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  SEDAI:	
  THE	  JAPANESE	  CANADIAN	
  LEGACY	
  PROJECT	  RESEARCH GUIDE
Films	  	
  All the films listed below may be ordered or downloaded for free from the National Film Board of
Canada. They are listed here in chronological order.
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Warclouds in the Pacific, 1941 (20 mins)
This film, made when the war Europe had already started, outlines the potential for war
with Japan and sets the stage for the actions against Japanese Canadians that would soon
follow.
Fortress Japan, 1943 (17 mins)
Narrated by Lorne Green, this wartime film presents a distorted view of Japan that bothreflects and promotes stereotypes about Canada's enemy in the Pacific. While Canadians
had legitimate concerns about the expansion of Japan's military success, this type of film
unfortunately served to stir up feelings against Canadians of Japanese ancestry.
Of Japanese Descent, 1945 (21 mins)
In this production Japanese Canadians in forced relocation camps are (inaccurately)
divided into those who were loyal to Canada and those who were not. It reflects theattitudes held by many non-Japanese Canadians at the end of WWII.
Bird of Passage, 1966 (10 mins)
This is the story of a Japanese Canadian who was uprooted during WWII but then went on
to a career as a chemical engineer in Montreal. The script is by Jesse Nishihata.
Enemy Alien, 1975 (27 mins)
A combination of still photos and live footage tell the story of Japanese Canadians uprooted
from their homes. It is a thoughtful, beautiful and eloquent presentation.
Minoru: Memory of Exile, 1992 (19 mins)
Authentic footage and animation blend together to tell the story of Minoru Fukushima.
Born in Canada, he had to go to Japan after WWII when his family chose to return there.
This is the story of how he bore up in a strange country and eventually returned to Canada
after the Canadian military requested his service.
Shepherd's Pie and Sushi, 1998 (45 mins)
Of mixed Celtic and Japanese heritage, Mieko Ouchi was very nervous when she auditioned
in 1993 for a role in television drama about the 1940's internment. While acting on the setof "The War Between Us", she discovered much about the Japanese side of herself that she
had never known before.
Obachan's Garden, 2001 (95 mins)
A touching meditation that explores the Japanese Canadian identity.
Sleeping Tigers: the Asahi Baseball Story, 2003 (51 mins)
The Asahi baseball team was famous for its domination of the northwest minor league. It
was a source of pride for many Japanese Canadians, because it exemplified teamwork anddedication. Abruptly ended by WWII and the forced relocation, the players carried on their
spirit in the camps and inspired the whole community.

Articles•"British Columbia and the Japanese Evacuation" W. Peter Ward, The CanadianHistorical Review, September 1976This is a scholarly piece that emphasizes the importance

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  SEDAI:	
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  LEGACY	
  PROJECT	  of lingering prejudice and war-time fears that turned out to have little or no basis in reality.
It is well researched and carefully argued. Ward did not have access, however, to key
government documents that became available later. It is still well worth reading.The article
was reprinted in Readings in Canadian History: Post-Confederation (2nd ed.), R. Douglas
Francis and Donald B. Smith, 1986, ISBN 0-03-921877-5 ([v. 2])

Books
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A Dream of Riches: The Japanese Canadians 1877-1977
The Japanese Canadian Centennial Project, 1978, ISBN 0-9690708-0-2

This trilingual (English, French, Japanese) book provides a brief overview of the first one hundredyears of the Japanese in Canada. The factual text is interspersed with quotations that add muchhumanity to the account. There is a fine collection of photographs. Unfortunately, the photos are
not labelled as they appear, but at the back of the book, and the descriptions are very limited.
Nevertheless, the photos provide a fine visual record of many of the events, and clearly show theJapanese community adapting to Canadian society while retaining their unique identity.
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Nikkei Legacy: The Story of Japanese Canadians from Settlement to Today
Toyo Takata, 1983, ISBN 0-919601-94-4

This is a fine survey of the Japanese Canadian experience during their first century in this country.
In only 170 pages, with many photographs, it covers clearly the story of immigration, settlement,internment and post-war re-establishment. Takata stresses that the Japanese were much like othernewcomers seeking at first to make a quick buck before returning home, later seeking to fit into
their new homeland while retaining some of their ancestral traditions. Some notable pioneers are
given special attention.Takata addresses all the key issues such as language and other culturalbarriers, the ethnocentrism of all the groups involved, and conflicts within Japanese Canadiansociety. He is very good at describing the ambiguities of a community that had a very high volunteer
and casualty rate as Canadian soldiers in World War I yet persisted in sending Canadian-born
children, especially boys, to Japan for education.The forced relocation of World War II, life in thedetention camps, and work on the prairie farms are well presented. One of the strengths of the bookis its successful combination of analysis and description. Befitting from earlier in-depth research by
writers such as Adachi and Sunahara, Takata had available all the facts and scholarly informationneeded to provide a convincing case that the harsh treatment of Japanese Canadians by thegovernment of Canada was unwarranted and unfair. Benefiting also from interviews done byinvestigators such as Broadfoot, Takata weaves into his chronicle many personal stories that keep
the human face of the story front and centre.Published in 1983, Nikkei Legacy does not cover the
redress struggle and final settlement. The book suffers from the lack of an index but has a good
bibliography. For those lacking the time or energy to read the much more detailed The Enemy that
Never Was or The Politics of Racism, Nikkei Legacy provides a thorough and comprehensive
presentation of the Japanese Canadian experience.
•Years of Sorrow, Years of Shame
Barry Broadfoot, 1977, ISBN 0-385-12550-X

In the mid-1970's Broadfoot travelled to many parts of Canada and interviewed Japanese Canadians
about their experiences before, during, and after World War II. The interviewees included men andwomen of different ages whose experiences and attitudes varied widely. They constitute a
reasonably representative cross-section of a community whose diversity was ignored by those who
lumped them all together as "Japs" or "Enemy Aliens". Some individuals were bitter because of the

