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The Japanese Exclusion
by Terry Watada, writer, literature professor, historian
By the late 19th century, Japan had become a world power. Its presence on the world stage led to the Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Commerce and Navigation in 1894 between England and Japan, which granted the two countries "full liberty to enter, travel or reside in any part of the dominions and possessions of the other contracting party." Canada was included in this treaty. When Wilfrid Laurier became prime minister in 1896, however, the new government decided not to fully adhere to the terms of the treaty. Rather, it maintained a delicate balancing act aimed at sustaining good relations with the Japanese government, while acknowledging Canada's fears about unrestricted immigration. It wasn't until 1906, when Japan was a proven military power, that the Liberals accepted the treaty, even though it meant losing control over Japanese immigration. Canada had little choice but to recognize Japan's influence in the world.
Around the turn of the century, the Canadian government quashed all legislation initiated by British Columbian politicians that would have adversely affected the Japanese. The Alien Labour Act of 1897, which prohibited the hiring of "Oriental" labour for provincial government projects, no longer applied. In 1898, British Columbian politicians tried unsuccessfully to extend the Chinese Head Tax law (a tax of $50 per Chinese immigrant entering Canada) to the Japanese. In 1900, the province passed the Natal Act, which established a language requirement for persons, i.e., Chinese and Japanese, entering the province. The Japanese and British governments objected, and convinced the federal government to disallow the Act.
Regardless, British Columbian politicians were persistent in their attempts to eliminate the Japanese presence in their province. The perception that Japanese workers posed a threat to the province's job market, together with fear and ignorance about "foreigners," fuelled their desire to keep British Columbia 'a white man's country.' Japan, mindful of such concerns, implemented a voluntary prohibition of emigrant workers to Canada soon thereafter.
After 1905, Japanese immigration flowed once again. Almost 2,000 Japanese people entered British Columbia in 1906, a six-fold increase over the previous year. With the increase, agitation over the Japanese presence spread among the province's workers, business owners and politicians. The Japanese, though relatively few in number, were repeatedly accused of "taking over" various industries like boat building, lumbering and fishing. With the formation of the Anti-Asiatic League, anger and hatred exploded into the 1907 race riots in Vancouver.
As the situation in British Columbia became untenable, Prime Minister Laurier sent Rodolphe Lemieux, Postmaster General and Minister of Labour, on a mission to Japan in 1908. Lemieux's purpose was to persuade Japan to voluntarily restrict emigration -- by arguing that the number of Japanese entering Canada had risen from 354 in 1904 to over 8,000 in 1907. Japanese Foreign Minister Tadasu Hayashi, mindful of "special conditions which may prevail in Canada from time to time," agreed to limit immigration. Thus, the Gentleman's Agreement came into effect, cutting off Japanese-worker emigration.
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