Terminal Island tells an important story about Los Angeles and the nation’s maritime, commercial, and Japanese American history. In recent years the Port of L.A. has established an ongoing pattern and practice of needlessly demolishing historic buildings at Terminal Island without considering feasible alternatives. Nanka Shoten and A. Nakamura Co. are the last two remaining buildings from the Japanese American fishing village on Terminal Island currently at risk of demolition.

Update! On May 7, 2025, the National Trust for Historic Preservation included Terminal Island Japanese American Tuna Street Buildings on its list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. Now in its 38th year, the National Trust’s annual list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places has proven to be a highly effective tool for shining a light on the threats facing our nation’s greatest treasures. Due to the efforts of the National Trust and its passionate supporters, the ongoing initiative has galvanized public support behind more than 350 sites to date with only a handful lost.

In February 2025, Councilmember Tim McOsker, Council District 15, introduced a motion to designate two historic buildings on Terminal Island as a Historic-Cultural Monument (HCM).

For nearly two decades, the Conservancy has been a leading advocate for preservation on Terminal Island, working tirelessly to ensure this place and its important layers of history are not completely lost. Located at 700-702 and 712-716 Tuna Street, these modest-looking buildings impart extraordinary significance and are among the final physical links to a once-vibrant community that was tragically erased during World War II.

Before the war, Terminal Island was home to over 3,000 Japanese Americans who played a pivotal role in establishing Los Angeles’ tuna fishing industry. However, following the attack on Pearl Harbor in late 1941, the community became the first in the nation to be forcibly removed and, along with other Japanese Americans, ultimately incarcerated in concentration camps. Their homes were demolished, leaving little behind. Now, the Port of Los Angeles wants to demolish these buildings.

“We must preserve what remains, not only to protect an important part of Los Angeles’ cultural and social history but to honor their contributions and ensure that future generations learn from this past and carry forward their legacy,” said Councilmember Tim McOsker.

This initial motion will next go before the full City Council on February 19, the anniversary of the 1942 presidential executive order that set into motion the incarceration of Japanese Americans during the war. Once approved, the motion will direct the city’s Planning Department to prepare the Historic-Cultural Monument application, which will be reviewed by the Cultural Heritage Commission before a final City Council vote. If approved, the designation will protect these buildings from demolition or significant alteration, safeguarding a vital piece of Los Angeles’ history for generations to come. The motion highlights a commitment to honoring the history of the Terminal Island community, making this a momentous step toward securing its place in Los Angeles’ cultural heritage.

Thank you Councilmember Tim McOsker and the Terminal Islanders Association!

According to a recent report in The Rafu Shimpo on May 18, 2024, the Port of Los Angeles’ Department of Real Estate has recommended demolition of the last two remaining buildings from Terminal Island’s historic Japanese American fishing village.

We believe the buildings located at 700-702 and 712-716 Tuna Street are eligible for the National Register of Historic Places for their association with the Japanese American community on Terminal Island and should be preserved.

While this project may be in the early development stage, we ask the Harbor Commission and Port leadership to intervene and work on an alternative vision in collaboration with community stakeholders that encourages rehabilitation of these last remaining historic buildings as well as interpretation to amplify the history of the Japanese American fishing village while enhancing Terminal Island.