The 1st Vietnamese American to reach the NBA Finals
Jaylin Williams, a reserve forward for the Oklahoma City Thunder, is set to make history as the first NBA player of Vietnamese descent to appear in the Finals.
The Rebel Yellow - Issue #77
A new study has revealed how trauma from Japanese American incarceration during World War II may have affected future generations. Meanwhile, growing scrutiny of U.S. immigration enforcement—from the deportation of a Vietnamese American man to policy shifts targeting Chinese students—has sparked backlash at home and abroad. Other stories this issue include the rise of a tiny electric vehicle in Japan, a landmark surgery helping a paralyzed man walk again, and Jaylin Williams becoming the first NBA player of Vietnamese descent to reach the Finals.
Trauma of Japanese American WWII incarceration lasted generations: study
A West Virginia University study has revealed that Japanese American women who were likely incarcerated in World War II detention camps as children gave birth to less healthy babies decades later, demonstrating how trauma from forced displacement can ripple across generations.
Key findings
The research, published in the Journal of Public Economics in February, found that Japanese American mothers born on the West Coast before 1946 gave birth to babies weighing 81 grams less on average than babies born to Japanese American mothers from Hawaii. The study documented one additional low birth weight baby per 100 births, equivalent to a 15% increase, among mothers who had been incarcerated.
Using birth data from 1970 to 1988, researchers analyzed outcomes for women born between 1925 and 1956. Effects persisted even for Japanese American mothers born between 1947 and 1956 — a decade after camps closed — with babies 50 to 56 grams lighter. The research used Hawaii as a comparison group since only 1% of Japanese Americans there were incarcerated, compared to nearly complete imprisonment on the mainland West Coast.
Why this matters
The research examined the effects of President Franklin Roosevelt’s 1942 executive order that led to the forced evacuation of approximately 120,000 Japanese Americans to prison camps. Lead researcher Daniel Grossman emphasized the study’s broader implications about intergenerational trauma.
“Forced migration uproots communities,” Grossman told WVU Today. “The trauma, loss of assets and displacement have long-lasting effects … Decades after exposure to incarceration, the nutritional, psychological and economic deprivations incarcerees experienced still harm their offspring.”
The findings contribute to growing understanding of how historical injustices can affect multiple generations, potentially informing policies for current displaced populations worldwide.
Woman condemns Vietnamese husband’s deportation to South Sudan
A woman in Pierce County, Washington state, has expressed outrage after her husband was unexpectedly deported to South Sudan instead of Vietnam as planned.
About Phan and his case
Tuan Thanh Phan came to the U.S. from Vietnam in 1991 at age 9 with legal permanent residence status. In 2000, he was convicted of first-degree murder and second-degree assault following a gang-related shooting that injured a bystander, resulting in approximately 25 years in prison. His green card was revoked in 2009 during his sentence, leading to a deportation order.
ICE took him into custody on his March 3 release and transferred him from the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma to a Texas immigration facility. In a May 21 press release, the Department of Homeland Security labeled him and his fellow deportees “uniquely barbaric monsters who present a clear and present threat to the safety of the American people.”
What his wife is saying
Ngoc Phan, 40, had prepared extensively for her husband’s anticipated deportation to Vietnam, collecting luggage, arranging family pickup abroad and planning to reunite with him within three to five years to begin fresh. “We’ve accepted it. We planned for it, and we were looking forward to it,” she told NPR.
But on May 20, ICE agents collected her husband and others, first indicating South Africa as the destination, then switching to South Sudan with minimal advance notice. “I’m angry about it,” she said. “They want to call him a barbaric monster without really understanding the details of his case ... He [already] did 25 years.”
The big picture
Phan’s deportation is part of the Trump administration’s strategy to send immigrants to third countries when their home nations would not accept them. Vietnam has historically limited acceptance of deportees, though it signed a 2020 agreement making it easier to accept those who arrived before 1995 — ideally including Phan’s situation.
Federal judge Brian Murphy in Massachusetts, however, ruled the deportations violated due process by not providing adequate time to contest removal to a non-origin country. Murphy ordered the men be given credible fear interviews while detained at a U.S. military base in Djibouti, where they remain as the administration appeals to the Supreme Court.
Ngoc says she has not been able to contact her husband since his departure. The Supreme Court has given lawyers until June 4 to respond to the government’s appeal.
U.S. plan to “aggressively” revoke Chinese student visas is denounced by China
Beijing has rebuked the Trump administration’s latest decision to revoke visas for Chinese students, leaving over 277,000 students to question their academic future in the U.S.