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  SEDAI:	
  THE	  JAPANESE	  CANADIAN	
  LEGACY	
  PROJECT	  humiliation and material losses they suffered; others argued that the government policies were a
blessing because they got them out of their limited lives in B.C. . Throughout the interviews we hear
the authentic voices of those who resisted, those who complied reluctantly, and those who resigned
themselves to a baffling reality.Adding to the usefulness of the study is the inclusion of nonJapanese voices ranging from government officials, police and military guards, and average citizens
who initially knew little or nothing of what was happening in B.C.The strength of the book is the
personal touch of the anonymous interviews that bring out the humanity behind the documents andstatistics of other studies. Each of the fourteen chapters begins with a useful introduction thatprovides background to the reports that follow.One weakness of the book is its lack of
documentation. But guarding the identities of the interviewees probably encouraged them to speak
more freely, and other books provide the necessary references. There are also some inaccuracies, as
might be expected from internees who are looking back many years with not always precise
recollections. Again, those errors are easily correctable in more scholarly treatments. The lack of anindex makes it hard to cross-reference points mentioned more than once. Finally, there are almost
no views included of the most racist of the politicians involved. As repugnant as those views were, itwould have been useful to read exactly what they said.Overall, this collection of interviews isessential reading for anyone seriously interested in the story of the Japanese Canadians.
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The Enemy That Never Was
Ken Adachi, 1976, ISBN 0-7710-0723-X

Years of painstaking research and a journalist's ability to tell a story effectively make Adachi's booka very valuable resource. A Japanese Canadian himself, he is able to understand and explain the
many points of view to be found in various segments of the Japanese and non-Japanesecommunities.The first two hundred pages deal with the early history of the Japanese immigrants
and their Canadian-born children before the attacks on Hong Kong, Pearl Harbor, and Manila thatprecipitated the Pacific theatre of World War II. There are many insights into the culture andchanging attitudes of the immigrant community that was torn and victimized as a result of theactions of Japan's military forces.The second half of the book describes the forced relocation andexpulsion of British Columbia's population of Japanese ancestry.The discussions are in-depth andinclude Japanese terms that help explain the attitudes of those who were caught in the upheaval.
(Many of the terms are defined in the Sedai "Glossary".) In fact, the discussions may be too detailed
for the casual reader. But this is a complicated story and Adachi weaves together its disparate parts
very effectively.The only serious weakness of the book is that certain key government documents
were still under lock and key when Adachi did his research. Therefore, further reading is necessary
to obtain a more complete picture despite the depth of his analysis.
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The Politics of Racism
Ann Gomer Sunahara, 1981, ISBN 0-88862-413-1

This is the definitive study of the forced relocation and expulsion of Canadians of Japanese ancestry.
Writing a little later that Broadfoot and Adachi, professional historian Ann Gomer Sunahara hadaccess to previously withheld government documents including minutes of federal cabinet meetings.
She goes beyond Ward's conclusion that the actions taken against the community were
overwhelmingly the result of war paranoia. She demonstrates that the panic of war gave victory to asmall group of racists. Of course, there was genuine fear of a Japanese attack on British Columbia.
And certainly the government was preoccupied with the war in Europe, conscription, and numerous
other issues. Nevertheless, it was the race prejudice and opportunity for economic gain thatcompelled the anti-Oriental politicians to push their agenda on to a country that, with somesignificant individual and group exceptions, was prepared to ignore the rights of a minority during asevere national crisis.This study strongly supported for the case for Redress, which was achieved in
1988.This book is now available on the internet. Anyone interested in this topic needs to read at

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  SEDAI:	
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  least the preface, introduction, and conclusion of Gomer Sunahara's thoroughly researched andcogently argued investigation.
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A Tragedy of Democracy: Japanese Confinement in North America
Greg Robinson, 2009, ISBN 978-0-231-12922-0 (cloth), ISBN 978-0-231-52012-6 (e-book)No serious researcher can omit this book when studying the history of Japanese Canadians. It is an
excellent study that builds on the pioneering work of Ken Adachi and the scholarly analysis of Ann
Gomer Sunahara. Furthermore, it presents new evidence and insights.While primarily an
examination of what happened to Japanese Americans, A Tragedy of Democracy also includes muchinformation about Canada and some on Latin America. Greg Robinson, a New Yorker by origin andprofessor of history at the University of Quebec in Montreal, brings a wide range of researchinterests, skills and experience to this project.In the Introduction Professor Robinson begins by
wrestling with the controversial terms. "Relocation" and "Internment" are rejected in favour of"Removal" and "Confinement". He does not accept government euphemisms. [Please see theglossary on this website for the suggested definitions of other terms.]He then notes the irony of thearbitrary and anti-democratic actions of many governments throughout the western hemisphere
during a war that was ostensibly being fought for liberty and the rule of law. Given the threat ofterrorist attacks in the 21st century and the laws designed to prevent them, the question of what
limitations on personal freedom in war time are permissible needs to be re-examined throughhistorical examples.The first chapter offers a useful review of the situation of Japanese immigrants
to North America. The context of the governments' actions during and after WWII is thus
provided.Robinson traces the origins of wariness and hostility that existed; he notes the fear of
economic competition and cultural differences found in the non-Japanese communities. And hedoes not neglect the issue of ambiguous identity felt by many Nisei children who did not see
themselves as Japanese but had to struggle to be accepted as Americans or Canadians. At the sametime, he expresses how the sending of Nisei children to be educated in Japan made them objects ofsuspicion when conflict with Japan broke out in 1941.Support expressed in North American
Japanese language newspapers for the Imperial Japanese Army in its attacks on China earlier in the
war heightened animosity towards the Japanese immigrant communities. This fact is clearlyaddressed as is the role of Japanese consulates in their attempts to recruit spies.Robinson carries
the story through the period of incarceration, post-war adjustment, Redress and beyond in athorough manner with a compelling narrative.One of the greatest strengths of this book is the new
evidence that Robinson has unearthed. He describes the deliberate manipulation of information
about the war situation and internal security issues by senior government officials in both the US
and Canada. He provides fresh examples of racial bias in white communities and on the part ofAmerican President Roosevelt and Canadian Prime Minister King. New cases of blatant racism
among some key figures on both sides of the border are also spelled out clearly.Throughout his work
Professor Robinson makes good use of comparisons between the US and Canada. In so doing, hehelps clarify events in both countries by offering the two perspectives. For example, in discussing
the question of allowing citizens of Japanese ancestry to volunteer for military service he notes:"Japanese Canadians would encounter more intensive discrimination and official restrictions that
their southern neighbours in the early post-war years, in part because they did not have the same
opportunity to demonstrate their patriotism." (p. 244) With regard to government action he writes:"...while Canadians did make an effort to take note of American policies, Canadian leaders from
Prime Minister King downward also continued their long-standing habit of making use of American
policies and the need to keep in lockstep with them, less as a guide to action than an expedientjustification for it (or sometimes for inaction) when it suited them." (p. 65) And again: "...theCanadian experience, like the American one, suggests that the scope and nature of the removal
policy were determined primarily by political interest, without regard for framing policies that
mixed security with protection of democratic rights." (p. 102)One of the greatest strengths of thisbook is its section on legal issues. Both Americans and Canadians tried to use the court system touphold their fundamental freedoms. In both countries the system let them down. Robinson deals

