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NEWS • Politics Written by Yunisa DELGADO-FLORES • July 3rd, 2022 — 8:10PM Sun rises on Little Tokyo, committee passes bill to recognize district The Designation of Little Tokyo Act, an act that would give the community-dubbed “Little Tokyo” district in South Rockford Drive it’s name officially, passes the senate committee. The Hinomaru, the Japanese Flag, flying high in the morning following the passing. — Alan Kim, July 3rd 2022 On July the 2nd, the committee of public safety of the San Andreas Senate held a hearing regarding the Designation of Little Tokyo Act of 2022; the act that would make the name “Little Tokyo” official. South Rockford Drive, from Invention Court to Dutch London Street, is home to the highest proportion of Japanese migrants and Japanese-Americans within the city of Los Santos. Los Santos County, according to the findings listed in the act, is home to more than 60,000 Japanese residents. The bill, introduced by Senator Adrian Rossi (R), aims to help a community that he described as having “historically suffered” during the hearing. On the west coast, around 110,000 to 120,000 Japanese Americans, which 70 percent of which were born within the U.S., were sent to camps by Executive Order 9066 in 1941. Those who were sent to camps faced economic struggle on release. Japanese-Americans were sent across the country to different camps, where different camps neighbored both wealthy and deprived areas of the country. Many of those who were relocated to these deprived areas found themselves receiving less education opportunities, had worse housing, and earned less money, reported the Harvard Gazette. Those who found themselves relocated to camps located within San Andreas often migrated to Los Santos on their release. Many found themselves moving to the section of South Rockford Drive that is commonly known as Little Tokyo While efforts have been made to rectify and to support the Japanese-American population nationwide following the internment camps, Japanese-Americans and other Asian-Americans face harassment day-to-day. NBC reported how, in 2021, hate crimes against Asians and Asian-Americans increased 339 percent with cities such as Los Santos, San Fierro and New York hitting record highs. Daichi Saejima, the founder and head of the Japanese American Association (JAA), a non-profit that serves to assist Japanese-Americans within Los Santos, described how he and his community faced issues with police harassment in the past in an interview with the Daily News. He expressed his gratitude to this bill passing the committee and hopes it’s a sign of thing to come. “It means our pleas have finally been heard by the higher powers.” Saejima shared in a response to asking about his opinions on the bill. “We've wanted change, and finally, after our trials and tribulations, we're making steady progress. Us as the Japanese-Americans, we're being treated as equals. Given the rights and acknowledgement we deserve.” During the hearing, Sen Tsujihara and Ian Ichiro Inoue, the niece and nephew of Saejima and fellow members of the JAA, were present as witnesses during the hearing. Tsujihara testified to the struggles Japanese-Americans face in the present day, noting a “systemic oppression” that their community faces and how Little Tokyo and the JAA serves as a hub for support. “Before the internment in the forties, our Japantown was the most prosperous of its kind anywhere in the country.” Inoue said in regards to Little Tokyo and it’s past. “Despite our struggles that we've faced in the years following executive orders and other such issues, Little Tokyo provides not only a vast spread of amenities in the way of corner stores, apartment housing, and any such need that a new family could possibly hope for.” “Formal recognition of our historic district would pave the way to ending the decades long damage done.”, Tsujihara said in the hearing. Senator Kaoru King-Yagami (D), who originally came from Japan, expressed their support for the bill by stating “I hope my heritage, and that of all Japanese-Americans may be able to be proudly displayed into the future with this act.” The bill passed the committee hearing unanimously with Senators Lu (D), Jones (D), Meier (D) and Benson (R) not being present. It now will face a hearing from the senate as a whole, where they will vote to pass it into law. Comments are enabled: Username: Comment: