National Executive Board

Les Kojima

WINNIPEG
President

Les was born and raised in Winnipeg, but by the time of the September 22, 1988 redress agreement with the Government of Canada, he was the president of the Vancouver Island Japanese Canadian Society. He lived in several countries from 1989 – 2016, including the Solomon Islands, Nepal, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Switzerland, the UK, the US, India and Sri Lanka. During the latter part of his career, Les worked as a financial management specialist in the South Asia region of the World Bank, covering Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Les returned to Winnipeg after retirement from The Bank in December 2016, and immediately immersed himself in the community. At the Japanese Cultural Association of Manitoba, he is a regular volunteer, sits on a number of committees, and serves as the Treasurer. He is also an active member of the Manitoba Buddhist Temple. His interests include playing squash and learning Japanese.


Naomi Katsumi

OTTAWA
Secretary

Naomi has a long history of volunteering which includes the development of youth in sports, international events such as the FIFA World Cup, hosting the Annual Ottawa Asian Hockey tournament during Asian Heritage month, and serve as Vice President of the Ottawa Japanese Community Association as well as the Ottawa Japanese Cultural Centre.   Naomi's focus has always been about bringing people together and to develop solid teams and organizations towards a common goal.   Her history of volunteering was recognized when she was nominated by her peers and she was awarded the Governor General's Sovereign Medals for Volunteers.
Naomi has spent the last 32 years working with both Canadian and International organizations to address the climate crisis that we face.  Naomi has been part of the Canadian Delegation at the International Maritime Organization for the last 20 years negotiating more stringent environmental regulations for the shipping sector.  This negotiating experience has been useful in dealing with the various NAJC Committees she has participated or chaired.
Naomi's parents were from very different backgrounds, her father was born in Steveston, BC and was separated from his family during internment and her mother was born in Japan.  Naomi's father never wanted to talk about the internment and this was part of what has motivated her to join both the local Japanese Community groups and the National Association of Japanese Canadians.  Bringing organizational skills and a desire to support the Japanese community, Naomi looks forward to opportunities to engage and support NAJC member organizations.

Judy Hanazawa

VANCOUVER
Director 

Judy Hanazawa was born in Merritt, BC in 1947 where her family moved after their incarceration at the Bridge River self supporting site.

She grew up in the Downtown Eastside Strathcona area of Vancouver and comes from Steveston fishing families on both sides. She has a son and daughter and 2 grandchildren. She is a retired provincial child and family services social worker, clinical supervisor, acting team leader, who, upon receiving redress in 1989, applied the funds to attend UBC, receiving an MSW in 1990. Following her MSW social work practicum at the Squamish Nation, Judy embarked on an enduring relationship with the Squamish people. She became a program developer, service provider, trainer, and policy writer for the Squamish Nation’s Ayas Men Men Child and Family Services Department. Judy received teachings about kindness and respect, serving one’s own community, honouring others and engaging in a good way, from her years working in the Squamish Nation community. She finally retired in 2019 but remains involved today in an advisory capacity as the Nation prepares to replace delegated provincial law with self-governing Squamish law for delivering child and family services to the people.

Upon receiving her individual redress payment, Judy became active in the Japanese Canadian Community in Greater Vancouver and on a national level by the early 1990’s. Her focus has been on community development, and human rights, social justice and anti-racism education and activism. She was both chair and member of the GVJCCA Human Rights Committee at various times from 1990 to 2022, and between 2000 to today fulfilled terms as a GVJCCA director and president. She also served terms between 2000 to 2006, and 2019 to today, as an NAJC board director, Chair and member of the NAJC Human Rights Committee. Other community commitments include board membership on the Japanese Canadian Hastings Park Interpretive Centre Society, chair of the ad hoc Nitobe Memorial Garden History Committee and member of the Working Group and Project Office, concerning the Anglican Healing Fund for Japanese Canadians to support survivors, families and community harmed by GG Nakayama’s legacy of clergy sexual abuse.