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  SEDAI:	
  THE	  JAPANESE	  CANADIAN	
  LEGACY	
  PROJECT	  very effectively with the complicated issues here and clarifies them well.One conclusion of A
Tragedy of Democracy is particularly chilling. Referring to the reluctance of US army leaders torelinquish their war time powers, Robinson observes: "The durability and the popularity of themilitary dictatorship are a frightening precedent for the survival of American institutions in time of
war and offer a discouraging message about the capacity of civilian governors to roll backlimitations on democratic rights, even when there is no justification for them." (p. 246) In Canada,too, anti-Japanese Canadian measures were kept in place for years after WWII ended.Two
weaknesses of the book should be noted. Some key terms used in the book are not to be found in theindex. More importantly, while the significance of the attack on Pearl Harbor is duly addressed,
there is perhaps not enough attention given to the anger and anti-Japanese feeling created in
Canada by the violent actions of the Japanese Imperial army that resulted in the death of Canadiansoldiers and nurses in Hong Kong.Overall, the analysis and exposition of A Tragedy of Democracy
are superb. Be warned, however, this is a difficult and complex book. But so is the story it tells. A
challenging read, it is worth the effort. And it is nice to find an American who actually understands
Canada.
•From Slocan to Hong Kong
James H. Kinoshita, 2005, ISBN 978-1-4251-2244-7

Over twenty thousand Japanese Canadians felt the impact of the forced evacuation of 1942. Eachindividual has a story to tell. This autobiography of JHK (as he refers to himself) is one of thosestories. Overcoming his family's difficult experience, James H. Kinoshita would become an
influential architect (as would his brother Gene also).JHK's grandfather and father came from
Shiga-ken, not far from Kyoto. Like many Japanese, the original plan was to make money in Canada
and return to the homeland rich. His grandfather did well enough to go back and become the mayorof Hikone. His father chose to stay in Vancouver where he successfully operated several businesses
in the Japan town area on Powell Street.Born in 1933, JHK was eight years old when the attack on
Pearl Harbor took place. (It is interesting to note that he makes no reference to the similar attack on
Hong Kong.) His family was interned in Slocan, first at Roseberry and then at Popoff. Like many of
the children in the prison camps, JHK had mixed feelings. He recalls both the hardships (cold,
cramped conditions) and the fun (berry picking and fishing). He did not enjoy his training in Kendo
but he accepted the "shikata ga nai" attitude of the adults around him. He did wonder, however, whyJapanese were selected for forced relocation and not Germans or Italians.After the war he stayed in
Slocan for a period, and then completed his high school education in Vancouver. Next came
Winnipeg where he began to call himself "James", because his fellow students had trouble with his
given name of "Hajime". Helped by family, members of the JC community, and sympathetic
Canadians of various backgrounds, he did very well in architectural school at the University of
Manitoba. While there he met his future wife, a student from China.After completing his studies hetravelled to Japan to visit family and to learn first-hand about Japanese design. His trips to Kyoto
and Nara left a lasting impression. From Japan he went to China where he proposed to his Chinese
sweetheart. He was accepted by her and her family with no prejudice.The remainder of the bookdescribes his experiences as a successful architect, world traveller, and family man.While this bookdoes not focus on the internment experience, it does show how the situation improved for
Canadians of Japanese origin after World War II due to their own efforts and a changing attitude
among Canadians in general.
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After Camp: Portraits in Midcentury Japanese American Life and Politics
Greg Robinson, 2012, ISBN 9780520271586 - review by George Hewson

Do we owe Redress to Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr.? Are Japanese unique among themany minority groups of North America? Should Japanese Canadians avoid or celebrate sushi?
While Professor Greg Robinson may not answer each of these questions directly, he does cast muchlight onto the background discussions that revolve around them.

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  SEDAI:	
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  After Camp is the third in a series of books Robinson has written about the Japanese American
experience. The first (By Order of the President, 2003) looked at the role played by US President F.
D. Roosevelt in the decision to forcibly remove Japanese immigrants and their families from thewest coast during World War II. While Roosevelt was a true liberal, he was still caught up in theunderlying prejudices of the time. The second (A Tragedy of Democracy, 2008) demonstrates how,in both the USA and Canada, wartime hysteria was used as a cover to implement the racist policies
favoured by certain extremists. Robinson demonstrates how fragile our freedoms can be under theduress of a perceived threat.
As its title indicates, this third book (published in 2012) examines the experience of JapaneseAmericans before and after World War II. It focuses largely on the reestablishment and renewal that
followed the release of the inmates from the detention camps. Robinson argues that this process isjust as important as the dramatic events of the war in shaping the life of Japanese Americans. The
volume consists of a series of case studies organised thematically rather than chronologically thatinvestigate topics such as national resettlement, the mental and physical adjustments of the former
detainees, and their political links to other minority groups. Most of the material is previously
unpublished. Robinson notes that his investigation is not intended to be definitive, but rather toencourage further research and discussion.
The key themes Robinson addresses are: the general shift in group leadership from the Issei to the
Nisei; the debate over accommodation vs. assimilation; and the relations between JapaneseAmericans and other communities that were also striving for rights and recognition.
Part I centres on the question of resettlement and dispersal. Part II explores identity. Part III details
the shifting relations with Mexican Americans and Jewish Americans. Part IV and Part V examine
the making and breaking of alliances with African Americans in the common struggle for civil rights.
Robinson outlines the idea that the Nisei overcame obstacles exclusively through their culturalvalues of hard work and subdued diligence. But he also notes opposition to the view that JapaneseAmericans were conformist and passive, and discusses the “model minority” thesis and its critics.
While it is true that most Nisei families tried to blend in with mainstream American culture (even to
the point of rejecting all ties to their Japanese heritage), the evidence suggests that the experience ofindividuals was both more complex and less cohesive than the “quiet American” stereotype would
indicate.
The consciousness of being members of a small and exposed group of outsiders resulted in certain
Nisei reaching out to other marginalised groups such as Hispanics and Jews. As a result, some
negative images that the various groups held of each other were reconsidered.
Both Japanese and African Americans were the victims of various forms of legal and economic
discrimination. Immediately after the war they worked together to fight these common forms of
oppression. Gradually this cooperation declined as many Japanese Americans’ lives moved indifferent directions than African Americans. Growing militancy in the African American community
in the 1960’s further increased the gap between the two groups especially where the older Nisei wereconcerned. At the same time, however, some younger Nisei and new Sansei leaders were inspired by
the “Black Power” movement to take greater pride in their Asian roots. As part of the broader civilrights movement the campaign for acknowledgement of the wrongs suffered by Japanese Americans
gained strength and resulted in federal redress legislation in 1988.
The great strengths of Robinson’s book are its original research and penetrating analysis. This is anacademic volume that the average reader might find rather scholarly in approach; it is not meant forholiday reading on the beach. But anyone who chooses to think seriously about the situation of

