The Japanese Cemetery in Portland was established sometime in the early 1900s. There is some evidence to suggest that a man named Shinzaburo Ban purchased the land for burial sites for Japanese workers who died in Portland. Soon after, Rose City Cemetery purchased the land surrounding the Japanese American Cemetery and provided some administrative and infrastructure support to the cemetery. In the early days, the cemetery was being maintained by the Japanese Benevolent Cemetery Association with cooperation from the Churches, Temples and Japanese American organizations in the area.
In 2005, the Japanese Ancestral Society petitioned the court for formal ownership of the property, and that judgment was approved in November 2005. The Japanese Ancestral Society now holds the title to the property and administers an endowment to ensure that the cemetery is maintained and kept safe for families who come to honor their forebears.