In recognition of her “outstanding dedication to fighting discrimination and recognizing past injustices, especially for Japanese Canadians and First Nations people”, Judy received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2013. She was also a member of the GVJCCA Human Rights Committee when the Committee was nominated for the 2021 Gordon Hirabayashi Human Rights Award. Resulting from BC’s engagement with the NAJC to support legacy initiatives in recognition of the province’s historical wrongs against Japanese Canadians, Judy was appointed on June 3, 2022 to the BC Multicultural Advisory Council for a 2 year term.


Lorene Oikawa

VANCOUVER
Past-President

In addition to her NAJC responsibilities, Lorene Oikawa works for the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction and is the Vice Chair of the Landscapes of Injustice Steering Committee. She also serves as the Vice President of the board of West Coast Environmental Law and is a founding member and director on the board of the Canadian Labour International Film Festival. She is the past President of the Greater Vancouver Japanese Canadian Citizens’ Association. She was the first and only Asian Canadian executive vice president for the BC Government and Service Employees’ Union (BCGEU) for three terms from 2005 to 2014.

She speaks and writes about her passions, including human rights and her heritage. She is a co-editor of the book, Honouring Our People: Breaking the Silence, which tells the stories of Japanese Canadians who survived uprooting, dispossession, and internment. She has worked on a number of projects including the Hastings Park 1942 Signage Project and Discover the Stories of Japanese Canadians in Surrey.

Lorene, a University of British Columbia (UBC) alumna, is a strong advocate of life-long learning. She contributes to the experience and knowledge exchange by developing and delivering workshops, mentoring, and facilitating for government, community, and unions.

Lorene is a yonsei, a fourth generation Canadian. Her mother’s side of the family migrated from Hiroshima Japan in the 1800s, to Cumberland on Vancouver Island, and in 1906, her father’s side came from Sendai Miyagi-ken, and settled on Oikawa Island in Metro Vancouver.

 


Melisa Kamibayashi

OTTAWA
Director

Melisa currently serves as the President of the Ottawa Japanese Community Association and is the Community Producer for Contact Japan, a local community television programme.

She graduated from Queen’s University’s Communication, Culture and Society program with honours. She went on to study media productions. Melisa also studied Arts and Human Rights at the University of Ottawa which focused on First Nations, Inuit and Metis arts, with guest speakers like Alanis Obamsawin and Steven Loft. Through the years, she has worked in high tech, interactive computer animation, television and film production, and acting. She also studied taiko performance in Japan for three years and has trained and performed in Japan, the US and Canada.

Having faced a number of industry barriers, she was determined to make change from the inside. For over 15 years, she has worked at the Canada Council for the Arts and was on secondment for 1 year at Canadian Heritage. During this time, she has worked on national and international outreach and initiatives for Equity deserving communities.

She has been part of the NAJC Arts, Culture and Equity Committee. Most recently, she stepped in as Programming Director for the GEI (Arts) Symposium in Victoria, which hosted approximately 100 Japanese Canadian artists from across the country.

Melisa was born and raised in Ottawa. Her grandparents who were originally from Saga and Shiga prefectures made Vancouver, Canada their home over a century ago. Her parents in their childhood and their families were all incarcerated and dispossessed during WWII. Forced to move east of the Rockies post-war, they re-established themselves in Toronto and Hamilton and eventually made Ottawa home.

 

Kevin Higa

Edmonton
Treasurer

Kevin is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) who retired at the end of 2022 after more than 36 years of experience as a financial executive.  He is committed to community service, volunteer work and advocacy for social justice.

Kevin grew up in Lethbridge and moved to Edmonton to attend the University of Alberta.  During his career, he served as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for several well-known Canadian companies, including Running Room, a leading retailer of running and fitness apparel, and Peavey Mart/Ace Hardware Canada, a major farm, ranch hardware retailer.

Outside of his professional work, Kevin served on various boards at the University of Alberta as a Vice President of the Alumni Council, Treasurer of the School of Business Alumni Association, Board Member of the School of Retail.  His volunteer commitments extend to other community organizations serving on various sports and church boards, and has coached hockey and soccer, helping to mentor and develop young players.

Kevin is the Treasurer of the NAJC, providing financial knowledge and guidance to support the organization’s mission, vision, and operations.

