war faded, Americans began to recognize the injustice that had been done. Finally, in 1988, Congress voted overwhelmingly to formally apologize to Japanese Americans who were driven from their homes in World War II and to give $20,000 to each surviving internee. Although it was acknowledged that nothing was adequate to right the enormous wrong of the past, the action by Congress helped Americans to close this unfortunate chapter in their history.
1990b  
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1990d (863) In 1988, Congress belatedly voted limited compensation for the Japanese Americans relocated during World War II.
1990e (647) The Japanese American relocation is still a disputed topic among Americans. In the late 1980s, the U.S. Congress voted to pay some reparations to Japanese Americans for their lost properties. However, the controversy still continues. Was this action a reasonable war measure, or should it be considered a gross violation of civil liberties?
1991 (613) The Supreme Court upheld internment throughout the war. Four decades later a federal commission determined that the internment "was not justified by military necessity." In 1988 Congress apologized for the wartime mistreatment and voted to pay $20,000 in compensation to each person still living who had been interned. Spark Matsunaga of Hawaii, a Japanese American who was among 69 senators supporting the apology, rejoiced. The action, he said, removed "one great blot" on the Constitution.
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1992c (290) and in 1988 Congress appropriated funds to pay $20,000 to each of the sixty thousand surviving internees.
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1992g (674-5) The United States government kept the Japanese Americans in the isolated camps for most of the war. In 1944, the Supreme Court upheld the forced relocation as a justifiable wartime measure. Not until 1945, when Allied victory seemed certain, were these people allowed to return to their communities to rebuild their shattered lives. Years later, Americans began to recognize the injustice that had been done to the Japanese Americans. In 1988, Congress voted to apologize to Japanese Americans who were driven from their homes in World War II. They also gave $20,000 to each surviving internee. It was acknowledged at this time that nothing could reverse the enormous wrong of the past. But the action by Congress helped Americans to close this unfortunate chapter in their history.
1993a  
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1994a (357) Nearly half a century later, on August 10, 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed legislation that apologized for the forced relocation of Japanese-Americans during World War II and established a $1.25 billion trust fund to pay reparations to those who were placed in camps and to their families.
1994b (865) In 1988, Congress belatedly voted limited compensation for the Japanese-Americans relocated during World War II.
1994c (498) Beginning in the 1970s, Japanese Americans worked for Congress to review this injustice. Finally, in the late 1980s, Congress apologized to Japanese Americans for the government's treatment. Congress approved cash payments for the surviving victims and for Japanese American communities. Now answer the following questions. 1 Why did Americans limit immigration in the late 1800s and early 1900s? Do you think immigration should have limits? 2 Why do you think it was important to Japanese Americans to have Congress recognize the injustice of their wartime internment? Do you think their requests were reasonable?
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1996b (527) In 1983, forty-one years after he had been sent to a government camp, Fred Kurematsu had the satisfaction of hearing a federal judge rule that he -- and by implication all detainees -- had been the victim of "unsubstantiated facts, distortions and misrepresentations of at least one military commander whose views were affected by racism." A year earlier, the government's special Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians had recommended compensating the victims of this policy. Finally, in 1988, Congress voted to award $20,000 and a public apology to each of the surviving sixty thousand Japanese-American internees.
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1997b (548) [Picture] Compensation for Internees. On August 10, 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed Public Law 100-383. Among other things, this law makes apologies and restitution to individuals of Japanese ancestry who were interned during World War II. Each eligible person received $20,000 in tax-free payments over a 10-year period. Do you think that this compensation was adequate? Why or why not?
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1998c (887) In 1988, Congress belatedly voted limited compensation for the Japanese Americans relocated during World War II.
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1999c (836) Aware of rabidly anti-Japanese public opinion, Roosevelt waited until after the off-year 1943 elections to allow internees who passed a loyalty review to go home. A year later, the camps were empty, each internee having been given train fare home and $25. Returning home, the Japanese Americans discovered that nearly everything they owned was gone. Stored belongings had been stolen. Land, homes, and businesses had been seized by the government for unpaid taxes. Denied even an apology from the government, Japanese Americans began to re-establish their homes and businesses. Decades later, in 1988, and after several lawsuits on behalf of victims, a semiapologetic federal government paid $20,000 in compensation to each of the surviving sixty thousand internees.