NW26 | Nisei Week 2026 Frances K. Hashimoto Community Service Awards Go to Mutual Trading, Eric Nakano, Debra Nakatomi, and SO-PHIS
Los Angeles – July 12, 2026 – The Nisei Week Foundation is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2026 Frances K. Hashimoto Community Service Award, honoring four individuals and organizations for their outstanding contributions to the Southern California Japanese American community: Mutual Trading Co., Inc., Erich Nakano, Debra Nakatomi and SO-PHIS.
The Frances K. Hashimoto Community Service Award recognizes individuals and organizations whose dedication, leadership, and service have strengthened the Japanese American community and helped preserve its culture, history, and legacy. The honorees will be recognized during the 2026 Nisei Week Coronation and Awards Celebration on Saturday, August 15, at 6:30 p.m. at the Los Angeles Theatre Center’s Tom Bradley Theatre, 514 S. Spring Street, Los Angeles. Tickets are $105 (orchestra) or $75 (balcony) per person. For ticket information visit the NiseiWeek.org website.
The Coronation and Awards Celebration promises to be a memorable evening, hosted by actor Tamlyn Tomita and ABC7 Eyewitness News anchor David Ono. Along with the Community Service honorees, the Grand and Parade marshals and President’s Award will also be presented. And after months of preparation, seven candidates will take the stage to vie for the title of Nisei Week Queen, celebrating the continued legacy of Japanese American culture, leadership, and community involvement.
Mutual Trading Co., Inc.
Mutual Trading Company, Inc. was founded in Los Angeles by Sadagoro Hoshizaki in 1926 as a co-op operation importing basic Japanese foods for the early Japanese immigrants. Following WWII, the company provided familiar foods to uplift the much-needed sense of security for the former internee community.
In 1965, Mutual Trading set off an epic transformation impacting the American dining scene by introducing sushi. General manager Noritoshi Kanai traveled to Tokyo with Harry Wolff Jr., a Jewish business consultant, on a dare and took him to a sushi bar. Exclaiming, “What could be fresher than foods prepared in front of my eyes?”, Wolff devoured one sushi after another. For Kanai, this was the “aha moment” that convinced him that Americans will eat and love raw fish.
Sushi arrived in Little Tokyo as Toyota and other Japanese corporations were just entering the U.S. market. Expat businessmen would head to sushi bars, their American counterparts in tow, and on a dare, enjoy watching them eat raw fish for the first time.
Other pioneering endeavors followed, including the first frozen edamame in the world and the launch of the ramen and premium sake boom. In addition, they introduced super frozen seafood at a cryogenic temperature, minus 60 degrees Fahrenheit, delivering the “just caught” freshness, and most recently, became the country’s top Wagyu importer.
As a trade pioneer and global trendsetter, Mutual Trading strengthens collaborations with dedicated suppliers devoted to their craft, and talented chefs demonstrating their culinary wonderment. Shouldering the “Culinary Ambassador” role, the company safeguards the art of traditional Japanese cuisine through key sustainability programs. Their Miyako Sushi & Washoku School trains next-generation sushi chefs. Likewise, their Sake School of America certifies sake enthusiasts pursuing higher knowledge of the category.
This spring, Mutual Trading celebrated its centennial anniversary. For 100 years, through the universal yet humble medium of food, the company has made meaningful societal impact: Comforting former internees, embedding sushi in the American dining scene, enriching lifestyles through joyful and healthy eating. Through this process, they’ve fostered cross-cultural understanding while following their forever corporate mission: Bringing the flavors of Japan to people around the world.
Erich Nakano
Erich Nakano was born in 1957 in Chicago after his family moved there following incarceration in the Heart Mountain and Tule Lake concentration camps during WWII. He moved to Gardena, Calif., when he was seven, and currently resides in Torrance.
His family frequented Little Tokyo to enjoy Nisei Week and to shop and dine. His parents were leaders in the redress and reparations movement and were active in community and cultural activities in Little Tokyo over the decades.
