Recent Japanese Settlement Changes in the Los Angeles Area

Abstract

RECENT JAPANESE SETTLEMENT CHANGES IN THE LOS ANGELES AREA* Midori Nishl California State College, Los Angeles Young Il Kim, California State College, Los Angeles The Japanese in the Los Angeles area have had an unusually dynamic settlement history. FoUowing 1890 migrants from Japan began to arrive on the Pacific Coast in ever increasing numbers, hopeful of finding a better livelihood and permanent homes. Almost from the beginning they showed a decided preference for die Los Angeles Basin, and bv 1910 diis had become die largest Japanese agglomeration in America. In spite of restrictive legislation in California this ethnic group made slow but steady economic progress, and dieir place in the general community seemed firmly established and regulated by local custom. Pearl Harbor in 1941 marked die end of dieir established way of Ufe; die Pacific Coast was at once declared a MiUtary Defense Zone, where all residents of Japanese race, whether American or foreign-bom, were to be moved out and "relocated " elsewhere. A number of relocation camps were set up in die interior where most of the evacuees spent two-diree years until die end of die war. Fortunately so-called "resettlement" had begun much earlier: many Japanese of college age were able to continue dieir education in midwestem or eastern colleges, and many more left die camps for employment and new homes in various areas. The ban on Pacific Coast residence was rescinded in January·. 1945,,and genuine resettlement was begun shortly afterward. Aldiough many chose to remain in die Midwest and die East, California was still "home" to die larger share of the evacuees, widi die Los Angeles area die prime favorite. Hesitantly at first, dien widi growing confidence, die return movement continued diroughout 1945. The returnees hoped to resume dieir former type of Ufe as nearly as possible. Immediate problems included housing shortages, few employment prospects, limited capital widi which to start new businesses or restore old ones, and a general feeling of uncertainty as to dieir acceptance. Conditions had changed and many new adjustments were necessary, but friends, relatives, and familiar surroundings made die rehabilitation process easier. Many had incurred heavy property losses during dieir absence. On die favorable side, however, metropolitan Los Angeles was expanding rapidly and diere were many new employment opportunities for skilled work- * This study is a continuation of a research project begun as a doctoral dissertation , University of Washington, 1955. See also 'Japanese Setdement in the Los Angeles Area, A.P.C.G. Yearbook, 1958, pp. 35-48. Subsequent research in Japan ana Hawaii has provided additional data for future use on sources of Japanese migration. The senior author wishes to acknowledge much valuable assistance given by Young Il Kim, graduate student at California State College, Los Angeles, where he received the M.A. degree. Mr. Kim is continuing graduate work in geography at UCLA. 23 ers. An additional advantage which gradually became apparent was an altered attitude toward the Japanese as a race; prejudice was still encountered but it was diminishing steadily. Nisei seeking employment began to compete with the general community; in the skilled trades many jobs which had been unavailable in 1940, began to open up by 1950 and were freely available in 1960. Table 1 Japanese population crowth in Los Anceles City, Los Anceles County, California, and the United States from 1890 t? 1960 Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited YearCityCountyCaliforniaStates 196051,46877,314157,317464,332« 195025,50236,76184,956141,768 194023,32136,86693,717126,947 193021,08135,39097,456138,834 192011,61819,91171,952111,010 19104,2388,46141,35672,157 190015020410,15124,326 189026361,1472,039 * This figure includes the United States proper, Alaska, and the Hawaiian Islands . The continental U.S. (including Alaska) has 260,877 Japanese and the Hawaiian Islands 203,455. Sources: Compiled from reports of the United States Bureau of Census, Eleventh . Twelfth, Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth, Sixteenth, Seventeenth, and Eighteenth Census of Population (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office). Population Trends The growth curve of the Japanese in America, bodi nationally and locally, shows certain significant correlations, including die effects of unfavorable or favorable immigration laws, and the strong preference of this edinic group for semi-tropical environments (Soudiem California, Hawaii). The sharply rising...