Yerin Lee
History is written by the victors. The stories of the conquered are buried beneath their monuments. Columbus is praised as the discoverer of the New World. The bombing of Nagasaki is justified as a necessary end to war. But the voices of those who suffered — their grief, their trauma, their endurance — are silenced, reduced to footnotes, if remembered at all.
In this spirit, Little Tokyo stands as a proud figure of Japanese American resilience. Facing racism, forced incarceration and decades of exclusion, Japanese Americans refused to disappear. Instead, they endured, survived and thrived, building a vibrant community from the point they had everything taken away. Their culture, rooted firmly, flourished and was passed down through generations. Little Tokyo embodies proof that justice ultimately triumphs over injustice.
Yet today, that legacy is currently facing the danger of erasure. The Fourth & Central Cold Storage Project, slated for 400 S. Central Ave., threatens to bulldoze this flame of resilience. If shiny skyscrapers and luxury buildings rise here, who will remember the historic neighborhood that once held the memories of Japanese Americans?
Since its establishment in the late 19th century, Little Tokyo has been an oasis for Japanese immigrants fleeing racial persecution, exclusion and economic hardship. Despite discriminatory laws and widespread prejudice, these residents established thriving businesses, temples, schools and community centers, making themselves a home far and foreign from their ancestral lands.
The community’s greatest trial came during World War II, when Executive Order 9066 forcibly displaced over 120,000 Japanese Americans, incarcerating them in remote camps solely based on their ethnicity. After the war, many returned and fought tirelessly to reclaim their neighborhood, determinedly preserving their identity against relentless pressures from redevelopment and gentrification. Little Tokyo remains one of only three historic Japantowns left in the United States, a testament to a community’s enduring strength.
Equally troubling is how the voices of Little Tokyo’s residents have been systematically ignored in planning the Fourth & Central Project. Despite the project’s proximity, community consultation has been minimal, with developers frequently canceling meetings and ignoring attempts at dialogue. The sole major change — a modest reduction in building height — was imposed without genuine community input, leaving central concerns about affordability and neighborhood character unresolved.
This lack of meaningful engagement actively dismisses the rights, voices and lived experiences of Little Tokyo residents. It represents an erasure of the present, a dismissal of the community’s role in shaping its own destiny.
Most concerning of all, the Cold Storage Project threatens to dismantle the cultural foundation established over generations, particularly affecting low-income residents and legacy businesses — the very heartbeat of Little Tokyo. Promises of luxury apartments, with only minimal affordable housing, ignore the realities of a neighborhood whose median household income barely surpasses $15,000 per year.
Rising rents and inadequate affordable housing would force out families who have anchored this community for decades. Small, beloved businesses that are vital cultural cornerstones face displacement and closure, destroying the social fabric that binds the community together. To allow these changes is to dismantle the community, breaking chains of tradition and cultural continuity, ultimately demolishing Little Tokyo’s future.
Allowing this development signals acceptance of cultural erasure, implying that the sacrifices and resilience of Japanese Americans matter less than developers’ profits.
Yet, as we face this critical moment, it is only us to steer the future rather than have it imposed upon us. We can choose to honor our history instead of erasing it. Little Tokyo has survived incarceration, racism and redevelopment threats before. It must not fall silent now — nor should we.
Yerin Lee is an artist, and she wrote this commentary with the Little Tokyo Community Council. Her perspective is informed in part by her experience as an immigrant to the U.S. from Korea.
