Seinan Senior Citizens’ Club (Seinan), one of the oldest Nikkei senior centers in Los Angeles, and Koreisha Senior Care & Advocacy (KSCA), a nonprofit organization that has advocated for Nikkei senior facilities, have merged.
The name of the new organization is Seinan Koreisha Senior Care (SKSC).
The merger entails starting a senior day care program in 2026 and constructing a skilled nursing home on the Seinan site. Both the day program and the nursing home will have bilingual capability and provide a culturally sensitive environment for Japanese and Japanese American seniors while maintaining the legacy of Seinan’s community services.
“Seinan is very excited to announce the merger with KSCA. We want to promote services for seniors in the Japanese and JA communities,” stated Kurtis Kobayashi, former Seinan Board president and now chairperson of the SKSC Board.
“This is wonderful for the entire Nikkei community. In cooperation with Seinan, we can now move forward to build the senior facility,” said John Kanai, president of KSCA.
With its long history of more than 50 years, the Seinan Center has offered many events, activities and services to generations of Japanese and Japanese Americans residing in the south-central districts of Los Angeles.
KSCA grew out of a grassroots movement and was established ten years ago to advocate for an affordable and safe skilled nursing home. Additionally, the organization has given and will continue to offer medical seminars, as well as an annual community health fair, held jointly with the Japanese American Medical Association, to benefit the community.
“This is a momentous day and we are very grateful. It is a rebirth in a historic district with deep roots,” said Keiko Ikeda, administrator of Seinan Koreisha Adult Day Care.
Commenting on the merger of the two organizations, Eileen Yoshimura of the Seinan Board stated, “This collaboration marks a huge milestone … It is an honor to work together.”
Rev Mark Nakagawa, whose family originates from the Seinan area commented, “This is a welcomed merger that will bring much-needed health and welfare services to the Nikkei community.”
The merger will not only provide space for the nursing home, but it will also enable Seinan to preserve its long-standing legacy.
Shinkichi Koyama, former president of the Southern California Gardeners’ Federation, was jubilant in stating, “It is a must that the community services started by Seinan continue into the future through this merger.”
Shinichiro Koga, president of the new organization, said, “United by a shared mission to serve the seniors, both organizations have long supported the Japanese American communities. We will work closely with our community partners to build an organization that present and future generations can be proud of.”
For any inquiries, contact SKSC through its website at www.koreishasca.org.