San Francisco Japantown Task Force

DATA SHEET

Place/Event: Hokubei Mainichi, Inc.

Address: 1746 Post St., San Francisco

Description:

Hokubei Mainichi is one of only two Japanese-American newspapers remaining within Japantown, and serves several thousand readers throughout the Bay Area. The newspaper provides news pieces that are relevant to all generations of Japanese Americans, including local community briefs from Japantown, national news in the US, and international news from Japan. For news pieces in areas such as San Jose, Watsonville, Stockton, Fresno, and Sacramento, Hokubei Mainichi utilizes local correspondents to gather information and send articles to its main offices in Japantown. Currently, the newspaper is distributed on weekdays and is fully bilingual, with each publication featuring 2 pages of English and 6 pages of Japanese. At the top of the front page, readers can also check out upcoming events in and around the Japantown area.

History:

Shortly after the end of WWII, Hokubei Mainichi was established in Japantown in 1948 to serve the Japanese American population in the Northern California area. Currently, the newspaper is one of only two remaining bilingual Japanese-English newspapers in the entire bay area, and for fifty years has provided a vital news source which native Japanese speakers can understand and appreciate. In addition, the present building that houses Hokubei Mainichi is one of the oldest buildings in Japantown (approx. 80 years old), and was frequently used as a Christian Church before the newspaper took it over in 1948. The building is currently under review by the Landmark Preservation Advisory Board as one of California’s potential historical landmark.

Significance:

Cultural, Educational, Historical

Recognition of Significance:

Certificate of Recognition from Asian Pacific American Advocates of California ’83; Outstanding leadership award, JCYC, ’97; Japanese Foreign Minister’s Commendation award ‘04

Sources:

Kiyoshi Naito, Interim President, Hokubei Mainichi, Inc.

Other Comments:

Hokubei Mainichi is esp. valuable to Japanese Americans in Japantown because most local news pieces are not reported in mainstream newspapers like the San Francisco Chronicle or Examiner.

Prepared By: Kiyoshi Naito Date Prepared: 7/19/04