Mits Sumiya

Mits Sumiya was one of 76 students banished from the University of British Columbia campus 70 years ago after the Canadian government removed Japanese Canadians and Canadians of Japanese descent from the coastal areas during World War II. He wanted to become an engineer but spent four years in a prisoner-of-war camp in Ontario.

Stories from This Author

My UBC Convocation Story

Sept. 5, 2012 • Mits Sumiya

My convocation started on Monday, May 28, 2012 when I landed at Vancouver airport about noon. As I reached the end of the narrow passage from the plane to the airport, I saw Mary Kitagawa and her husband Tosh, along with Alden from UBC (Unversity of British Columbia) and Jennifer Leask from CBC. Mary was carrying a big sign “UBC WELCOMES MITS SUMIYA.” I had never seen these people before but suddenly they were my extended family welcoming me home. …

academic degrees British Columbia Canada education honorary degrees Japanese Canadians Mary Kitagawa Mits Sumiya students University of British Columbia Vancouver (B.C.) World War II