Kevin’s mother was a survivor of the Tashme Internment Camp, and due to this legacy, he has taken a deep interest in human rights advocacy and social justice issues.  He is a committee member of the NAJC – Human Rights Committee and the EJCA – CARE (Committee Advocating Racial Equality) and is involved in their human rights and social justice advocacy work.


Maryka Omatsu

VANCOUVER-TORONTO
Director

Judge Omatsu was born in Hamilton.  She studied and worked in Toronto and now splits her time between Toronto and Vancouver.

27 years ago, when Maryka Omatsu was appointed a judge, she was the first East Asian woman to hold this position. Before this honor, she practised criminal and administrative law for 16 years in Toronto.

Judge Omatsu was on the National Association of Japanese Canadians’ (NAJC) strategy and negotiation team that won Redress in 1988 for her community.  Her book, Bittersweet Passage documented that struggle and won the Prime Minister’s Award for Publishing and the Laura Jamieson Prize for “best feminist book".  Judge Omatsu is on the B.C. Redress Committee.  Her 2018 video, Swimming Upstream, sets out the Japanese Canadian case for Redress from the British Columbia government and received the MADA (Making a Difference Award) from the Toronto Community Film Festival (2019).

Most recently Judge Omatsu has been named to the:  Canadian Race Relations Foundation:  Special Advisory Council (2018); NAJC's Steering Committee for B.C. Redress (2019) and National Honorary Advisory Committee (2017).  She has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws (2019), the Order of Ontario (2015); the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association Trail Blazer of the Year (2013); and the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers’ Life Time Achievement Award (2010).


Yukari Peerless

VICTORIA
Director and Chair, Arts Culture Education Committee

Yukari has been helping to bridge the cultural gap between Japan and Canada ever since 1998, when she moved from her native Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan, to Victoria. She has become the go-to person for all things Japanese culture and performing arts on Vancouver Island.

One of Yukari’s first jobs in Canada was working for the Canadian College of Film and Acting. Her interest in the theatre arts was fueled by watching student films and participating in acting workshops. She serves as the director of communication at Victoria Nikkei Cultural Society and as a board member at the Canadian College of Performing Arts, where she is an active member of the Cultural Safety Working Group. She is also a part of the Arts, Culture, and Education committee at National Association of Japanese Canadians and serves as administrator at Japanese Canadian Artists Directory.

As the owner of Lucid Communication, she provides a variety of services such as interpretation and cultural consulting to Japanese and Canadian clients, including the local government and the government of Japan. Yukari is also the producer/host of Japanese podcast “Hamidashikei Life no Arukikata” (roughly translated as "Misfit's guide to life") focused on various social issues.

Yukari is passionate about arts and Japanese culture and looking forward to serving as a new member of the National Executive Board

 


Alex Okuda-Rayfuse

OTTAWA
Director and Chair, Young Leaders Committee

Alex is a yonsei on his mother’s side. The son of former Ottawa Japanese Community Association (OJCA) president Sachiko Okuda, and grandson of NJCCA founding member Hiroshi Okuda, Alex grew up as an active member of the Ottawa Japanese community.

Alex studied at Queen’s University in Kingston, where he earned a BA (Hons) in History with a minor in Philosophy. Upon his return to Ottawa, Alex helped plan social activities for the 2017 NAJC Annual General Meeting and Conference. The experience of interacting with Nikkei leaders from other provinces and territories led him to join the board of the OJCA and the NAJC Young Leaders Committee (YLC).

With the OJCA, Alex has served as the lead organizer of the OJCA-Ottawa Japanese Cultural Centre (OJCC) Mochitsuki and is the editor of the Ottawa Japanese Activities Guide. With the YLC, Alex has helped oversee the Young Leaders Fund grant program and plan various events and initiatives to engage and connect young Nikkei from across Canada.

Alex currently works for Elections Canada, coordinating planning activities and supporting election administrators across the country. In his free time, he enjoys playing hockey, soccer, and various creative pursuits.

Alex is proud to continue a family tradition of community involvement. He looks forward to engaging with young Nikkei from across Canada, and working to share, honour and preserve the stories and legacies of the Japanese Canadian community.

