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Torrance

Torrance to Break Ground on Japanese Incarceration Memorial

The City of Torrance will hold a groundbreaking for a monument honoring Japanese Americans incarcerated during World War II.

Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Asian-American

Black granite memorial wall rising from freshly turned earth on a park lawn, with shovels in the foreground and palm trees at the edge of the frame.
The City of Torrance will break ground Monday, Nov. 23, on a monument honoring roughly 126,000 Japanese Americans incarcerated by the U.S. government during World War II. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The City of Torrance will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for the WWII Japanese American Incarceration Monument on Monday, Nov. 23, at 11 a.m. at Columbia Park. The memorial honors approximately 126,000 people of Japanese ancestry incarcerated by the U.S. government during World War II.

Why it matters

The memorial gives Torrance a permanent public place to commemorate the wartime incarceration of Japanese Americans, a history that many residents of the city have personal ties to. The project's progress reflects continued local commitment to preserving this history for future generations.

The memorial is funded by an initial $5 million state grant, with the City of Torrance working to raise an additional $15 million. The project honors approximately 126,000 people of Japanese ancestry incarcerated by the U.S. government during World War II.

The players

Dr. Kanji Sahara

A longtime Torrance resident and survivor of wartime incarceration who originally envisioned the memorial project.

WWII Camp Wall

A nonprofit organization partnering with the City of Torrance on the memorial project.

Chee Salette

The designer of the WWII Japanese American Incarceration Monument, awarded the city's architectural design contract in 2024.

The details

The memorial will feature black granite walls inscribed with the names of incarcerated people and was designed by Chee Salette, who was awarded the city's architectural design contract in 2024. The project is a partnership with the nonprofit WWII Camp Wall and was originally envisioned by Dr. Kanji Sahara, a longtime Torrance resident and wartime incarceration survivor.

Timeline

  1. 2024: Chee Salette was awarded the city's architectural design contract.

  2. 2025: The schematic design was approved.

  3. Sept. 15: The Torrance City Council unanimously voted to move forward with the project.

  4. Nov. 23: Groundbreaking ceremony at Columbia Park at 11 a.m.

  5. Fall 2028: Completion of the memorial is anticipated.

Culture Shift

The memorial reflects a broader movement in which communities who lived through the wartime incarceration under Executive Order 9066 are seeking permanent public memory of that history. Torrance's project places a local monument alongside a national reckoning with the incarceration of roughly 126,000 people of Japanese ancestry.

Community members, organizations, and businesses may support the memorial through tax-deductible contributions made in person, by mail, or online. Residents can attend the Nov. 23 groundbreaking at Columbia Park to see the project's start.

The takeaway

Supporting local monuments through tax-deductible contributions is one concrete way residents can help preserve the memory of wartime incarceration. Attending the Nov. 23 groundbreaking is a direct way to witness the project's first public step.

What happens next

The groundbreaking ceremony takes place Monday, Nov. 23, at 11 a.m. at Columbia Park, located at the corner of 190th Street and Prairie Avenue.

Further reading

Explore more Asian-American history and culture coverage tied to communities like Torrance's.

More information

Find project details and RSVP for the groundbreaking on the Torrance memorial project page.

Source note: This article includes information reported by Rafu Shimpo.

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