Publisher: Edmonton Japanese Community Association (EJCA) History Project Phase 3 Committee Date: May 2016 Contact: Edmonton Japanese Community Association c/o EJCA/Argyll Community Centre 6750 - 88 Street, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6E 5H6 E-mail: [email protected] Electronic version: This document is also available through the University of Alberta’s Education & Research Archive (ERA) and can be downloaded from: https://era.library.ualberta.ca/files/gh93h222 (note: the electronic version includes screen-shots of the survey instrument) History Project Phase 3 Committee members: Cathy Tennant, Daiyo Sawada, David Sulz, Jim Hoyano, Sanae Ohki (chair) Editor: Sanae Ohki (Part 1), David Sulz (Part 2) Copyright: Edmonton Japanese Community Association. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without permission from the EJCA except in the case of brief quotations or insubstantial portions which must be properly credited. Important note: Due to the nature of historical data collection, there are undoubtedly many gaps, missing information, and the accuracy of some facts may be disputed. The committee members disclaim any responsibility for errors, omissions and incomplete information but are pleased to receive corrections, suggestions, additions, etc. that may be used (or not) at the committee's discretion. Additional information (or corrections or clarifications) received after May 2016 may* be added to a separate document named EJCA Community Survey 2013 Results and Individual Histories Addendum. If this occurs, likely places to look will be the EJCA website, University of Alberta’s Education & Research Archive, or the EJCA library. It may also be added to the electronic version of this report hosted on ERA – with an update currency note. * note: we can’t be sure what will happen as time passes and the History Committee disbands or members change. Edmonton Japanese Community Association History Project – EJCA Community Survey 2013 Results and Individual Histories Table of contents 1. Project Scope 1.1. Scope ...................................................................................................................................................... 2 1.2. Timelines ................................................................................................................................................. 3 1.3. Funding and finance ............................................................................................................................... 3 1.4. Committee members and translators .................................................................................................... 3 2. The Survey 2.1. Conceptualizing the Survey ................................................................................................................... 4 2.2. Designing the Survey .............................................................................................................................. 4 2.3. Formatting the Survey ............................................................................................................................ 6 2.4. Conducting the Survey............................................................................................................................ 6 2.5. Analysis and Reporting Methods ............................................................................................................ 7 2.6. Quantitative Summary of Overall Responses to the Survey: Part One and Part Two ........................... 7 3. Part 1 – “Snapshots” of our community in 2013 3.1. Charts and graphs of responses to each question ................................................................................. 8 3.2. Cross classification of multiple questions............................................................................................. 25 4. Part 2 – Individual Life 4.1. Background to the contents of this document ..................................................................................... 34 4.2. Individual Responses to Part 2 of EJCA History Project Survey ............................................................ 36 The History Committee of the EJCA gratefully acknowledges the advice and support received from the Edmonton Heritage Council (EHC) of the City of Edmonton for the production and distribution of print copies of this report. Sufficient funds were provided under the Project Grants Program of the EHC to produce both soft cover and hard cover copies of the report and to distribute them to interested individuals as well as to noted libraries, museums and depositories here in Edmonton, in Canada and in Japan, including the National Archive of Japan and the Japanese Overseas Migration Museum in Yokohama. 