Driving the news: Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Wednesday that the State Department will work with the Department of Homeland Security to “aggressively revoke” visas for Chinese students “with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields,” as well as enhance scrutiny of future visa applications from China and Hong Kong. The announcement follows incidents involving Chinese nationals at U.S. universities, including cases where students were charged with photographing military installations at Camp Grayling and Key West naval base and making false statements to federal officials.
Reactions: Chinese students expressed alarm and frustration at the policy changes. For one, Liqin, a Johns Hopkins University student, called the announcement a “new version of the Chinese Exclusion Act,” referencing the 19th-century law that prohibited Chinese immigration. Meanwhile, Haipei Shue, president of United Chinese Americans, expressed “profound disappointment,” contrasting today’s hostility with the warm welcome he received as a Chinese student in 1987.
What China is saying: Beijing has sharply criticized the latest U.S. policy in official statements. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian slammed the move as “fully unjustified,” saying it “seriously hurts the lawful rights and interests of international students from China and disrupts people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.” Spokesperson Mao Ning characterized it as a politicized and discriminatory action that exposes “the lie of the so-called freedom and openness that the U.S. has always boasted of.”
The big picture: The policy, which follows a similar congressional push, marks an escalation of U.S.-China tensions, potentially harming American universities’ finances and technology sector recruitment. International students contributed over $50 billion to the U.S. economy in 2023, with Chinese students making up 16% of all graduate STEM students nationwide. Hong Kong has moved to capitalize on the situation, with leader John Lee announcing the city would welcome affected students, while local universities began expediting applications from top U.S. schools. Academic unions have also pushed back, with more than 20 organizations writing an open letter demanding universities refuse congressional requests for data on Chinese students and faculty.
Trump admin expresses confidence in China trade relations despite rising tensions
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has expressed confidence that the trade dispute between the U.S. and China “will be ironed out” when President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping speak directly, as tensions mount over alleged violations of their recent trade agreement.
Catch up
Without giving details, Trump accused China of violating their temporary trade deal in a Truth Social post on Friday. “China, perhaps not surprisingly to some, HAS TOTALLY VIOLATED ITS AGREEMENT WITH US,” Trump wrote. “So much for being Mr. NICE GUY!” On May 12, Washington and Beijing agreed on a 90-day tariff suspension, which lowered U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods from 145% to about 30% while China reduced its levies on American imports to 10%. White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller also offered no specifics, only telling reporters that China “abrogated the agreement” and failed to meet its commitments to the U.S.
Meanwhile, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick downplayed recent court decisions that blocked Trump’s tariffs earlier in the week, assuring “Fox News Sunday” viewers that tariffs are “not going away” while expressing confidence in a successful appeal.
“Discriminatory restrictions”
China has disputed the accusations while keeping diplomatic channels open. The Chinese Embassy in Washington said it raised concerns with the U.S. government over chip sector export controls and other issues, calling on Washington to “immediately correct its erroneous actions” and “cease discriminatory restrictions against China.”
Beijing, however, is believed to be withholding critical minerals and rare earth materials essential for high-tech products like computer chips and electric vehicle batteries. At CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday, Bessent said these were products “they agreed to release during our agreement,” adding, “Maybe it’s a glitch in the Chinese system, maybe it’s intentional.” Still, he said he is “confident” that trade issues “will be ironed out” when Trump and Xi speak directly.
The big picture
The trade dispute comes amid broader U.S.-China tensions across multiple sectors. Beyond trade, the administration is targeting roughly 277,000 Chinese students with potential visa revocations while blocking technology exports in sectors like jet engines and semiconductors.
Financial markets have also shown mixed reactions to the escalating trade rhetoric. Markets are influenced by the “TACO trade” phenomenon — investors betting Trump will retreat from trade threats, with the acronym standing for “Trump Always Chickens Out.” Despite recent volatility, the S&P 500 gained more than 6% in May, posting its best month since November 2023. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has also outlined developing military threats from China to Taiwan.
Bessent said he believes a Trump-Xi call will happen “very soon.”
Hawaii is 1st state to tax tourists for climate change
Hawaii Gov. Josh Green enacted legislation on May 27 establishing the country’s first tourist tax designed to fund climate resilience efforts, adding a 0.75 percentage point increase to lodging fees beginning Jan. 1, 2026.
About the law
The legislation, known as Act 96, boosts Hawaii’s transient accommodations tax to 11% for hotel guests and vacation rental visitors. Maritime tourists on cruise ships will face the levy for the first time in 2026, with charges calculated based on port stay duration. Travelers will also pay an extra $3 on a $400 nightly room rate.
State estimates suggest the climate change tax will yield $100 million per year for programs spanning fire prevention measures, technology improvements and responses to shoreline damage and non-native species threats.
