Last Remaining Buildings of Terminal Island’s Japanese American Fishing Village Approved for Historic-Cultural Monument Status

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles City Council today voted on Councilmember Tim McOsker’s motion to officially designate the Terminal Island “Furusato” Tuna Street Buildings as Historic-Cultural Monuments, preserving the last two remaining buildings of a once-thriving Japanese American fishing village erased during World War II.

The two buildings, located at 700–702 and 712–716 Tuna Street, are the only surviving structures from a community that played a pivotal role in Los Angeles’ fishing industry and cultural history. They once housed the Nanka Dry Goods Store and A. Nakamura Company Grocery Store, cornerstones of a vibrant neighborhood known as Furusato (“home village”).

“While almost the entire village was lost, these two buildings stand as a tangible link to the Japanese American story and a dark chapter of our country’s history, one marked by discrimination and displacement,” said Councilmember Tim McOsker. “When we look at what’s happening on our streets in Los Angeles right now, this is why it’s more important than ever to preserve these buildings as a reminder. We cannot allow history to repeat itself.”

Before World War II, Terminal Island was home to more than 3,000 Japanese Americans and featured a lively commercial district centered on Tuna Street. The neighborhood disappeared almost overnight in 1942 after Executive Order 9066, when Terminal Island became the first community forcibly removed and incarcerated in internment camps. Residents were ordered to leave, their homes were demolished, and the Navy repurposed the island for the war effort.

“In 1942, 125,000 individuals of Japanese heritage were removed from their homes and incarcerated for the duration of WWII.  Of this total, 60% were American citizens,” said William T. Fujioka, Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Japanese American National Museum. “This was done without due process and represents one of the greatest violations of civil rights in our Country’s history.  Preserving the history and contributions of the Japanese who lived on Terminal Island is extremely important to both remember this injustice and ensure that it never happens again.”

The Council initially took the first vote on McOsker's motion six months ago, on February 19, the anniversary of Executive Order 9066. That initial vote directed the Planning Department to prepare the application for Historic-Cultural Monument status for review by the Cultural Heritage Commission. The Commission ultimately determined that the Tuna Street Buildings hold significant cultural, economic, and social value as the last physical connection to Terminal Island’s Japanese American community. The Planning and Land Use Management Committee agreed with the Commissions’ assessment and approval and sent the matter to the Council for final approval.

“Today will be remembered as a truly momentous occasion that is an important step towards significantly honoring the legacy of the Terminal Island Japanese immigrant and Japanese-American community from the early 1900s through February 1942," said Paul Hiroshi Boyea, Chair of the Terminal Islanders Preservation Initiative. “These buildings represent history, culture, family and the ability to ensure the preservation of the last remaining physical remnants of this important era of Japanese and American culture and their significant contribution to the California fishing industry. Their stories of immigration, resilience, and community will be formally commemorated, protected, and passed down to future generations.”

“This is deeply emotional for me because I work closely with the original inhabitants of the Terminal Island Fishing Village—the Japanese who lived there before 1942," said Donna Cottrell, Vice President of the Terminal Islanders Association. "They’ve felt forgotten for so long. These Tuna Street buildings tell the story of a vibrant fishing community that was forcibly removed and had its history nearly erased. Today, most people don’t realize how important tuna fishing was to Los Angeles and the Port. We welcome local students to the Terminal Island Memorial Monument and talk about the former Japanese community, and most of them have never knew about the history. When I talk to the original Terminal Islanders, what they want most is for people to remember the incredible contributions Japanese immigrants and their descendants made through the fishing industry.”

As Historic-Cultural Monuments, the Tuna Street Buildings are now protected under the Los Angeles Administrative Code. This designation prevents demolition or major alterations without review and ensures that these historic structures will be preserved as part of the city’s cultural heritage for generations to come.

“I am thrilled by the Historical-Cultural Monument designation for the last two remaining buildings that represent the once forgotten Japanese Fishing Village on Terminal Island,” said Terry Hara, President of the Terminal Islanders Association. “Having such recognition will help preserve and honor our first and second generations of Japanese Ancestry Americans that were forced from their homes and businesses and incarcerated because of hate and paranoia. These buildings will be used to educate future generations of the “Furusato”, home sweet home.”