Toshio Murao celebrated his birthday in the city he was born in 100 years ago.
Murao was born on Jan. 23, 1920 at Steveston Fisherman’s Hospital – and a century later, he still lives in the village.
This past weekend, more than 150 friends and family members came together for a 100th birthday celebration at River Rock Casino.
Murao encountered racism in his younger day because his Japanese heritage even though he was born in Canada, including imprisonment during the Second World War.
After spending his first three years in Steveston, Murao returned to Japan with his mother. He returned in 1936 at the age of 16 and entered the fishing industry in Steveston.
Soon thereafter, he was caught up in the war sweeping the world, arrested in 1942 while demonstrating against the unjust treatment of Japanese-Canadians.
He was sent to a prisoner-of-war camp in Angler, Ont., where he was made to don a prison uniform with a red dot on his back – this dot was so anyone trying to escape could be shot.
After the war, he returned to Japan where he met his wife. In 1952, he returned to Canada as Japan was facing financial hardships after the war. He was followed soon after by his wife and young son in 1953.
Murao worked as a fisherman until his retirement in 1990 at the age of 70 years.
He is the last surviving prisoner-of-war from Angler still residing in Steveston.
Murao was heavily involved in the community with the Steveston Buddhist Temple, the Japanese Language School and the Steveston Kendo Club.
He helped on many community projects including the Steveston Martial Arts Centre, Steveston Japanese-Canadian Cultural Centre, Nikkei Fisherman's Project and most recently as an advisor on the Steveston Nikkei Memorial project chaired by his son-in-law, Kelvin Higo.
Murao to this day continues to be active in the Steveston Gateball Association and plays regularly on the lawn at the Steveston Buddhist Temple. He is also a past-president of the Kokufu Shigin Club and several of its members performed at the birthday celebration.
