Rafu Shimpo

The Rafu Shimpo (羅府新報, Rafu Shinpō) is a Japanese-English language newspaper based in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, California.

The paper began in 1903 as a one-page, mimeographed Japanese-language newspaper produced by Rippo Iijima, Masaharu Yamaguchi, and Seijiro Shibuya. H. T. Komai became publisher in 1922, beginning a family dynasty. He was succeeded by son Akira and grandson Michael.[1] The name of the newspaper essentially translates as "Los Angeles area newspaper" ("ra" abbreviated from "rashogiri" (羅省枝利), a historic Chinese name for Los Angeles, "fu" meaning "prefecture", and "shinpo", a term for newspaper).[2]

Togo Tanaka, the editor of the paper's English language section, appealed unsuccessfully to the United States government to allow the paper to continue printing in the event of war with Japan, and oversaw the paper's last edition before he was sent to the Manzanar internment camp.[3]

The paper ceased publication in 1942 due to the Japanese American Internment. It was revived in 1946, due to Akira Komai's foresight and the loyalty of his employees. Komai had arranged for the paper's rent to be paid during the war and hid the Japanese type under the floorboards.[1]

In March 2010, the Los Angeles Times reported that The Rafu Shimpo was losing circulation and money, and was the target of community drives hoping to save the newspaper from going out of business.[4] On March 25, 2016, publisher Michael Komai released an "open letter" stating that the paper had lost $750,000 over the past three years, was projected to lose $350,000 in 2016, and would have to close at the end of the year unless its finances improved.[5]