Maru: Immigration Stories Part 3

Throughout the war years, a number of Japanese Americans fought against their wrongful incarceration. Mitsuye Endo fought for her right to leave the incarceration camp and in a landmark lawsuit, the US Supreme Court ruled for the release of Japanese Americans on January 1945.

Image: Courtesy of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer Collection (number PI-28086), Museum of History & Industry

Under immense pressure, 4,319 Japanese Canadians with little to no property reluctantly agreed to move to war-torn Japan, while over 16,000 Japanese Canadian chose to remain in Canada.

Image: Tsutomu Tom Kimoto Collection (2012.11.4), Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Centre

"It really made me feel sad + as I read it, it brought tears to my eyes. I hope that everything will turn out for the best. If mother + father have to go back, it means Helen will have to go back and I can’t imagine Helen going to back to a country she’s never seen and a country not hers."

At the end of the war, the recording of Emperor Hirohito’s surrender speech was broadcast around the world in archaic Japanese, a language not easily understood by most Japanese. This led to confusion in Nikkei communities and violence between two factions in Brazil, the Kachigumi, who believed Japan had won WWII and, the Makegumi, who believed Japan had lost.

Image: Museu Histórico da Imigração Japonesa no Brasil

The call for redress for Japanese Americans began in the 1970s. The movement provided a platform for the nisei (second generation Nikkei) to speak of their experiences during the war. This culminated in the Civil Liberties Act in 1988, which granted compensation of US$20,000 and a formal apology to all surviving Japanese Americans who were incarcerated during the war.

Image: Courtesy of the Kinoshita Collection (ddr-densho-10-23), Densho

In 1980, the National Association of Japanese Canadians President Gordon Kodata appeared before the House of Commons Special Joint Committee urging them to amend the Canadian Constitution that failed to protect the rights of Japanese Canadians during World War II. In 1982, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom was added to the Canadian Constitution, which worked to protect the rights of all persons in Canada.

In this climate, conversations about redress amped up. It became clear that many in the community wanted to pursue justice and acknowledgement for the wrongdoings of the Canadian government during World War II.

This photograph shows the Japanese Canadian Redress Rally at Parliament Hill, Ottawa.

Image: Momiji Collection (RD-003)

Close to five decades after the persecution of Japanese Canadians during WWII, the Japanese Canadian Redress Agreement was signed in 1988 by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney acknowledging the persecution of Japanese Canadians during the war.

The Japanese Canadian redress settlement included individual redress payments of $21,000 for eligible Japanese Canadians who had been subjected to persecution, creation of a Japanese Community Fund and Canadian Race Relations Foundation, as well as clearing the names of Japanese Canadians who were convicted of violations under the War Emergency Act.

In the 1970s, Japan’s economy improved significantly and faced a new challenge - labour shortage. This led to a reversal of immigration flow since the Meiji period. By 1998, approximately 275,000 Nikkei individuals from South America were living in Japan with 220,000 from Brazil.

Image: Oizumi Tourism Association

The city of Oizumi in Japan is the home to a large population of Nikkei. Most Nikkei work in factories operating in the city. The Oizumi Tourism Association hosts several events annually in celebration of the Nikkei living in the city.

Image: Oizumi Tourism Association

Brazilian Nikkeis living in Japan send approximately US $550 million of remittance to Brazil annually.

In 1979, the residents of Colonial Hirano unveiled a bust dedicated to the founder of the colony, Umpei Hirano. As of 2020, some of the descendants of the isseis who moved there with Hirano still live in the colony.

Image: Associação Cultural Agrícola e Esportiva Hirano de Cafelândia.

Today, the Japanese Peruvian community is thriving. The Association of Japanese Peruvian (APJ) exemplifies the success of the Japanese Peruvians and they celebrated their 120 years of Japanese immigration to Peru in 2019.

Image: Archivo del Museo de la Inmigración Japonesa al Perú “Carlos Chiyoteru Hiraoka” – APJ.

After the war, a large number of Japanese Canadians moved to the Greater Toronto Area. As they re-established themselves, they sought to reconnect with their community. In 1964, the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre in Toronto was built and became a space where Japanese Canadian families could gather and celebrate their cultural heritage.

Active Nikkei organizations can be found across North and South America. Their work within the community has helped to preserve and introduce local and international Nikkei culture and history. Their work also ensures the continued well-being of the community.

Image: Courtesy of Manto Artworks, Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Centre

The Japanese Cultural Association of Manitoba in Winnipeg, MB.

Image: Courtesy of The Japanese Cultural Association of Manitoba.

Japanese Cultural Association of Manitoba's Mikoshi is used during festival celebrations in Winnipeg, MB.

Image: Japanese Cultural Association of Manitoba

Taiko drumming during festival in Victoria, BC.

Image: Courtesy of Sushi Rice Studios, Victoria Nikkei Cultural Society

Welcome booklet of the Calgary Nikkei Cultural & Seniors Centre in Calgary, AB.

Image: Courtesy of the Calgary Japanese Community Association.

Japanese Pavilion (Pavilhão Japonês), Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Image: Museu Histórico da Imigração Japonesa no Brasil.

Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre of Montreal in Quebec.

Image: Courtesy of the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre of Montreal.

Tashme Museum in British Columbia.

Image: Courtesy of Tashme Museum.