カナダと太平洋戦争

日本・カナダ関係の史的展開

抄録

This article deals with the background and development of Canada's involvement in the Pacific War. It reveals the framework of post-war ties between Japan and Canada, which lay deep in the roots of their belligerent relationship.
The Japanese-Canadian relationship has been mainly told concerning commercial and missionary exchanges. Their relations began with trade, missions and the immigration of Japanese to Canada in the last quarter of the nineteenth century.
While the Anglo-Japanese Alliance remained in force, the relations between Japan and Canada had been friendly but anti-Japanese persecutions occured in British Columbia.
As Pacific Powers, Japan and Canada had antagonistically confronted each other after the First World War.
The rise of patriotism in Canada stimulated its own national-identity, so Canada claimed its own interest in the Pacific-area reigion.
In the 1920's and 1930's, the Federal Government in Ottawa adopted a policy of appeasement for Japan as did the U. K.
A policy of appeasement and isolationism was prepondent in Canadian external policy during the two world wars. The outbreak of the Second world war urged Canada to decide on “Germany First” as the highest strategic priority. Canada preferred to become involved with the defeat of Germany in comparision with the expansion of Japan in China, and invoked U. S. involvement in the war through Anglo-American collaboration. It was not until the collapse of France that U. S. determined to help U. K. with Canada's mediation.
In addition, Canadian-American military collaboration began with the Ogdensburg Agreement of Aug. 18, 1940 which set up the Permanent Joint Board on Defence, and completed with the Hyde Park Declaration of Apr. 21, 1941 which founded the Joint Economic Committee.
Thus, PJBD had become the central agency of Canadian-American joint defence in the North American Continent. Just before the outbreak of the Pacific War, U. S. Military Forces were estimated to be the predominant power to deter war against Japan in the Pacific by U. K. and Canada.
The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor stirred a hysterical horror against Japan in Canada, especially in B. C. Therefore, Canada preceded both the U. S. and the U. K. to declare war on Japan.
But Canada's participation in the Pacific War was restricted to the battles of Hong Kong, the Aleutian Islands' Kiska and others which Canadian forces served with the U. S. and Britsh Commonwealth forces in South East Asia.
Near the end of the Pacific War, Canada was forced to intervene in the war to save the Allies' damages against Japan.
But the Second World War came to an end after the atomic-bomb dropping with which Canada had an indirect involvement.
Canada was present at the surrender of Japan and worked for the Allies' policy of occupation.
In conclusion, Canada and Japan learned to understand themselves as members of the Pacific Community through the lessons of the Pacific War.
And more, if Canada and Japan remain mutually conscious of their raison d'etre as Pacific destiny, then the two Pacific powers couldn't think but of the destiny of building peace in the Pacific.