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  SEDAI:	
  THE	  JAPANESE	  CANADIAN	
  LEGACY	
  PROJECT	  Japanese Americans today must read After Camp. And, by extension, since no one looking into theJapanese Canadian story can avoid making comparisons with the experiences of other Nikkei
communities (especially those in the USA), this book is of great value to Canadians also.
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Uprooted Again: Japanese Canadians Move to Canada After WWII (Nikkei
Kanadajin no tsuihou)
Tatsuo Kage, 2012, ISBN 9781896627205 - review by George Hewson

Uprooted Again is a translation of Tatsuo Kage’s 1998 book Nikkei Kanadajin no tsuihou (“TheExpulsion of the Japanese Canadians”). However, it is not a literal translation; it has been updated,
and also adapted for an English-speaking audience that might require further explanation of someof the ideas that would already be clear to Japanese readers of the original.
Kage, born in 1930, grew up in Japan, taking degrees in history from Japanese universities. After
witnessing Japan’s successful moves towards democracy after growing up in ultra-nationalistic prewar Japan, he immigrated to Canada in 1975. Interested in the Japanese Canadian experience, hebecame active in the Redress movement.
The memoir aspect of the book is paramount. Kage interviewed about twenty-five of the nearly fourthousand Japanese Canadian exiles who opted to go to Japan after World War II. Kage tells thestories of the refugees well, noting their shared circumstances but also their highly individual
situations and reactions. The book is certainly worth considering for the personal anecdotes sharedby the interviewees.
Kage successfully outlines the complexity of motives for accepting “repatriation”. The government’s
sometimes subtle yet powerful coercion was one factor, but there were many others as well. The
Japanese Canadians' experiences in war-ravaged Japan - such as poor quality food, resentment
from native Japanese, feeling foreign, and working for the Occupation forces - make for touchingreading. The importance of language proficiency comes to the fore, since varying degrees of fluency
in Japanese and English resulted in wide range of circumstances for the exiles in Japan.
Furthermore, the author delves thoughtfully into the reasons why some exiles stayed in Japan andothers chose to return to Canada.
The Redress settlement of 1988 is reviewed and its purpose and effectiveness are also insightfully
examined.
Read this book for the memoirs, certainly; but go beyond them too. As the author writes, “It is
infinitely satisfying to listen to individuals and set down their stories, but one must also consider themeaning of their experiences within a wider setting.” (p. 139)For example, Kage attempts to study the implications of the “repatriation” policy on the JC
community as a whole, and on certain individuals whose reactions range from bitterness to denial
and to stoic acceptance. He is particularly concerned about all Canadians who are “visibly
exceptional”, and he briefly explores the psychological tension that arises when one is a member of aminority group. The book also outlines some of the difficulties we face with our policy ofmulticulturalism in Canada.
At the end, there is a call to action. Kage hopes that he has offered encouragement and suggestions
for any reader involved in the protection of human rights. He notes the hostile reactions that
continue to be directed unfairly after the attacks on New York City in 2001, “…we cannot be sure

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  SEDAI:	
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  PROJECT	  that members of minority groups such as Arabs and Muslims would be protected as Canadians withfull rights of citizenship.” (p. 139)
It is worth noting that Uprooted Again includes copies of many relevant documents such as thenotice for voluntary repatriation and the declaration itself. There are photographs of families
preparing for deportation. Well researched, there is a fine bibliography for those who would like toexplore these topics in more depth.

Documentary
Japanese deportations in Canada during WWII : Throwaway Citizens (1995) –The Fifth Estate•https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggNYkFg6AjA&feature=youtu.be

GLOSARRY
There are a number of Japanese terms, which appear in the interviews and documents. The
following Glossary will provide explanations for some of the terms.
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Aikido - Japanese martial art derived from jujutsu by Ueshiba Morihei; a system of selfdiscipline and self-defence that uses throws, joint-locks, and pins; unlike Judo, the partners
do not grapple while holding each other's uniforms; this martial art was largely unknown toJapanese Canadians before World War II
Alien - someone from another place; a non-citizen (Japanese-Canadians, although born in
Canada, were labelled "Enemy Aliens" during World War II).
Angler - A camp for German prisoners of war located in Ontario east of Thunder Bay on
Lake Superior that was also used to intern about 700 Japanese-Canadians who refused tocomply with the evacuation order. It was surrounded by barbed wire. The prisoners wererequired to wear uniforms with targets on the back.
Anti-Asian Riot of 1907 - (also known as the "Powell Street Riot") violent attacks against
Chinese, Japanese, and Indians (from south Asia) by white citizens of Vancouver who felt
threatened by increasing non-white immigration; no one was killed, but there was somepersonal injury and extensive property damage; some financial compensation was paid by
the federal government under a commission led by future Prime Minister W.L.M. King.
Asahi - Rising sun; name of famous minor league baseball team made up of JapaneseCanadians.
Asiatic Exclusion League - A group formed in 1907 in B.C. to press the federal
government to ban immigration from China, Japan, and India out of a fear of job losses anda declining standard of living, as well as a general race prejudice.
Assimilation - The process of absorbing people into a larger group, especially of having aminority cultural group take on the characteristics of the majority group.
Atama no kuroi keto - "Black-haired white trash"; term used by Issei who claimed thatJapan would win the war to describe those of their community who thought otherwise.
Axis - The military alliance between Germany, Italy and Japan. Officially it was the AntiComintern Pact, an agreement to resist the spread of Communism.

