David Monkawa stands in front of a slide showing how Fourth & Central might look upon completion. (Photo: George Toshio Johnston)
Little Tokyo Against Gentrification continues campaign against redevelopment plans.
By George Toshio Johnston, Pacific Citizen Senior Editor
Despite the unanimous vote last year (Nov. 14, 2025 Pacific Citizen, tinyurl.com/3y4d5jxv) by the Los Angeles City Planning Commission to recommend that the Los Angeles City Council approve an estimated $2 billion redevelopment of a Little -Tokyo-adjacent property, opposition to the Fourth & Central project persists.
Representing that stance is Little Tokyo Against Gentrification or LTAG, comprised of Greater Los Angeles JACL, Save Our Seniors and J-Town Action and Solidarity. The group held a news conference Jan. 21 at the Tokyo Villa recreation room in Little Tokyo.
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Speaking first and standing in front of a slide showing an artist’s rendition of what the completed Fourth & Central project might look like was David Monkawa of Save Our Seniors, who said, “You’re all here at the epicenter of this construction project that’s going to last seven years, cost $2 billion and, we fear, cause a lot of rents to skyrocket.” He connected increased rents caused by the project to the displacement of current residents and small businesses.
Next was Tokyo Villa resident Cindy Lin, who is also a community organizer with J-Town Action and Solidarity. “The proposed project does not meet the actual needs of the community, and instead looks to exploit historically poor and underserved neighborhoods like Skid Row and Little Tokyo.”
Clockwise from upper left: David Monkawa, Cindy Lin, Nancy Uyemura, Sebastian Carbajal, Donna Maeda and Mitchell Matsumura (Photos: George Toshio Johnston)
Noting the proximity of 4th & Central to Tokyo Villa, Miyako Gardens and Little Tokyo Towers, which she said are home to “many older adults with fixed incomes,” Lin added: “This project is a threat to their health and well-being, not only during the long construction period, but also followed by the projected cost-of-living increases that come with luxury developments like this one, with only minimum low-income housing guarantees.”
Identifying herself as a “long-term resident” of downtown Los Angeles who was among several Japanese American artists evicted from 800 Traction Ave. after it was sold was Nancy Uyemura. “People that don’t live down here don’t understand the kinds of problems that we have to deal with day to day,” she said. “It would be just really horrendous and difficult for us to live here anymore. It would really wipe out Little Tokyo, I think, because Little Tokyo is struggling right now.”
This Apple Maps image shows Tokyo Villa, on the far left, with the current site of Los Angeles Cold Storage, where the Fourth & Central development would be built if approved, on the far right.
JACL Pacific Southwest District Youth Representative and JACL National Youth/Student Council member Sebastian Carbajal spoke next. “I grew up going to Little Tokyo my entire life, and I see more as than just a tour spot. It’s my community,” he said, noting that he works for Aloha Cafe. “What’s so interesting about this build is that if it could be done right, we could see so many old businesses and people who used to live in the area come back.”
Minnesota-born Donna Maeda, who worked at Occidental College in its Department of Critical Theory and Social Justice and retired as dean of the Kofi Annan Institute for Global Citizenship at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn., was next.
Comparing the legacy that Little Tokyo represents to the small Japanese American community that came into existence after World War II in the Twin Cities, which didn’t have Little Tokyo’s “people and organizations committed to preserving our culture and history and working for the well-being of community,” she said the proposed development would threaten “the ability of Little Tokyo to remain a Japanese American community with sustainable businesses, community and cultural organizations and residents that are at its heart.”
Speaking last was Greater Los Angeles JACL chapter President Mitchell Matsumura. “The Fourth & Central megamall will irreparably harm and reshape the character of Little Tokyo, the last remaining Little Tokyo in the United States, for generations to come,” he said. “LTAG wants adequate low-income housing, low rents for Little Tokyo legacy small businesses, zero emission/green construction measures, public green space and a venue for community events.
“There are two more hearings left, which are the City Council Planning and Land Use hearing, and the final one is the City Council. We are asking the Council to oppose this project.”
Sebastian Carbajal, Sande Saika, Nancy Uyemura and Donna Maeda display their banner as David Monkawa addresses the audience at the Jan. 21 news conference. (Photo: George Toshio Johnston)
Asked by Pacific Citizen, “What will your organization that you’re representing today do if the City Council does move ahead to officially greenlight the Fourth & Central project?,” Monkawa answered, “We’re going to continue on with the campaign. We feel that if we continue to make a statement as Little Tokyo Against Gentrification, that we’re opposed to this mall, that eventually financing for the place may become a little bit more jeopardized. So we’re going to continue on with our program.”
Asked if there was a mutually amicable solution that LTAG could agree to if Fourth & Central was to proceed, Monkawa answered that his group would be willing to talk as long as the “crucial issue” of affordable housing was addressed.
Although Continuum Partners, the Denver-based company that had partnered with Los Angeles Cold Storage to develop Fourth & Central, has dropped out, Monkawa said that Larry Rauch, president of Los Angeles Cold Storage, “wants to pursue the development, and is currently seeking financing.”
Asked by Pacific Citizen whether any of the groups that were part of the news conference had reached out to Rauch for a meeting to address their concerns, Monkawa said, “No, we have not, but it’s a possibility.”
