**Help Us Reconnect with the Families of the Prewar Vancouver Asahi
— A Community Call for Information**
We Kindly Ask for Your Support
For many years, the Japan-Canada Chamber of Commerce (JCCOC) has proudly supported the historic Vancouver baseball team, the Vancouver Asahi.
We recently learned that the BC Sports Hall of Fame has prepared commemorative Hall of Fame medals for four Vancouver Asahi players from the prewar era (early 1900s), but these medals have not yet reached their families or descendants.
To help honor their legacy, the JCCOC is pleased to support a community-based effort to locate the families or relatives of these players, and we warmly invite your help.
This initiative began with Mr. Youbun Shima, a Tokyo-based volunteer, who received a Hall of Fame medal on behalf of his late uncle, Mr. Shoichi Shima, a former Vancouver Asahi player. His experience inspired an ongoing effort to ensure that other families may also receive this meaningful recognition.
As more than a century has passed, historical records are limited. However, even a small memory, family story, or local connection may help bring an important piece of history back to light.
Players We Are Seeking Information About
The following four former Vancouver Asahi players are still awaiting the presentation of their Hall of Fame medals:
K. Endo
- Played in 1938
- Believed to have been originally from Tottori Prefecture, Japan
Barry Kiyoshi Kasahara
- Played from 1919 to 1923
- Originally from Yokohama, Japan
- We especially welcome information from families with ties to Yokohama
Yoshio Miyasaki
- Played from 1925 to 1926
- Place of origin unknown
Dr. Henry Masataro Nomura
- Played from 1919 to 1921
- Originally from Tokyo, Japan
- Served as President of the Vancouver Asahi and led the team’s Japan tour during that era
How You Can Help
We would be grateful for any information at all, including:
- Family members or descendants
- Relatives or extended family connections
- Personal recollections, letters, or family stories
- Former family names or historical documents
Information from both Canada and Japan is welcome.
If family members or relatives are identified, the BC Sports Hall of Fame will formally present a personalized Hall of Fame medal to the family.
Contact Us
Japan-Canada Chamber of Commerce (JCCOC)
Please reach out through the Inquiry Form at the following URL.
General Inquiries
The Japan-Canada Chamber of Commerce
The Burrard Building, Suite 1010
1030 West Georgia Street, Vancouver
Email: jccoc.office@gmail.com
About This Initiative
Contact: Kenki Miyanabe
Email: kmiya.jccoc@gmail.com
Thank You
By helping us reconnect these players with their families, you are helping preserve a shared chapter of Japanese Canadian history.
We sincerely thank you for your kindness, curiosity, and support.