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Bakufu - "tent government"; it refers to the military government of Japan led by the leaderof the samurai, the Shogun; it ended in 1868 when power was ceremonially returned to theEmperor.
Banzai - "May you live 10,000 years!" (a Japanese celebratory exclamation, patriotic cheer,or battle cry).
Bay Farm - One of the internment sites.
Beet Workers Association - (Shogo Endo Kai) a group formed to represent the interestsof Japanese Canadians sent from British Columbia to Alberta.
Benjo - Toilet (old-fashioned term).
Bill 43 - Gave right to vote in British Columbia's provincial elections to persons ofJapanese ancestry (1949).
Bill 198 - Law to amend the Dominion Elections Act; restored the right to vote in federal
elections to Canadians of Japanese ancestry (1948).
Bird Commission - A Royal Commission established in 1947 and headed by Justice H. I.
Bird that inquired into claims by Japanese Canadians for loss of property. The minimum
payments eventually awarded were considered unsatisfactory by many individuals.
British Columbia Security Commission (BCSC) - An official group appointed by thefederal government in 1942 to organize and supervise the removal of Japanese Canadiansfrom coastal areas. It followed policies set by the federal Cabinet Committee on Japanese
Questions, the Department of Labour and the Department of Justice
Brothel - A house of prostitution; as early as 1890 there were brothels in Victoria, Nelson,
Cranbrook, etc.; the prostitutes were usually young, illiterate women from poor Japanesevillages.
Cabinet Committee on Japanese Questions - A federal cabinet committee largely
influenced by the highly prejudiced ideas of one of its members, Ian Mackenzie. Many of its
decisions became government policy through Orders-in-Council. Its secretive nature kept
many of the facts concerning Japanese Canadians away from the Canadian public. As aresult, most Canadians apparently assumed that the Japanese Canadians must have been
guilty of something or they would not have been forcibly relocated.
Camp and Mill Workers Union (CMWU) - Established in 1920 this organization ofyounger Issei attempted to improve conditions for Japanese immigrant workers by working
closely with other labour groups, and by integrating more into Canadian society.
Canadian Civil Liberties Association - An organization dedicated to the protection of
Canadians' civil and political rights.
Canadian Japanese Association - Established in 1897 this almost entirely Issei
organization attempted to assist and represent Japanese immigrants in Canada (in the
1930's its newspaper published articles supporting Japan's attacks in China and other war
propaganda).
Chambara - Japanese movie-style sword fighting.
Chinese Exclusion Act - A a federal law passed in 1923 that almost completely stopped
Chinese immigration to Canada (It did not apply to Japanese because the "gentlemen's
agreement" to limit immigration from Japan was still in effect.)
Chonmage - Samurai hairstyle with shaved pate and top-knot; it was officially abolished in1876 just one year before the first documented Japanese migrant arrived in Canada.
Civil Rights - The rights one has a citizen of a country; they include freedom of thought,
speech, and assembly.
Coercion - Forcing someone to behave in a certain way by threat or force; a contract is not
valid if either side is coerced into signing.
Concentration Camps - A place to forcibly hold enemies and their families; it has beenargued that the term applies to the communities where Japanese-Canadians were held
during and after World War II (It should be noted that the treatment of the detainees in

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these camps was not the same as that of the infamous places where the Nazis enslaved andmurdered Jews, Slavs, Gypsies, homosexuals, etc.) (See "Internment Camps")
Conscription Crisis - At the beginning of WW II Prime Minister King had promised that
there would be no conscription for overseas service. As the war went on and more soldiers
were needed, King was under pressure to change his promise; his preoccupation with thishighly divisive issue is one reason why he paid little attention to actions affecting Japanese
Canadians. Despite the shortage of soldiers, Japanese Canadians were not accepted asvolunteers.
Consultative Council for Cooperation in Wartime Problems of Canadian
Citizenship - Vancouver group headed by Herbert Norman that opposed government
policies that uprooted and dispossessed Japanese Canadians.
Cooperative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) - Canadian political party founded
in1930's; later became the New Democratic Party (NDP).
Co-Operative Committee on Japanese Canadians (CCJC) - A Toronto based groupof Japanese Canadians and Canadians of other origins that opposed the "repatriation" ofJapanese and Japanese Canadians to Japan.
Culture - The total way of life of a large group of people; it includes language, beliefs,
customs, food, clothing, etc.
Curfew - A rule that people must be inside their homes during certain hours.
Custodian of Enemy Alien Property - Government agency responsible for theprotection and sale of land, houses, cars, boats, and other personal items belonging toJapanese-Canadians (in many cases the property was sold for much less than its market
value).
Dekasegi - "Leaving the village for employment"; many of the first Japanese arrivals in
Canada did not intend to stay, but hoped to enrich themselves and then return to Japan (seefukoku-kyohei).
Deportation - The expulsion of non-citizens back to their country of origin (by definition,
Canadian citizens cannot be deported from Canada) (see "Repatriation")
Detention - Keeping someone under restriction in confinement.
Discrimination - The ability to distinguish differences; unfavourable treatment based on
prejudice.
Emigrant - Someone who leaves his/her country and goes to live permanently in anothercountry.
Enryo - Restraint; holding one's emotions in check.
Ethnocentrism - Judging other cultures by one's own cultural standards; believing that
one's own culture is naturally superior to others.
Etiquette - Rules of behaviour; how to be polite and thoughtful.
Euphemism - A mild, vague, or misleading expression used in place of a harsher but more
realistic term.
Evacuation - The removal of people from a place of danger for their own safety(The forced relocation of Japanese-Canadians from the coast of British Columbia to camps
in the interior of the province was described by the federal government as an action toprotect them; however, there were also motives of racial prejudice and economic greed
demonstrated by some of the white population of B.C.)
Evacuee - Someone who is part of an evacuation.
Fifth Column - Local people willing to help an invading force (Some Canadians thoughtthat Japanese-Canadians might be helping the Japanese Imperial Army/Navy in planning
an attack on British Columbia. There was no evidence for this idea once some local
sympathizers were detained.)
Franchise - The right to vote.

