Historic Status Secured for Last Buildings of Terminal Island’s Japanese American Fishing Village

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles City Council Aug. 20 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 Feb. 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.

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.