 


Kevin Okabe

Executive Director

Kevin has served as the part-time Executive Director for the NAJC since May 2018.  Although Yonsei by generation, every generation in his family has married someone from Japan, so Kevin has a very unique tie to his ancestral country.

Kevin has been actively involved with the Japanese Canadian community at both the local and national levels for over thirty years.  Locally, he helped organize Japanese Canadian youth groups and served on the boards of community organizations in Winnipeg and Calgary. He chaired the 2011 Tsunami Relief campaign in Calgary, and is the former President of the Calgary Japanese Community Association.  Nationally, he served for five terms as Director, Secretary and Treasurer for the organization.  He worked on the NAJC’s Youth, Strategic Planning, Finance and Heritage Committees and was instrumental in helping shape the organization’s investment strategy.

Kevin comes to the NAJC after retiring from the private sector, where he served as Chief Operating Officer for MSH International (Canada), a provider of expatriate insurance solutions, for the past ten years.  He also spent over fifteen years working in public practice with Grant Thornton and PricewaterhouseCoopers .  He holds certifications as a Chartered Professional Accountant and in Information Technology Audit and Governance, and was recognized as one of Calgary’s Top 40 under 40 in 2007.  Together with his wife Naoko Maebashi, they own and operate two retail stores and a deli in Banff and Kananaskis, Alberta.  He also serves as the Controller (part time) for the Kananaskis Country Golf Course.

As Executive Director, Kevin’s priorities for the NAJC include:

  • Researching and suggesting strategic alternatives for consideration by the organization;
  • Building community capacity, both nationally and locally;
  • Supporting the work of the NAJC’s Executive Board and committees, including the organization of the Annual General meeting;
  • Stabilizing and streamlining the back office and accounting administration for the organization; and
  • Enhancing communication within the organization and strengthening partnerships to achieve common goals.

 



NAJC boards

2022-2024
Les Kojima, President
Naomi Katsumi, Secretary
Kevin Higa, Treasurer (Appointed November 2022)
Susanne Tabata, Director (Resigned October 13, 2022)
Maryka Omatsu, Director
Yukari Peerless, Director
Judy Hanazawa, Director
Alex Okuda-Rayfuse, Director
Melisa Kamibayashi-Staples, Director (Appointed November 2022)
Lorene Oikawa, Past-President
Kevin Okabe, Executive Director
Sayuri Toma, NAJC/CJCA Administrator (May 2023)


2020-2022
Lorene Oikawa, President
Lynn Deutscher Kobayashi, Vice President (Resigned March 2022)
Naomi Katsumi, Secretary
Les Kojima, Treasurer
Susanne Tabata, Director
Maryka Omatsu, Director
Stéphane Hamade, Director
Kevin Okabe, Executive Director
Karina Uehara, National Administrator (Resigned December 2021)


2018-2020
Lorene Oikawa, President
Keiko Miki, Vice President
Les Kojima, Treasurer
Eiko Eby, Secretary
Kiyoshi Dembo, Director
Bryan Tomlinson, Director
Alex Miki, Director
Susanne Tabata, Director
David Mitsui, Past President
Kevin Okabe, Executive Director
Karina Uehara, National Administrator


2016-2018
David Mitsui, President
Lorene Oikawa, Vice President
Michiko Yano-Shuttleworth, Secretary
Noreen Kuroyama, Treasurer
Eiko Eby, Director
Lisa Uyeda, Director
Susan Matsumoto, Director
Susanne Tabata, Director
Bryan Tomlinson, Director
Ken Noma, Executive Director
Jim Suzuki/Karina Uehara, National Administrator


2014-2016
Bev Ohashi, Chair
Tosh Kitagawa, Vice President
Susan Matsumoto, Secretary
Kevin Okabe, Treasurer
Yumi Schoenhofer, Director
Lisa Uyeda, Director
Valerie Hoshizaki Nordin, Director
Lillian Nakamura Maguire, Director
Susanne Tabata, Director
Ken Noma, Executive Director
Jim Suzuki, National Administrator, Recorder