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Fukoku-kyohei - "Enrich the nation and strengthen the military"; this was a slogan of theJapanese government after the Meiji Restoration of 1868; for the first time in centuries
Japanese were allowed and encouraged to go overseas to study and work (see dekasegi).
Fukujinzuke - Japanese pickles.
Furo - Japanese bathtub (less formal term than ofuro).
Futsuu no mono dattara - If things were as usual.
Gaijin - Foreigner; non-Japanese (also "gaikokujin").
Gaman - Forbearance; the ability to be able to meet challenges without complaining (Acommon phrase in Japanese is "Gambatte kudasai" meaning "Please persevere" or "Please
do your best under the circumstances".)
Ganbari - Resistance (to the government's orders).
Gentlemen's Agreement - A document signed between the governments of Canada andJapan in 1908 to limit the number of Japanese immigrants to Canada despite the contrary
terms of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance of 1902; the USA and Japan had a similar agreement.
Ghetto - Originally sections of a European city to which Jews was restricted; later came tomean an area of a city where members of a poor minority group lived.
Ghost Town - A formerly populated community that has been largely or entirely vacated(Some of the internment camps were ghost towns in the interior of B.C.)
Giri - The duty to keep one's personal reputation and family name clean. (see On)
Gosei - Fifth generation. (see Issei and Nisei)
Greater Vancouver Advisory Committee - A government-appointed board thatorganized the sale of Japanese Canadian urban properties at below market value.
Greenwood - One of the internment sites.
Habeas Corpus - The body of basic rights; presumes innocent until proven guilty,
knowing what charge has been laid, having a trial in a reasonable amount of time, etc. Manyof these guarantees for Canadian citizens of Japanese origin were ignored under the War
Measures Act and other government regulations (Orders-in-Council).
Hakujin - White person; someone of European ancestry.
Hashi - Japanese chopsticks.
Hastings Park Exhibition Grounds - Vancouver site where Japanese-Canadians were
kept in hastily converted horse stables and cattle stalls after they were forced from theirhomes until they were sent to internment camps in the interior of B.C.
Head Tax - A fee required from each Chinese immigrant to Canada starting in 1885; it did
not apply to Japanese immigrants whose numbers were limited by a "gentlemen's
agreement" between the governments of Canada and Japan (the agreement was a
supplement to a military alliance between Britain and Japan).
Hito ni meiwaku o kakete wa ikenai - You shouldn't make a nuisance of yourself.
Hong Kong - This city in southern China was a British colony when the Japanese Imperial
Army attacked it on December 8, 1941. They raped and murdered Canadian nurses when
they captured the colony on December 25. The Canadian soldiers who survived the battle
were interned. (See "POW Camps"). The brutal treatment of the nurses and soldiers
enflamed Canadian passions against the Japanese. Unfortunately, some of this anger was
directed against Japanese-Canadians in B.C. who were in no way involved.
"Hostels" - Interim lodging for Japanese Canadians moving east from the BC camps after
WW II; often barracks-like conditions, they were referred to euphemistically as "temporary
regional centres" by the government.
Ikebana - The art of Japanese flower arranging.
immigrant - Someone who enters another country with the intention of living there
permanently.
Incarceration - Being in jail or prison.
Incarceration Camps - Places where Japanese-Canadians were forced to go such as
ghost towns in the interior of B.C. (an alternative and stronger term than "Internment

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Camps"). No such camps were created for German-Canadians or Italian-Canadians, eventhough the threat of an invasion of the Atlantic coast was much greater than that of the
Pacific coast.
Interior Housing Centre - Government euphemism for internment camp.
Interior Settlement - Government euphemism for internment camp.
Internment - The act of forcing a prisoner to stay within a restricted area.
Internment Camps - The typical term for the communities where Japanese-Canadians
were sent during World War II (see "Incarceration Camps" and "Concentration Camps").
Intimidation - Frightening someone by threatening.
Issei - First generation; refers to pre-World War II immigrants.
Jap - A derogatory and racist term applied to Japanese.
Japanese Canadian Citizens Association (JCCA) - A group formed in Vancouver in
1932; it declined in importance after World War II; its final conference was held in Toronto
in 1961; its Toronto chapter continued after that time.
Japanese Canadian Citizens' Council (JCCC) - A coalition of various Japanese
Canadian groups formed in 1942 assist those who were being uprooted.
Japanese Canadian Citizens League (JCCL) - A Nisei organization founded in 1936 toobtain full civil and political rights for Canadians of Japanese descent.
Japanese Canadian Committee for Democracy (JCCD) - A Toronto-based groupthat rejected the acceptance of food supplies from the Japanese Red Cross because it would
make them appear to be Japanese rather than Canadian. By 1944 they were lobbying for theright to vote as Canadian citizens.
Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre (JCCC) - A community centre that opened in
Toronto in 1963; the original building was designed by Raymond Moriyama; in the 1990's
the members moved to another, larger building.
Japanese Canadians - Immigrants to Canada from Japan and their descendants (Of theapproximately 24,000 Japanese-Canadians interned (incarcerated) in the 1940's about 2/3
were born in Canada and were, therefore, Canadian citizens, as were some of the Issei whowere naturalized Canadians).
Japanese Fishing Vessel Disposal Committee (JFVDC) - A federal government
appointed group that oversaw the selling of fishing boats confiscated from Japanese
Canadians. Their appraisal of the value of the vessels was based on their condition after
three months of neglect and abuse.
Japanese Liaison Committee - A group of three Issei appointed by the British Columbia
Security Commission to liaise between itself and the Japanese Canadian community. Its
controversial leader was Etsuji Morii.
Japanese Property Owners Association - A group of Issei in Kaslo that opposed thesale of confiscated property starting in 1943.
Japanese Repatriation League - Organization of white Canadians in B.C. to havepersons of Japanese ancestry sent to Japan.
Judo - Japanese martial art derived from jujutsu by Kano Jigoro; a sport but also a systemof self-discipline and self-defence where partners engage in a form of wrestling while
wearing sturdy uniforms; it was well known to Japanese Canadians before World War II.
Kana - Japanese symbols for writing Japanese and foreign words; there are two forms,"hiragana" and "katakana."
Kanji - Chinese characters (pictograms/ideographs) used to write Japanese words.
Karate - Japanese martial art and sport derived from China and Okinawa that primarily
uses punches and kicks; it was largely unknown to Japanese Canadians before World War
II.
Kanpyo - Dried gourd.
Kaslo - One of the internment sites.