Why it matters
The fee directly responds to Hawaii’s growing climate vulnerabilities, particularly following the devastating 2023 Maui wildfires that killed over 100 people and decimated Lahaina. “As an island chain, Hawaii cannot wait for the next disaster to hit before taking action,” Green said in a statement. The Climate Advisory Team, which was formed after the fires, identified securing funding for climate mitigation as a key priority.
The tax places Hawaii among destinations worldwide implementing tourist fees to address climate change and overtourism impacts. Unsurprisingly, it has also raised concerns. Hawaii Hotel Alliance President Jerry Gibson, for one, told Hawaii News Now, “I am extremely worried about getting too expensive for the people that come here to Hawaii.” Including county fees and general excise taxes, tourists now encounter total accommodation-related taxes nearing 19%, placing Hawaii among America’s most expensive destinations.
New report highlights gains and gaps in Asian representation in Hollywood
A new study released by the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, in partnership with the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE) and IW Group, finds that while Asian and Pacific Islander (API) visibility in Hollywood has grown over the past 15 years, the industry continues to under represent the diversity and depth of API communities both on and off screen.
The report, “Rewriting the Script: A New Era for API Voices in Hollywood,” was unveiled on May 29 and serves as a follow-up to the organizations’ 2021 study “I Am Not a Fetish or Model Minority.” It examines API representation in the 10 highest-grossing U.S. films each year from 2010 through 2024.
Across genres and ethnicities
The study found that only 5.1% of lead characters across 150 top-grossing films were API and all were featured in animation or action films. No API leads appeared in comedy, drama, horror, thriller or science fiction/fantasy titles. Researchers noted that this restricts the kinds of stories API characters are allowed to inhabit.
Representation was also uneven among API subgroups. East Asians accounted for 67.7% of API characters, with South Asians at 18.4%, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders at 10.4% and Southeast Asians at just 3.5%. The report calls for more diverse and specific ethnic narratives to reflect the full range of API communities.
Structural barriers behind the camera
The study also surveyed API professionals working in film and television. Just over a third said it had been easy to find mentorship in the industry, highlighting the lack of support networks that can help advance API talent into leadership roles. To address this, the report recommends investing in development programs and opening access to behind-the-scenes positions in writing, directing and producing.
It also emphasizes the need to broaden the genres and roles available to API actors and creatives, especially in stories centered on Southeast Asian experiences, which remain significantly underrepresented.
Paraplegic man walks again in 2 weeks after China’s landmark spinal nerve surgery
A 61-year-old man in China has regained the ability to stand and walk after undergoing the country’s first spinal cord neural interface surgery, a landmark achievement in treating spinal cord injuries. The procedure took place in March at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine in Hangzhou, in collaboration with Zhejiang University’s Nanhu Brain-Computer Interface Institute.
Closed-loop system implants
The patient, identified as Jin, suffered a thoracic vertebral fracture in October 2024 that left him paralyzed from the waist down, according to local news. Traditional spinal surgery and months of rehabilitation failed to restore movement or autonomic functions.
Doctors implanted a 16-contact spinal stimulation electrode into Jin’s lumbar spine and a matchbox-sized pulse generator in his abdomen. The closed-loop system detects muscle activity in real time and delivers adaptive electrical stimulation to the spinal cord to assist motor function.
Rapid motor and sensory recovery
Three days after surgery, Jin regained voluntary movement in his legs. Within two weeks, he could stand and walk without assistance. After one month, he was able to walk with a mobility aid across varied terrain and navigate slopes and stairs. He also recovered lower-limb sensation and control over bladder and bowel functions, suggesting partial repair of damaged neural pathways.
National implications for rehabilitation
Doctors described the case as China’s first successful use of a spinal nerve interface to restore dynamic balance and coordinated lower-limb movement in a paralyzed patient. With approximately 3.7 million people in China living with spinal cord injuries, the results are seen as a promising advance for neurorehabilitation. Further clinical research is planned to assess long-term outcomes and expand patient access to the technology.
Wider scale of Japan’s wartime human experiments exposed in newly released records
Newly released government records confirm that Japan’s wartime biological weapons program involved multiple army units conducting human experimentation in China — not just the infamous Unit 731.
Driving the news: On May 15, Japan’s National Archives released personnel rosters detailing assignments to secret units under the Imperial Army’s Epidemic Prevention and Water Purification Department.
The big picture: From 1938 to 1945, Japan operated a network of military research units across occupied China aimed at developing biological weapons. Unit 731, based in Harbin, was the largest and most notorious of these — known for performing fatal experiments on prisoners to test disease agents and chemical exposure. The newly disclosed files confirm that other units — notably Unit 1644 in Nanjing and Unit 8604 in Guangzhou — also carried out human experiments as part of this effort.
