By MIE SAKAMOTO
Kyodo News

TOKYO—African American "enka" singer Jero said June 24 he hopes to stay in Japan and continue singing after gaining popularity since his debut in February.

"My objective is just to become an enka singer with staying power. I have no inkling of going back to the States to live. I have fulfilled my dream and want to continue doing this the rest of my life," Jero said at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan in Tokyo.

SACRAMENTO — The California State Library on June 23 announced the 2007-2008 recipients of the California Civil Liberties Public Education Program (CCLPEP) grants, following an advisory committee meeting in May.

The CCLPEP is the outgrowth of the 1998 California Civil Liberties Public Education Act, an initiative sponsored by then-Assemblymember Mike Honda (D-San Jose). The purpose of the Act was to provide funding for public education activities and educational materials surrounding the forced relocation and incarceration of Japanese Americans and permanent resident aliens of Japanese ancestry during World War II, to illuminate and create understanding of the causes and circumstances of the internment and similar events.

By RENE CHEN
Kyodo News

LOS ANGELES — Lisa Takahashi, a student from the University of Southern California who was studying abroad in Hong Kong, was on a tour bus headed to the Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area in China's Sichuan Province when the magnitude 8.0 earthquake struck the Asian country in May.

The chaos and the ensuing destruction surely made its impact, but it was the hospitality of those she encountered that left a lasting impression.

By BEN HAMAMOTO
Nichi Bei Times

It's been over two years since Sansei Army lieutenant Ehren Watada refused deployment to Iraq on the grounds that he believes the war is illegal. The young lieutenant became a symbol of the peace movement and his refusal set off a firestorm of debate in the Japanese American community, largely between Nisei veterans, who believed Watada was putting a stain on their legacy, and Japanese Americans who supported either his decision, his right to a fair trial, or his right to be free of being a "racial representative" for the Japanese American community.

In last week's Obon and Bazaar Festival Guide, we asked Japanese America what they thought Obon meant to them. This week, we present some additional responses:

Dear Editor,

In my commentary "The Oya Koko of Redress," which you recently published (Nichi Bei Times, June 5, 2008), I failed to credit some people who deserve a lot of it.

The Topaz Museum Board is seeking the services of a qualified architectural and exhibit design team to design a new complex that will house two other museums and facilities for the city of Delta, Utah. One wing of the complex will commemorate the history of the Topaz Internment Camp in Delta, Utah, which is 16 miles from the original camp site.

By APRIL ELKJER
Nichi Bei Times

Sotheby's Japanese art specialist Sachiko Hori's eyes lit up with anticipation as she pulled out an ukiyo-e of a Japanese woman. Ukiyo-e, or "pictures of the floating world," is a genre of Japanese woodblock prints produced between the 17^th and 20^th centuries and originals can be worth up to tens of thousands of dollars.

By BEN HAMAMOTO
Nichi Bei Times

In the last decade or so, there are a handful of things that most Americans have come to associate with contemporary Japan. Aside from raw fish, high-tech electronics and action-packed animation, wacky game shows, for some reason, are pretty high up the list. They have been spoofed on "The Simpsons," excerpted on the "Colbert Report," and even dubbed into English as Spike TV's popular "Most Extreme Challenge."

It seemed only a matter of time before the networks would take notice and try and cash in on the interest.

By ANTHONY YAZAKI
Nichi Bei Times

After two unsuccessful bids to reach the world's biggest stage, 48 kg judo player Sayaka Matsumoto was finally able to qualify for the Olympic games at the U.S. Judo Olympic Trials on June 14 in Las Vegas.

By ANTHONY YAZAKI
Nichi Bei Times

First base prospect Travis Ishikawa was recently promoted to the Giants' Triple-A affiliate in Fresno. In his first four games with his new team, the 24-year-old Seattle native collected four hits, one of which was a homerun. Ishikawa's promotion came after he played 64 games in Double-A where he hit .291 with eight homeruns. He is now hitting .290 with nine homeruns for the season. He will be looking to continue his solid production to earn a possible call-up from the major league team later in the year.