Black-and-white photo of six Japanese soldiers in uniform smiling and standing in front of a building.

ONLINE EXHIBIT: Hidden histories in the Archives: Ontario and the World Wars

Japanese Canadians

The first Japanese people to be officially recognized in Canada arrived in the country in the late 1870s. Immigration levels increased up to the late 1920s, and Japanese Canadians established thriving businesses, religious spaces and families in their new home.

A new home

Though most Japanese migrants to Canada settled in British Columbia, the Japanese Canadian community also expanded in Ontario. This growth increased after the Second World War. Those who were privileged to do so, such as the Moriyama and Umehara families, documented their new life in Canada through photography.

Black-and-white photo of three Japanese men in suits and hats standing in front of a shop window that says S. Moriyama and Co.

Black-and-white studio portrait of a Japanese family in 1920s-style clothing posing in front of a floral background. The mother and young son are standing, and the father is seated, holding an infant.

The Umehara family with Dr. and Mrs. Norman

The fight for the vote

Despite facing discrimination and being denied the right to vote, some members of the Japanese Canadian community wanted to fight for Canada in World War One. Many of these Japanese Canadian soldiers belonged to the 10th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force—an important military unit that was formed in 1914. When they returned to Canada, Japanese Canadian veterans lobbied for the right to vote. They were granted permission to vote in British Columbia in 1931. However, it was only in 1948 that all members of the Japanese Canadian community gained this right.

Black-and-white photo of a group of Japanese soldiers in World War One uniforms seated in front of a building.

Prisoners of war

In December of 1941, Canada declared war on Japan following the attack on Pearl Harbor. By February of 1942, Japanese Canadians were required to register as “Enemy Aliens.” This meant that their property and personal belongings were taken by the Canadian government. During the Second World War, many Japanese Canadians were sent either to internment camps or to Japan.

Black-and-white photo of a smiling Japanese woman and boy standing in front of a wood-paneled building.

Permission to participate

Many young Japanese Canadian men joined the army at the start of the Second World War in 1939. After the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, Canada declared war on Japan. As a result, Japanese Canadian soldiers were interned. Japanese Canadians who wanted to join the army were also denied the opportunity. In January 1945, the British government asked that Japanese Canadians be allowed to join the army. Even though they were mistreated at the start of the war, around 150 Japanese Canadians volunteered to serve in the Canadian army.

Black-and-white photo of a group of young Japanese men in military uniform, seated and standing around a desk in an office.

Joy after sorrow

After the end of the Second World War, some Japanese Canadians went back to Japan. Others decided to stay in Canada. The Japanese Canadians who stayed could not return to their homes and businesses. This is because their property and belongings had been seized and sold during the war. Despite these challenges, the Japanese Canadian community managed to rebuild. They grew stronger and made important contributions to Canadian society.

Raymond Moriyama’s sister Margie, his mother Elsie Nobuko, and his sister Joan at Niagara Falls

Hidden history spotlight

Raymond Moriyama was a renowned Japanese Canadian architect. In 1970, he co-founded the firm Moriyama Teshima Architects. Their many designs include the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo, the Toronto Reference Library in Toronto, Ontario, and Vari Hall on York University’s Keele Campus in North York, Ontario. The Moriyama and Teshima Architects fonds (F 2187) and the Raymond Moriyama fonds (F 4449), both kept at the Archives of Ontario, document Moriyama’s professional career and the life of a 20th-century Japanese Canadian family.

Colour photo of the three-storey facade of a yellow-and-white-striped brick building featuring a circular entrance bordered by large glass windows that extend the full height of the building.

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Hidden histories in the Archives: Ontario and the World Wars

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Black Canadians

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