2012-2014
Ken Noma, President
Lillian Nakamura Maguire, Vice President
Bev Ohashi, Secretary
Treasurer: Takashi Ohki
Kevin Okabe, Director
Valerie Hoshizaki, Director
Yumi Schoenhofer, Director
Terumi Kuwada, Past President
Tomoko Keheler-Yokobori/Glenna Carlson, National Administrator


2010-2012
Ken Noma, President & Chair
Lillian Maguire, Vice President
Takashi Ohki , Treasurer
Bev Ohashi, Secretary
Steven Seller, Director
David Iwaasa, Director
Pamela Sugiman, Director
Terumi Kuwada, Past President


2008-2010
Terumi Kuwada, President
Masa Kagami,Vice-President
Angela Foreman, Secretary
Takashi Ohki, Treasurer
Steven Seller, Director
Alan Tanaka ,Director
Pamela Sugiman, Director
Grace Thomson, Past President


2006-2008
Grace Thomson, President
Charlotte Chiba. Vice President
Angela Boyko, Treasurer
Vacant, Secretary
Masa Kagami, Director
Terumi Kuwada, Director
Henry Kojima, Past President


2004-2006
Henry Kojima, President
George Uyeda, Vice-President
Angela Boyko, Treasurer
Grace Eiko Thomson, Secretary
Judy Hanazawa, Director
Joanne Planidin, Director
Yumi Schoenhofer, Director
Keiko Miki, Past President


2002-2004
Keiko Miki, President
Michael Doi, Vice President
Robert Bessler, Secretary
Jim Hoyano,  Treasurer
Judy Hanazawa, Director
Yumi Schoenhofer, Director
George Uyeda, Director


2000-2002
Keiko Miki, President
Allan Okabe, Vice President
Jim Hoyano, Secretary & Treasurer
Michael Doi, Director
Robert Bessler, Director
Judy Hanazawa, Director
Yumi Schoenhofer, Director


1998-2000
Keiko Miki, President
Allan Okabe, Vice President
Peter Nunoda, Secretary
Tony Tamayose, Treasurer
Robert Bessler, Director
Yumi Schoenhofer, Director
Yumiko Hoyano, Director
Tak Ariga, Director


1996-1998
Randy Enomoto, President
Keiko Miki, Vice President
Kevin Okabe, Secretary & Treasurer
Audrey Kobayashi, Director
Yumiko Hoyano, Director
Richard Hirabayashi, Director
Tak Ariga, Director
Roy Inouye, Past President


1994-1996
Roy Inouye, President
Lucy Yamashita, Vice President
Kevin Okabe, Secretary & Treasurer
Randy Enomoto, Director
Bryce Kanbara, Director
Yumiko Hoyano, Director
Michael Fukushima, Director
Bill Kobayashi, Director
Caroline Yamashita, National Administrator


1992-1994
Roy Inouye, President
Lucy Yamashita, Vice President
Kevin Okabe, Secretary & Treasurer
Randy Enomoto, Director
Bill Kobayashi, Director
Yumiko Hoyano, Director
Bryce Kanbara, Director
Roy Inouye, Director
Art Miki, Past President
Carolina Yamashita/Lil Mukai, National Administrator


1990-1992
Art Miki, President
Roy Inouye, Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Director


1988-1990
Art Miki, President
Roy Inouye, Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Director


1986-1988
Art Miki, President
Roger Obata, Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Director


1984-1986
Art Miki, President
Roy Inouye, Vice President
Carol Matsumoto, Secretary
Harold Hirose, Treasurer
Lucy Yamashita, Director
Joy Ooto, Director
Fred Kaita, Director
Gordon Kadota, Past President

 


1980-1984
Gordon Kadota, President

 


1976-1980
George Imai, President

 


1957-1976
Edward Ide, President

 


1955-1957
Harold Hirose, President

 


1953-1955
Hiroshi (Rosie) Okuda, President

 


1951-1953
Ted Aoki, President

 


1948-1951
Harold Hirose, President

 


1948-1948
Tom Shoyama, President

 


1947 (National Japanese Canadian Citizens' Association- NJCCA)

Roger Obata, President

 


1936-1941 (Japanese Canadian Citizen's League - JCCL)
Harry Naganobu, President