Les Kojima

Les Kojima is a retired World Banker living in Winnipeg. As a Chartered Professional Accountant, Les spent 15 years in the private and public sectors in Canada and Bermuda, and over 25 years working overseas in international development. 

Les has long served the Japanese Canadian community. He was the president of the Vancouver Island Japanese Canadian Society on September 22, 1988 when the historic Redress agreement—which created the Canadian Race Relations Foundation—was signed by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and National Association of Japanese Canadians (NAJC) president Art Miki. He was also on the National Executive Board of the NAJC on May 21, 2022 when BC Premier John Horgan acknowledged the injustices inflicted by the BC Government on Japanese Canadians before, during and after World War II, and when he announced that the Government of British Columbia was contributing $100 million to support the legacy initiatives recommended by the NAJC.  

Les is currently serving as the president of the NAJC, on the Board of the Japanese Canadian Legacies Society, as the chair of the audit committee of the Japanese Canadian Survivors Health & Wellness Fund Society, and as co-chair of the Steering Committee of the Anglican Healing Fund for Japanese Canadians.