Question 1 The first wave of Japanese immigrants to Canada settled mostly in British Columbia. True. The first wave of Japanese immigrants to Canada were known as the Issei and came to Canada between 1877 and 1928. Most of these immigrants settled in British Columbia, in Vancouver or in the Fraser Valley villages such as Steveston and Mission City. During this time, Japanese Canadians weren't welcomed into Canadian society and as a result they often congregated in their own enclaves. In Vancouver, for example, the heart of the Japanese Canadian community was Powell Street. Next Top of Page