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Kendo - Japanese martial art derived from sword fighting where partners compete wearing
armour and using split bamboo swords (shinai); it was well known to Japanese Canadians
before World War II.
Kenjin-kai - Prefectural organization (immigrants from the same region of Japan).
Ketojin - Hairy person; a derogatory term for white people.
Kibei - See Kika.
Kika Nisei - Japanese Canadians born in Canada but educated in Japan (see Shushin).
Kikajin-kai - See Naturalized Japanese Canadian Association.
Kisaragi Club - A Japanese Canadian group that gave instruction in ballroom dancing.
Kodomo no tame ni - For the sake of the children.
Kokojin - Black person; someone of African descent.
Komagata Maru Incident - In 1914 white Canadians prevented the landing in B.C. of aJapanese ship carrying Indian workers from South Asia.
Konnyaku - Yam root.
Koseki-tohon - Family register.
Kotobukikai - A social club for Japanese Canadians over sixty years of age.
Kumeric Incident - In 1905 over one thousand Japanese workers arrived from Hawaii;
Canadians in B.C. were alarmed by what they saw as competition for scarce jobs.
Kunimono - People from the same prefecture.
Lemon Creek - One of the internment sites
Little Tokyo - See "Powell Street."
Manchukuo - The Japanese puppet state in Manchuria, 1931-1945.
Manitoba Japanese Joint Committee - A group formed in 1943 to represent theinterests of the Japanese Canadians who had been moved from British Columbia to
Manitoba.
Miai-kekkon - Arranged marriage; typical of Issei, not always accepted by Nisei.
Military Necessity - A justification for extreme action in time of war.
Miscegenation - The interbreeding of what are presumed to be distinct human races,
especially links between white and non-white individuals; this form of bias sometimes
prevented the marriage of Japanese with people of European background.
Miso - Soybean paste used for soup and other types of cooking.
Mochi - Pounded rice cake.
Moxa - Dried leaves burned on or above the skin for medicinal purposes.
Mores - Typical or essential customs of a community.
Namaiki - Impertinent; some Issei saw Nisei as lacking in respect and obedience.
Nanking - A Chinese city now known as Nanjing; the atrocious behaviour of the JapaneseImperial Army in capturing this city increased Canadian hostility toward Japan; some ofthat hostility was directed toward Japanese-Canadians, especially when Issei groups
attempted to justify Japan's aggression.
National Emergency Transitional Powers Act ("Bill 15") - A Canadian law thatrecognized that the emergency of war had ended on January 1, 1946; Unlike the War
Measures Act it did not include the powers of arrest, exclusion and deportation, but it stillgave the government extraordinary powers to take action to wrap up war related matters.
National Japanese Canadian Citizens Association (NJCCA) - A Nisei group formedin Toronto in 1947.
National Security - Protection of the country, especially from a military or terrorist
threat.
National Selective Service - The power of the federal government to conscript
individuals for civilian or military duty during wartime.
Nativist - Someone who favours long-time residents over recent immigrants.

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Naturalized Citizen - Someone who was born elsewhere but has legally become a citizenof his/her new country of residence.
Naturalized Japanese Canadian Association - Known colloquially as the Kikajin-kai.
This group, formed in March 1942, opposed the work done by Etsuji Morii and the Japanese
Liaison Committee.
New Canadian - See "The New Canadian."
New Denver - One of the internment sites.
Nihon - Japan (same as Nippon).
Nihonjin - Japanese person (also "Nipponjin").
Nihonjin-machi - Japan town (the area of Vancouver where many Japanese lived).
Nihon-machi - The same as Nihonjin-machi.
Nikkei - People of Japanese ancestry living in another country.
Nippon - Japan (same as Nihon).
Nisei - Second generation; the Canadian-born children of the pre-World War II Japaneseimmigrants.
Obaachan - Familiar form of "Obaasan."Obaasan - Grandmother; old woman.
Ocha - Japanese green tea.
Odori - Dance; Japanese dancing.
Ofuro - Japanese bathtub (more formal term than furo).
Ojiichan - Familiar form of "Ojiisan."Ojiisan - Grandfather; old man.
On - Duty; the obligations owed by children to their parents (see Giri).
Order-in-Council - A directive or order given by the government without passing a newlaw.
Order-in-Council, P.C. 365 - A federal government regulation of January, 1942, (under
the War Measures Act) that empowered the Minister of Justice to make any area of Canadaa "protected area" from which enemy aliens cold be excluded. It was used to legalize theforced removal of Canadian of Japanese ancestry from the coast of British Columbia. Under
this rule, Japanese males were ordered out.
Order-in-Council, P.C. 1486 - A federal government regulation of February 24, 1942,(under the War Measures Act) that empowered the Minster of Justice to control the
movements of all persons of Japanese ancestry, whether Canadian citizens or not, in the"protected areas". Under this rule, entire families were forced out of their homes. The
driving force behind this plan was B.C. Liberal M.P. and cabinet minister Ian Mackenzie.
Origami - Japanese artistic paper folding.
Osushi - Formal term for "sushi."
Pacific War - One of the terms used in Japan for WW II.
Paternalism - Limiting freedom and responsibility in the belief that it is for the good of
those who are thereby restricted.
Pearl Harbor - This American naval base in Hawaii was attacked without a priordeclaration of war by the Japanese navy on December 7, 1941. The deaths of thousands ofAmerican military personnel finally brought the US into World War II. Japanese military
success so close to North America created fear and panic among the residents of British
Columbia and western US states. (It is interesting to note that there was no forced removalof Japanese in Hawaii, unlike on the west coast of the USA and Canada.)
Picture Brides - Women brought from Japan to marry Issei immigrants in Canada; often
the couple had never met but only exchanged photographs in advance of the marriage; they
began to arrive in Canada around 1908; about 300-400 arrived in 1913; the practice wasdiscontinued after 1928.
Popoff - One of the internment sites.

