Traitor By Default: The Trials of Kanao Inouye, the Kamloops Kid

by Patrick Brode

At the end of World War II, a young Japanese Canadian would stand trial and face execution for having committed war crimes and betraying his country.

One of the most bizarre stories to emerge at the end of the Second World War was that of Kanao Inouye. Born in Kamloops, B.C., in 1916, he had relocated to his ancestral homeland of Japan, and by 1942 was a translator for the Japanese army. He was assigned to the prisoner of war camp in Hong Kong where he became infamous as one of the “most sadistic guards” over the Canadian survivors of the Battle of Hong Kong. Scores of prisoners would attest to his brutality administered in revenge for the treatment he had received growing up in Canada.

His reputation was such that he was quickly apprehended after the war and faced charges of war crimes. But his subsequent trials became mired in questions as to who he really was. Was he a Canadian forced to serve in the Japanese military machine? Or was he a devoted soldier of his emperor obeying his superiors?

199 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 23, 2024

Reviews

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent, educational and a grim part Canada’s past. I was aware of how Japanese Canadians were treated during WWII but this was certainly a deeper dive into that history.

Thank you Dundurn Press for this complimentary copy.

[Mike Barat · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the name of honestly you should know that I know the writer of this book personally as an acquaintance, and I like him as a person. However, having said that if I thought this book wasn't good I would say so. Now about the book. This is the story of Kanao Inouye also known as the Kamloops kid and Slap Happy Joe. Kanao Inouye was born in Kamloops B.C. want to Japan with his family where his father died and the son stayed in Japan where later on during the war Mr. Inouye worked as interpreter for Japanese army since he knew English as well as Japanese. kanao Inouye would treat Canadian POW brutally to say the least. Mr. Inouye felt he now had a chance to get even for the way he was treated as child in grade school during the years he was growing in Kamloops B.C. however the stories about Kanao Inouye killing between two to eight Canadian POW there's simply no proof that Kanao Inouye killed anyone. Mr. Inouye certainly deserved to go prison for about five years, however he did not deserve to be hanged. Even If I believed in capital punishment I would say that. Nonetheless this book touches on so many interesting subjects, how military courts work, treatment of POW by the Japanese during World War Two, racism of Japanese People in Canada during World War Two, and last but not least what makes a person a citizen of a country? legally that's not always a easy question to answer. I left out a lot of details on purpose, because there's a lot of interesting stories and details in this book that I want you to find out on your own. This is the best book I have read this year. Read this book and you won't be disappointed.

[Richard Janzen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating case of a Japanese Canadian who ended up serving as an interpreter for the Japanese army in a Hong Kong prisoner camp, and took an active role in torturing Canadian and other peoples.

The book tells the story of the legal maneuverings, trying to determine whether he could be tried as a traitor to Canada, or if he was participating as a Japanese citizen.

The issues were quite interesting. Mixed in with the question of citizenship was the bad treatment that Inouye and his community faced in Canada, not treated as real Canadians. There was an implicit case that Canada did not treat the Japanese Canadians justly, which made finding justice in this case more precarious and challenging.

[Bruce Geddes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an episode from Canadian history that ought to be much better known than it currently is though once you read it you'll know why it'll never make for a Heritage Minute.
Without losing the reader in technical legal stuff, Patrick Brode tells a compelling story that reads like the best court room drama.

[Admin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, and fact-dense, the subject matter does not make for an exciting read despite a strong performance by the author.