San Francisco Japantown Task Force

DATA SHEET

Place: Nichi Bei Times

Address: 2211 Bush St. San Francisco, CA 94115

Description:

The Nichi Bei Times is located at 2211 Bush St., between Steiner and Fillmore streets, in a white two-story building built by the company from the ground up in the early 1970’s. The property also includes a parking lot, which can comfortably fit approximately a dozen automobiles. The building is said to be located in a variety of areas, including Japantown, the Western Addition, The Fillmore, and Lower Pacific Heights.

History:

The Nichi Bei Times, which printed its first edition on May 18, 1946, is the oldest Japanese American bilingual daily newspaper in Northern California, and one of only three such remaining newspapers left in the United States. Although it retained some of the same staff as the pre-war Nichi Bei Shimbun – a newspaper founded in 1899 by newspaperman Kyutaro Abiko – the Nichi Bei Times was set up as a totally different corporation. The Nichi Bei Times was founded as a way to get the Japanese American community reconnected after their wartime incarceration in American concentration camps. “When we came back out after the war, we didn’t know where everyone was,” recalled the late Tsutomu Umezu, one of the six main founders of the Nichi Bei Times. “So we got together to make a newspaper. It was a way to reconnect.” Since the paper’s inception, it has been situated at three different locations, initially at 1775 Sutter St. in San Francisco’s Japantown, within a year relocating to 1375 Eddy St, and then moving to its present location in 1972 because of redevelopment. Over the years, the newspaper has covered wide areas of community interest, including myriad topics reflective of a vibrant immigrant community. Over the years, numerous researchers have used materials from the Nichi Bei Times for various projects, exhibits and books. Today, the Nichi Bei Times strives to be the glue that holds the community together – culturally, historically, socially, emotionally, spiritually and politically.

Significance:

Cultural, Social, Educational

Recognition of Significance:

Foreign Ministry Commendation ’04; Pioneer Award from New California Media ’98; Comm. Service Award from New California Media ’99; Comm. Leadership Award (Kimochi) ‘99; Comm. Leadership Award (JCYC) ‘97

Sources:

Kenji G. Taguma, Vice President and English Section Editor, Nichi Bei Times; and brief company history

Other Comments:

The Nichi Bei Times helps to empower a full range of the Japanese American community, including organizations and individuals, as well as a plethora of issues throughout the years such as the Japanese American Redress Movement, the struggle over the former Japanese YWCA, and the like.

Prepared By: Kenji G. Taguma Date Prepared: 10/13/04