Candidate for
Council member; City of San Jose; District 5

Richard Tanaka was born in San Jose, California, and prior to World War II, he and his family were sharecroppers in North San Jose. Thereafter, Mr. Tanaka and his family were sent to an internment camp at Poston, Arizona for the duration of World War II.

After the War, Mr. Tanaka graduated from University of Michigan, (Bachelor in Architecture) and in 1978, graduated from San Jose State University with a Masters in Urban Planning. Currently, he practices architecture and urban planning in San Jose.

In 1972, Richard Tanaka was appointed by the Santa Clara Board of Supervisors as its founding Commissioner of the Human Relations Commission, and in 1975, then Mayor Norman Mineta and the City Council appointed Mr. Tanaka, Chairman of the San Jose Bicentennial Commission, where he directed some 2,200 Bicentennial projects, engaging an estimated 10,000 San Joseans on these numerous projects.

Mr. Tanaka an author, architect, urban planner, community activist and has been actively involved in our community for nearly three decades.