Erich became involved in fighting displacement and evictions in Little Tokyo in the 1970s through the Little Tokyo People’s Rights Organization. He then attended University of California, Berkeley, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in 1991, and receiving his master’s degree in urban planning from UCLA.
Erich Nakano joined the Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC) in 1992 as an intern, and has been there ever since. LTSC is a 46-year-old nonprofit organization that builds affordable housing, engages in community development work in Little Tokyo, and provides a broad range of social services for the elderly and families.
At LTSC, he has managed affordable housing and community facility projects in Little Tokyo, including the renovation of the Union Center for the Arts, and the Far East Building. He was responsible for developing several LTSC programs, including the Affordable Housing Collaborative – where LTSC partnered with other community organizations to build housing in Asian American and other communities of color; the Asian Pacific Islander Small Business Program; LTSC’s Child Development Program, and others.
Erich has served as LTSC’s deputy director, under its founder, Bill Watanabe, and the late Dean Matsubayashi. After Dean passed away in 2019, Erich was appointed executive director and served until 2025. After stepping down, he continues to serve at LTSC as director of special projects.
Debra Nakatomi
Debra Nakatomi focuses her career on promoting social change, supporting anti-racism efforts and reducing disparities in healthcare and community wellness. She is the founder of Nakatomi PR, a strategic communications firm that integrates advocacy, strategy and community engagement through awareness campaigns. For over 35 years, it has partnered with mission-driven organizations to disrupt systemic disparities and center community voices.
She is a former chair and trustee of The California Wellness Foundation, dedicated to advancing health and wellness, and HelpGuide.org, an online mental health resource. A lifelong advocate for gender equity, Debra serves on the World Board of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), which includes 11 million members in 153 countries dedicated to creating an equitable world where all girls thrive. She serves on the Little Tokyo Service Center Board of Governors and is a member of the U.S.-Japan Council.
Debra co-produced the Mineta Legacy Project that includes a TV documentary, “Norman Mineta and His Legacy: An American Story,” and an online curriculum, What Does it Mean to Be An American? profiling the life and career of Secretary Norman Y. Mineta and “Stories From Tohoku,” a one-hour TV documentary about survivors of the 2011 Japan earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster.
In 2020, Debra was conferred the award of the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays by the government of Japan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for her involvement in the Japanese American community and for promoting mutual understanding between Japan and the United States.
SO-PHIS
So-Phis was established in 1958 by a group of Nisei (second-generation Japanese American) women residing in Orange County who sought opportunities for local social gatherings while supporting community causes. The organization’s mission was to serve as a social and philanthropic women’s association, and is reflected in the name: So (social) and Phi (philanthropic).
The inaugural So-Phis benefit fashion show took place on Sept. 27, 1958, with proceeds directed to an Orange County children’s special needs association. Over the years, So-Phis expanded its charitable activities beyond Orange County, providing support to several Japanese American organizations in Los Angeles. Notably, the group was among the first to contribute to the construction of the Japanese American National Museum, furthering their involvement with other organizations in the Little Tokyo area.
For more than six decades, So-Phis has balanced its commitment to both social engagement and philanthropy, all while accommodating members’ family obligations. The dedication to this dual purpose has motivated continued member participation and ensured the organization’s longevity.
Currently, So-Phis comprises 28 active members and 12 associates (retired members). The annual fashion show, luncheon and boutique remain the primary fundraising event. As the organization has grown, the allocation of donations and volunteer efforts has become increasingly diverse, enabling broader support for various initiatives. So-Phis honors the legacy and vision of its founders by sustaining these core values.
The 84th Nisei Week Japanese Festival is a nine-day event first held in 1934 and is recognized today as one of the longest running cultural festivals in the United States. This event will take place in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo district from August 15-23. For the festival schedule, visit NiseiWeek.org, call the Nisei Week Foundation office at 213.687.7193 or email info@niseiweek.org.