What they did: Unit 1644 conducted lethal trials involving infections such as plague and cholera, as well as vivisections without anesthesia. Unit 8604 engaged in food and water contamination experiments, starvation studies and bred plague-infected fleas for use in biological attacks.
By the numbers: The archives identify around 2,000 personnel associated with Unit 1644 and about 850 with Unit 8604. The files include names, military ranks, home addresses, and unit assignments. Originally held by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the records were transferred to the National Archives in 2024.
Why it matters: The operations violated the 1925 Geneva Protocol, which bans the use of biological and chemical weapons. Until now, most public attention focused on Unit 731, while the activities of other units remained largely undocumented and shielded from scrutiny.
Cheap, tiny, single-seat EV a big hit in Japan
Japanese electric vehicle startup KG Motors has received more than 2,250 preorders for its single-seat EV, the Mibot — exceeding half of the 3,300 units it plans to deliver by March 2027. The vehicle, priced at approximately $7,000, is designed as a kei car, a category of small, lightweight vehicles in Japan that qualify for tax and insurance benefits.
The Mibot has a top speed of 37 miles per hour and a range of about 62 miles per charge. Production is set to begin in October at a facility near Hiroshima, with the first 300 units scheduled for delivery by March 2026. CEO Kazunari Kusunoki said the vehicle was designed in response to the scale of Japanese streets, stating, “Cars are simply too big.”
The 1st Vietnamese American to reach the NBA Finals …
Jaylin Williams, a reserve forward for the Oklahoma City Thunder, is set to make history as the first NBA player of Vietnamese descent to appear in the Finals. The Thunder secured their spot by defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals on May 28.
Williams, 22, was drafted by Oklahoma City in 2022 and has since emerged as a key contributor off the bench. Known for his defensive versatility and leadership, he finished ninth in voting for the NBA’s 2024–25 Teammate of the Year award.
Born in Fort Smith, Arkansas, to a Vietnamese mother, Williams became the first player of Vietnamese heritage ever drafted into the NBA. He has embraced his trailblazer status and continues to serve as a visible role model for Asian American athletes.
Throughout Oklahoma City’s playoff run, Williams has earned praise not only for his on-court contributions but also for his energy and presence on the bench, drawing attention as an “elite hype man” during the conference finals.
The Thunder, who posted a league-best 68–14 record this season, will face the Indiana Pacers when the NBA Finals begin on June 5.
Hybe establishes 1st China office amid signs of K-pop ban’s end
Hybe, the K-pop company behind BTS, has launched its first Chinese subsidiary in Beijing as industry expectations grow that China will lift its informal ban on South Korean entertainment content.
How it will help: Hybe China, which was established on April 2 and announced publicly on Thursday, marks Hybe’s fourth overseas branch after Japan, the U.S. and Latin America. But unlike the others that have launched localized idol groups, the China office is not expected to immediately debut new acts or launch talent audition programs. Instead, it will play a more supportive role for existing artists in their local activities.
The big picture: The move comes as Beijing is widely expected to lift its informal ban on Korean pop performances later this year, with the restrictions having been in place since 2016 following diplomatic tensions over South Korea’s deployment of the U.S.’ THAAD missile system. Hybe joins rival agencies SM Entertainment, YG Entertainment and JYP Entertainment, which already operate Chinese branches, with SM and JYP having debuted China-focused groups WayV and Boy Story respectively. Market optimism has driven significant stock gains, with Hybe shares up 40% this year while both SM Entertainment and YG Entertainment shares have risen more than 80%. Recent diplomatic developments include China’s November decision to waive visas for South Koreans, with South Korea planning reciprocal measures for Chinese visitors in the third quarter of 2025.
New Netflix Korean anime film is a heartwarming sci-fi love story
Netflix’s first Korean original anime film, "Lost in Starlight," directed by renowned animator Han Ji-won, made its global debut on May 30.
Set in 2050, the sci-fi romance film follows Nan-young, an astaronaut selected for a Mars mission, and Jay, a musician who has left his career behind. Their paths cross in Seoul just before Nan-young’s departure and a brief connection deepens into something neither is prepared to let go — despite the planet between them.The Korean voice cast includes Kim Tae-ri and Hong Kyung, while the English-language dub features Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and Justin H. Min.
Han, who made her feature debut with "Clearer Than You Think" in 2015, is known for exploring youth, emotional distance and longing. Her earlier short "Kopi Luwak" (2010) won the Grand Prize at the Seoul Independent Animation Film Festival and her 2022 film "The Sea of the Day of the Return of Magic" screened at Sundance in 2023.