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POW Camps - Prisoner of war camps (In the Japanese samurai tradition, surrender was adisgrace. A soldier should win, die fighting, or commit suicide. Therefore, enemy soldiers,
for whom there was such a thing as an honourable surrender, were looked down upon by
their Japanese captors. Conditions in Japanese camps were deplorable and not in keepingwith the Geneva Convention. Reports of mistreatment of Canadian prisoners angered
Canadians at home. They directed some of this hostility toward Japanese-Canadians in B.C.,
especially when it was learned that one particularly sadistic prison guard was a JapaneseCanadian who had moved to Japan before the war. However, Japanese-Canadians in B.C.
were in no way involved in the atrocities of the POW camps.)
Powell Street - A street in Vancouver where Japanese-Canadians lived and worked; it was
the centre of Nihonjin machi; the Japanese equivalent of "Chinatown."
Prejudice - Forming opinions about individuals based on limited evidence about that
person's group; unfair judgement based on unreasonable generalization; an opinion formedin advance of specific knowledge; a dislike or distrust of a person or group based
misinformation or the actions of a small number of examples.
Propaganda - Deliberate spreads ideas that are partially or totally false for the purpose ofachieving a political goal.
Race - Major division of humans based on superficial physical differences such as skincolour, hair texture or facial features (race is largely dismissed by anthropologists as an
explanation of group or individual behaviour).
Racism - Discrimination based on racial prejudice.
RCMP - The Royal Canadian Mounted Police. (Canada's national police force, they also
form the provincial police in British Columbia.)
Redress - The act of righting a wrong (in 1988 the government of Canada officiallyapologized for the treatment of Japanese-Canadians during and after World War II andprovided some financial compensation)
Refugee - A person who flees to escape invasion, persecution, or threat to life.
Relocation Centre - Government euphemism for internment camp.
Reparations - Compensation (often in the form of a monetary payment) paid to makeamends (As part of the redress settlement of 1988 the government of Canada made financial
contributions to the families that were forcibly relocated during World War II).
Repatriation - The returning of someone or something to the country of origin (After
World War II the government of Canada encouraged Japanese-Canadians to go to Japan;
for those born in Japan this was repatriation. Many of those born in Canada had never been
to Japan).
Resettlement - The issue of (a) what to do with the Japanese-Canadians removed fromtheir homes in 1942 and (b) where they would be allowed to live after World War II.
Rural Advisory Committee - A government-appointed board that organized the sale ofJapanese Canadian rural properties.
Sabotage - The damaging of property by enemy agents during a war.
Saboteur - Someone who commits sabotage.
Sakura - Cherry blossom.
Samurai - Servant or retainer; the warrior class that ruled Japan 1185-1868; the samurai
as a distinct social class ended in 1876.
Sandon - One of the internment sites.
Sansei - Third generation.
Sake - Alcoholic beverage brewed from rice (often incorrectly referred to as "rice wine").
Sashimi - Raw fish consumed as food.
Seebe - A camp for German prisoners of war in Alberta that was also used to intern
Japanese-Canadians who were arrested immediately after the Japanese military attacks on
Hong Kong and Pearl Harbor in December 1941.
Sensei - Teacher; anyone deserving respect for success in a certain area.

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Shiga-ken - A prefecture (province) in central Japan from where numerous immigrants
came to Canada.
Shikata-ga-nai - It can't be helped (nothing can be done).
Shiruko - Red bean soup (for New Year's Day).
Sho-ga-nai - It can't be helped (nothing can be done).
Shogo Endo Kai - See Beet Workers Association.
Shogun - Actually "Sei-i-tai-shohgun" or "barbarian-quelling supreme general"; thesamurai military commanders who ruled Japan for over seven hundred years until 1868.
Shoyu - Japanese soy sauce.
Shushin - Ethics; the combination of Confucian behaviours and nationalist ideology taught
in Japan from the 1890's to the end of World War II. It became increasingly chauvinistic
during the 1920's and 1930's when some Canadian-born Nisei were sent to Japan for
education. (see Kika Nisei)
Slocan - A town in the interior of British Columbia where Japanese-Canadians were held;
one of the internment (incarceration) sites.
Soba - Buckwheat noodles.
Special Cabinet Committee on Relocation and Repatriation - A 1945 federalcabinet committee charged with affairs relating to Japanese Canadians.
Status - Position in relation to others; one's rank within a group.
Suffrage - The right to vote.
Sumi-e - Artistic painting using mainly or exclusively black ink.
Supreme Court - Canada's highest court; during WW II appeals could still be made to
Britain (Privy Council of the House of Lords).
Sushi - Rice and other ingredients (perhaps raw fish) wrapped in seaweed.
Takuan - Pickled radish.
Tashme - A town in the interior of British Columbia where Japanese-Canadians were held
(one of the internment sites); named after the three Security Commissioners Taylor,
Shirras, and Mead by combining the first two letters of each of their last names.
Tatami - Straw mats used for flooring (about 2.5 cm. thick, 1 meter wide and 2 meterslong).
Tanomoshi - Mutual financing; the practice of Japanese immigrants, especially from thesame prefecture, of lending money to each other without collateral.
Terrorist - Someone who uses illegal violence, especially against civilians, to achieve a
political goal.
The Continental Times (Tairiku) - A Japanese language newspaper serving the Issei.
The New Canadian - A Japanese Canadian newspaper founded in 1938 by Nisei.
Tofu - Soybean curd.
Tojo - Japanese military officer and WW II prime minister; executed as a war criminal.
Tonarigumi - The tradition of working together for mutual benefit.
Toronto Claimants Committee - A group that split off from the NJCCA in opposition toaccepting a partial compensation.
Twenty-one Demands - Japanese government's attempt to extend its influence in China
during World War I when Japan was an ally of Britain and Canada; evidence of Japan's plan
to expand its empire beyond Korea and Taiwan.
Udon - Thick white noodles.
Values - Ideas about what is good/bad, right/wrong, important/unimportant.
Veterans' Land Act - Legislation designed to find land for returning armed forces
personnel. It was used in part to justify the sale of farms confiscated from Japanese
Canadians.
War Measures Act - Legislation that gave the federal government extraordinary powers;
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World War I (1914-1918) and World War II (1939-1945); it was also enforced during the
FLQ kidnappings of 1970.
Wartime Security Commission - A group of about 150 Japanese-Canadians who helped
to implement the federal government's evacuation orders.
White Canada Association - A nativist group in pre-WW II British Columbia that spread
its prejudiced views of Japanese Canadians.
Women's Missionary Society - A group from the United Church of Canada that helped
Japanese Canadians from the beginning of the forced evacuation.
Yamato-damashii - Japanese spirit; the sense of what it means to be Japanese and the
behaviour that should flow from it.
Yellow Peril - An offensive term used to describe the assumed political and military threat
to Europeans and North Americans from East Asians, i.e., Chinese, Koreans and Japanese(White British Columbians often had this idea in mind when they pressed for limitations on
immigration, voting rights, etc.) (The term was first used by Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany in1895 at the time of Japan's defeat of China in the Sino-Japanese War.)Yen - Japanese currency.
Yonsei - Fourth generation.