Japanese Mutual Aid Society of Chicago

The Japanese Mutual Aid Society of Chicago was established in 1935.¹ 

The mission of the Japanese Mutual Aid Society of Chicago is to maintain their property and the Japanese Americans’ legacy at Montrose Cemetery including Japanese Mausoleum, hold an annual Memorial Day Service at the Montrose Cemetery, and to join the community service activities in the Japanese American community and as well as the Chicago community.² The memorial day service is not only to heal the souls of Japanese Americans, but is also not to forget the history that Japanese Americans were not even allowed to bury their family in the normal cemetery that every other race families were using. They also use their online website to introduce the stories behind how this society was founded by Japanese Americans.                

When the Mutual Aid Society was first established, the support that JASC currently provides was provided by the Mutual Aid Society. Eventually, as the number of Japanese Americans increased and JASC was established, much of the support offered by the Mutual Aid Society was transferred to JASC. As a result, the Mutual Aid Society now focuses on cemetery maintenance and ceremonies.³