Japan was prepared to limit immigration to the United States, but was seriously injured by San Francisco`s discriminatory law, which specifically targeted its people. President Roosevelt, who wanted to maintain good relations with Japan as a pole opposed to Russian expansion in the Far East, intervened. While the U.S. ambassador reassured the Japanese government, Roosevelt summoned the mayor and the San Francisco school board to the White House in February 1907 and convinced him to end segregation and promised that the federal government itself would address the issue of immigration. On February 24, the gentlemen`s agreement was reached with Japan in the form of a Japanese memo, in which it was agreed to deny passports to workers wishing to enter the United States and to recognize the right of the United States to exclude Japanese immigrants with passports initially issued to other countries. March 13, 1907 followed the formal withdrawal of the San Francisco School Board`s decision. A final Japanese note, dated February 18, 1908, made the gentlemen`s agreement fully effective. The agreement was replaced by the Immigration Exclusion Act of 1924. Restrictions on Japanese immigration were deemed necessary following an influx of Japanese workers into British Columbia and a wave of anti-Asian workers in the province.
More than 8,000 Japanese immigrants arrived in Canada in the first ten months of 1907, a dramatic increase over previous years. [1] Reports that the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway planned to import thousands more Japanese workers to work on the western part of the railway fuelled the anti-Asian atmosphere. [2] Hostility towards the Asian population turned violent at an Asian Exclusion League rally in Vancouver in 1907. The crowd turned into an uncontrollable mob that targeted the city`s Chinese and Japanese residents and destroyed their personal belongings. [3] Japan has agreed to limit the number of passports it has provided to male workers and domestic workers to 400 per year. Four classes of immigrants would still be allowed to enter Canada: returning residents and their wives, children and parents; Immigrants employed by Japanese residents in Canada for personal and domestic services; Canadian government-approved workers; and contracted farm labour by Japanese landowners in Canada. Although no specific legislation has been adopted to enforce the quota, the agreement has resulted in a significant reduction in Japanese immigration. In the year following the agreement, only 495 Japanese immigrants arrived in Canada. [6] Although the agreement limited the number of adult men who could enter Canada, it did not provide for restrictions on the wives of Japanese immigrants.
After the introduction of the quota, a large number of Japanese women began to migrate to Canada as „image brides.” Japanese men in Canada would choose brides based on photos sent by relatives to Japan. After registering her marriage in Japan, the bride was granted a passport to Canada. The arrival of more Japanese women facilitated a natural increase in Canada`s Japanese population. [7] Tensions had increased in San Francisco, and since Japan`s decisive victory over Russia in 1905, Japan has demanded fair treatment.
