Jim Nishihara worked with the Royal Canadian Army Pay Corps (RCAPC), distributing pay to the soldiers in the camps. Tak Irizawa also worked for the RCAPC, handling the pay for approximately 5000 troops.  During his 6-month term in Northern Korea, Tak worked close to the Demilitarized Zone. Karl Konishi and his brother Fred both worked for the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps (RCASC) after basic training with the Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI). In North Korea, their jobs included construction of trenches and foxholes, as well as sentry duty. Ray Nakamoto worked in administration and as a driver.

Japanese Canadians served in regiments that saw combat in the Korean War.  Mits Arikado, Masao Kawanami, and Teruji Terry Murakami were part of the Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry.  George Yoshiki Shirakawa served in the Royal Canadian Regiment (Ito, 1994, p. 473).  Gunner Takashi Takeuchi died while serving with the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery (Ito, 1994, p. 472).

Second World War veteran Masao Kawanami, serving with the PPCLI, was involved in the heroic evacuation of South Korean civilians on June 5, 1951.  “In late spring 1951, as both sides dug into what would be become a prolonged stalemate, the United Nations forces and the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army expanded their defensive minefields across the contested ground between North and South Korea.

Following recent UN advances, on the evening of 22 May, a small group of South Korean refugees tried to return to their homes in liberated territory and inadvertently stumbling (sic) into a minefield. A blast left the group of six men, women, and children badly injured and stranded on dangerous ground.

Private Masao Kawanami of the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) immediately rushed to the scene, risking his life to cross the minefield. He was joined by Sergeant Frank Taylor also of the PPCLI who rendered first-aid. The pair helped to evacuate the refugees with six trips through the minefield and back. The injured South Koreans were then taken to a field dressing station. Two succumbed to the terrible wounds but four would be saved. Kawanami and Taylor were each recognized for their exceptional bravery with a Mention in Dispatches (Barrett, 2024).”

Dick Nakamura and Joe Takashima both served in the Royal Canadian Air Force while in Korea. 

Robert Cato (Kato) was the first Japanese Canadian to enlist in the Royal Canadian Navy (serving from July 1950 to February 1951) for Korean service, and Yeiji Inouye was the second to enlist. They served on the Korean coast. Masao Irizawa, John Akemitsu Kobayashi, Harry Tadayoshi Matsubara and Dr. Robert Tatsuro Miya also served in the Royal Canadian Navy.  An article in the November 7, 1951 issue of the New Canadian, about the experience of American nisei serving in the Korean War, mentioned a trait equally applicable to Canadian nisei: “One thing they had in common with Nisei of World War II was the added hazard of looking too much like the enemy (The New Canadian, November 7, 1951)”.