Japanese Canadian History
The Pre-World War II Years: 1877-1908
∞ 1877:Manzo Nagano is the first Japanese individual known to land and settle in Canada. He landed in New Westminster and subsequently ran a gift shop, Japanese food store and hotel in Victoria, BC.
∞ 1887:Kuno Gihei visits Canada and returns to Wakayama-ken to recruit fellow villagers to settle in the village of Steveston. Steveston becomes the second largest Japanese-Canadian settlement before WWII.
∞ 1890:Issei, Japanese immigrants, establish stores, boarding houses and other businesses along the streets adjacent to Hastings Mill, especially along Powell Street. This neighbourhood becomes the major settlement of Japanese Canadians until WWII.
1895-1902: The government of British Columbia denies privileges to citizens of Asian descent. Tomekichi Homma, a naturalized Canadian citizen, applies to be included on the voters' list. A BC judge attempts to create a clause barring Asians from voting - but this decision is overturned by the Privy Council of Britain. The Japanese lose the fight and cannot vote, hold public office or become lawyers, pharmacists, architects, chartered accountants or teachers.
∞ 1907:Anti-Asian riot in Vancouver.
1908: The Hayashi-Lemieux “Gentlemen's Agreement” further restricts Japanese immigration to 400 male immigrants and domestic servants per year.
More Nikkei History
The Pre-World War II Years: 1914-1939
World War II: 1941-1942
World War II: 1942-1945
Post World War II Years
Redress Efforts in the 1980s
Nikkei Glossary
Japanese Internment Video Clip∞