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Brief History
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On January 1985, the Board of Directors of the City View Hospital announced the closure of the hospital for financial reasons. The medical staff and many community leaders of various organizations, like the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Southern California, the Southern California Gardeners Federation, the Nanka Kenjinkai Kyogikai, the Koresiha Remmei, the Ad-Hoc Committee to Preserve the Japanese Hospital, the Japanese Business Association, and the Japanese Community Pioneer Social Service Center objected to this announcement. They made it well publicized community issue. In spite of the community uproar, the groups failed to save the hospital. On July 31, 1985, the City View Hospital (Memorial Hospital of the Japanese Community) officially closed its doors after serving the community since 1959.
Out of this effort to save the hospital, this group of physicians and community leaders formed a non-profit corporation, the Japanese Community Hospital, Incorporated. The initial purpose of this organization was to save the City View Hospital. Although the former was not realized, the organization started to focus on community service in health related programs.
On August 30, 1990, the name was changed to Japanese Community Health, Incorporated because the aim for this organization was now different. Since its inception, the members have volunteered in various community health fairs. Dr. Kiyoshi Ogawa started the monthly free medical counseling clinic and lecture programs. Currently, Dr. Fred Sakurai is the Director of the JCHI Clinic. Funds have been raised for the JCHI Scholarships, which are annually presented to deserving bilingual Japanese-English speaking students in nursing and medical schools.
Biennially, JCHI members assist in the physical examinations of the Atomic Bomb Survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This research is conducted by physicians of the Hiroshima Prefecture Medical Association for the University of Hiroshima. The Los Angeles County Medical Association and the Atomic Bomb Survivors Association are also involved with this program. For the past several years, St. Vincent Medical Center of Los Angeles has given the space and their assistance to conduct these examinations.
Production of local television infomercials on current medical treatments and conditions began in 1997. The 90-second infomercial is broadcasted every Saturday evening on UTB, Channel 56. Dr. Fred Sakurai is the host of the infomercial. JCHI found the need to educate the Japanese-speaking community in Southern California on the latest medical news and developments.
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