The 43-year-old newspaper serves the local Japanese American community.

A publication whose origins date to World War II will close its doors next month.

Kristen Nemoto Jay, editor of “The Hawaii Herald: Hawaii’s Japanese American Journal,” informed contributors in an email Wednesday.

“We knew this day would come, just thought we would have more time and warning,” she wrote. “But despite our sadness, we’re grateful to you all for your constant support. The time and energy that you all have devoted to this paper is invaluable. It’s because of you that we were able to last this long.”

A recent cover of the online version of The Hawaii Herald. (Screenshot/2023)

Jay added, however, that there is still “one beacon of hope that we find a buyer of this paper before the year’s up. It’s a long shot but we’re going to at least try.”

The reasons for the closing are declining subscribers and advertising.

The Hawaii Herald’s name has been connected with several publications since Hawaii Hochi founder Fred Kinzaburo Makino first came up with it in October 1942. It began publishing in its current form in 1980.

The Hawaii Hochi, which is a separate publication, dates to 1912 and still publishes in the Japanese language.

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