L.A. Protests Deal Serious Blow to Businesses in Little Tokyo as Rioters Commit Theft, Vandalism
Yasushi Kaneko/ Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent
Little Tokyo in Los Angeles deserted due to protests, on June 13.
LOS ANGELES — Protests against U.S. President Donald Trump administration's increased immigration crackdown have seriously impacted Little Tokyo, the Japanese neighborhood in Los Angeles that is home to many Japanese restaurants and other businesses. The area is included in the curfew zone, which has caused a further decline in the number of customers in addition to the deteriorating security situation.
Protests continue in the downtown area near Dodger Stadium, where Little Tokyo is located. The city of Los Angeles has imposed a curfew from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. since June 10, forcing many stores to close in the evening.
Yasushi Kaneko /Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent
Little Tokyo in Los Angeles deserted due to protests, on June 13.
'Sales have dropped to one-fifth,' lamented Mamoru Tokuda, 47, owner of Kouraku, known as the oldest ramen shop in the United States. Tokuda tried to stop rioters from spray-painting graffiti and nearly got sprayed in the face. 'Most demonstrations are peaceful, but the radical behavior by some ruins it,' he said angrily.
Founded by Japanese Americans after World War II, Little Tokyo is one of the largest Japanese neighborhoods in the United States and is home to hundreds of restaurants and other stores. There have been a series of cases of glass breakage and theft by rioters.
Brian Kito, 68, president of a crime prevention group, said, 'The atmosphere changes dramatically at night and stores have become more vigilant.' Most stores have boarded up their windows to prevent damage.
At the Miyako Hotel Los Angeles, a Japanese-affiliated hotel, hundreds of reservations have been canceled since June. Akira Yuhara, 72, the hotel's general manager, said: 'The hotel's occupancy rate has dropped by half compared to the same month last year. We are in a very difficult situation and hope it will be resolved as soon as possible.
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