SAN JOSE — The Japantown Community Congress of San Jose posted this photo on April 18 with the following explanation:

“One of three patrols this morning in San Jose Japantown! Our ‘Safe From Hate’ S.J. Japantown Community Patrol is a win win WIN situation! This patrol is about helping and assisting in a safe manner and grew from the desire to protect San Jose Japantown. We are excited that volunteers are learning about S.J. Japantown, one of the last three Japantowns left in the United States.

“Thank you to the many donors for this program and many, many thanks to Rich Saito, who accepted this challenge!”

Saito, a retired San Jose police officer, created an informal organization called Japantown Prepared in response to reports of anti-Asian attacks, many of them targeting seniors, around the Bay Area and across the country.

Ito En has donated bottled tea for the patrollers and Palo Alto City Councilmember Greg Tanaka has donated whistles. Volunteers — some of them representing businesses such as the Hilton Hotel — have been coming from throughout the region while others are providing monetary contributions.

Most recently, the group has created safety brochures that were delivered to seniors at Fuji Towers, Mabuhay Court and Japantown Senior Apartments.

For more information, visit: http://www.jcc-sj.org/

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