1 1. Project Scope 1.1. Scope In January 2010, the Edmonton Japanese Community Association (EJCA) established a History Project Committee. The purpose of the project was to gather information about Japanese-Canadians (and people with Japanese heritage) in Edmonton and the surrounding area. Phase 1 of the History Project started in March 2010. It conducted interviews, collected old documents and established a method to archive materials that were gathered. Phase 2 started in September 2012 and collected more detailed information. A report of the interviews and data collected in Phases 1 and 2 was published in July 2014. During Phase 1, we found a document, ”Nakayama Shiro, the Comprehensive List of Japanese-Canadians, July 1921“ that included a list of Japanese living in Edmonton in 1921 and the biographies of key individuals. There were 25 people listed. Another document, “ Tairiku Nippo, Japanese Name List, September 1941 “ was a list of Japanese and Japanese Canadians living in Canada in 1941. The total number listed was about 23,000 including 13,000 born in Canada (i.e. second generation or nisei), 2,500 Japanese-Canadians, and 7,500 Japanese. 1912 was the first year when a few Japanese were recorded formally as residents in Edmonton although there had been Japanese people living in the Edmonton area on a temporary basis before 1912. So, 2012 was the 100th anniversary of the history of Japanese Canadians in Edmonton. According to the Statistics Canada’s census, the number of Canadians or permanent residents with Japanese ancestry was as follow: 1941 1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 1996 2001 2006 2011 Canada 23,149 21,663 29,179 37,255 40,990 65,965 68,135 85,225 98,990 109,740 Alberta 578 3,336 3,721 4,460 5,225 8,745 8,275 11,945 13,465 15,650 Lethbridge 2 314 838 920 n/a n/a n/a 1,365 1,705 2,120 Calgary 82 137 456 935 n/a 2,855 3,875 4,710 5,820 6,605 Edmonton 35 124 230 610 n/a 1,820 1,910 2,235 2,835 3,650 During the Phase 1 and 2 activities, it was noticed that there was no recent data about the lives of Japanese and Japanese-Canadians so the History Committee decided to capture a snapshot of Japanese, Japanese Canadian, and other people of Japanese ancestry, living in the Edmonton area, as of June 2013. This became known as Phase 3. It was felt that the data would provide valuable and interesting information for future generations. Working definitions for the survey: During initial discussions, it was realized that “the Japanese in Edmonton” could have a few interpretations so it was decided to use the following guidelines. Japanese: Japanese citizens, especially those likely leave Edmonton within five years (i.e. temporary residents of Edmonton area) 2 Japanese-Canadian: 1. Canadian with Japanese ancestor(s), including those with dual citizenship. 2. Canadian born in Japan, including dual citizens. 3. Japanese with Canadian landed immigrant status. 4. Japanese without Canadian landed immigrant status but planning to live in Canada over next 5 years. Others with Japanese heritage: Neither Canadian nor Japanese nationality; e.g. second generation Japanese American, Japanese married to a French person and living in the Edmonton area. 1.2. Timelines January 2013 Decision to conduct a survey collecting information about Japanese and Japanese Canadians living in the Edmonton area. May 2013 Survey questionnaire finalized June-August 2013 Survey conducted (online and paper versions) August 2013 Paper responses combined with online responses Aug 2013 - 2015 Responses in Japanese translated to English September 2015 Collection of missing photos and personal histories completed September 2015 Draft survey report completed and presented at EJCA Annual General Meeting March 2016 Collection of seniors’ histories completed April 2016 Report ready for printing June 2016 Phase 3 project completed 1.3. Funding and finance History Project – Phase 3 Finances to April 30, 2016 Funding Sources Casino Fund 973.95 EJCA General Fund 1,096.93 EJCA Fund for printing 2,915.00 Heritage Council Grant 2,915.00 Total 7,900.88 Expenses Survey and printing expenses 1,258.72 Materials, gift certificates 437.16 Translation 375.00 Total 2,070.88 Expected expense for the completion of Phase 3 Publishing of report 5,830.00 Total expenses 7,900.88 1.4. Committee members and translators Committee members: Cathy Tennant, David Sulz, Daiyo Sawada, Jim Hoyano, Sanae Ohki (Chair) 3 Translators (Japanese survey responses to English): Akiko Ogata, Kyoko Watanabe, Mineko Koto, Natsuko Cyr, Sanae Ohki, Takashi Ohki, Urara Kobayashi 2. The Survey 2.1. Conceptualizing the Survey Survey as “Community Portrait” As indicated in Section 1.1 above, the 2011 Statistics Canada Census revealed there were approximately 3,650 people residing in the Edmonton area who claimed some