Mission Statement
The mission of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Southern California is to provide opportunities and services for business development, promote the welfare of the local Japanese American Community, help preserve our cultural heritage, strengthen mutual understanding and good will between the United States and Japan and foster our future generations, all through various events and programs.
JCCSC History
After the end of the Pacific War in August 1945, some 25,000 people of 112,000 interned Japanese Americans returned to and around the city of Los Angeles by the end of 1945.
The area of Little Tokyo played a primary role in restoring Japanese Americans’ lives. Their lives begun to stabilize, various organizations were formed to protect Japanese Americans’ rights and promoted their economical positions as well. On that occasion, Los Angeles Japanese American Association was founded to represent the community of Japanese Americans in September 1947. This association became regarded as an authoritative body in the community. Little Tokyo Business Association, on the other hand, was dealing with local development and vitalization. These two organizations were merged into Japanese American Chamber of Commerce of Southern California which was licensed as Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Southern California by the government of the State of California in 1951.From its foundation, JCCSC as a pivotal body in the community has had two major activities such as social work and the promotion of Japanese American commerce and industry. However, Japanese Americans being a minority group in American society, JCCSC could not but devote its major time to social work.
Primary past activities
1949:
-Relief activities for Japanese refugees
-Helped Japanese people with their naturalization in U.S.A.
-Received and supported Japanese representative swimmers, Hironoshin Furuhashi, et al for U.S. National Swimming Competition
-Helped and supported the reinaguration of Nisei Week Festival in Little Tokyo
1958:
Founded JCCSC Scholarship which became Japanese American Treaty Centennial Scholarship Fund, Inc. in 1960 and to present
1959:
Relief activities for victims of Isewan Typhoon
1980:
Cooperated in the completion of Japanese American Cultural and Community Center
1983:
Cooperated in building Japan America Theatre
Current:
JCCSC Members 205 (Corporate: 132 Individual: 73)
Purpose
-Enhance Japanese and Japanese American welfare
-Support business activities by Japanese and Japanese Americans in Southern California
-Promote mutual understanding and friendship between Japan and U.S.A. and propagate culture of Japan
-Communicate and exchange opinions with governmental organizations and local organizations.
Please see our Mission Statement
Management
The organization is managed by the Board of Directors composed of up to 75 directors elected at the annual members meeting. The Board of Directors entrusts the slate of officers headed by the president with the management and sets up 17 committees to support and strengthen the management by the officers.
Directors
The members elect up to 75 directors at their annual members meeting for a one-year term. Any vacancies on the Board can be filled by the Board of Directors as often as it needs to do so.
Committees
- Administration Committee
- Bylaw Committee
- Membership Committee
- History Committee
- Government Committee
- Business Seminar Committee
- New Year's Committee
- Jokun Committee
- Installation Committee
- Ashinaga and Rainbow Committee
- Charity Golf Committee