Our Story

Healing deep wounds. Walking forward, together.

The Healing Fund for Japanese Canadians began as a local Vancouver community movement in 2006, focusing on the public disclosure of GG Nakayama's decades of clergy sexual abuse from the Anglican Church of Canada. We have made great strides at each step, leading to the creation of the Anglican Healing Fund for Japanese Canadians, a project that will promote and support healing efforts among survivors and their families, and for the community.

We challenge the decades-long history of secrecy surrounding these crimes and want to work with survivors, survivor families and their communities to walk forward together in a healing journey.

Members of the Healing Fund Project Office

Emiko Lashin

Kevin Okabe

Wendy Matsubuchi-Bremner

Wendy Matsubuchi-Bremner - North Vancouver

I am Wendy Matsubuchi-Bremner, yonsei/4th gen from North Vancouver. My mother is Esther Yorimi Sunohara [Marpole, Slocan, Toronto] and my father was Edward Takeshi Matsubuchi [Cumberland, Hastings Park, Greenwood, Montreal]. After decades of pursuing justice for at least four of her brothers, Mom handed over the torch to me and told me it was my turn to advocate for all survivors and justice.

Emiko Lashin - Vancouver

My name is Emiko (Emi) Lashin. Part of the kanji for Emiko carries with it the meaning of "giver" and sure enough I have ended up pursuing giving professions such as nursing, teaching and counselling. I am presently retired but very active in the community. I have worked with many "movers and shakers" in the community, Judy Hanazawa being one. We learned about GG Nakayama about 20 years ago and have been working on obtaining retribution for the survivors of his abuse ever since.

Kevin Okabe, CPA, CA - Karnanaskis (Alberta)

Kevin is the Executive Director for the NAJC and has been providing management and administrative support to the project on behalf of the NAJC. He is a Yonsei (father’s side) and Nisei (mother’s side) and has been involved as a volunteer in the Japanese Canadian community for over thirty years, leveraging from his experience as a consultant, small business owner and business executive. He served for five terms on the NAJC National Executive Board as a Director, Secretary and Treasurer for the NAJC.

1. How were the Healing Fund projects chosen?

The Healing Fund for Japanese Canadians was established following consultation with the Japanese Canadian community. In 2017-2018 two members of the Japanese Canadian Working Group travelled across the country meeting with survivors, survivor families, and members of the Japanese Canadian community to ask them directly what their priorities were for a Healing Fund. Out of these meetings a report was drafted summarizing community requests of the Anglican Church of Canada, which included requests for counselling funding and educational resources. A summary of the most common of these requests became the Healing Fund projects and were included in the joint press release by the ACC and NAJC outlining the $610,000.
2. Who can apply for these resources?

The Healing Fund supports the survivors of Nakayama’s clergy sexual abuse, their families, and others who have been affected by these crimes. Survivors are individuals who were sexually abused by Nakayama. Survivor family members are the families of survivors including, but not limited to, siblings of survivors and their descendants.
3. Who are Survivors? Survivor families?

The Healing Fund supports the survivors of Nakayama’s clergy sexual abuse, their families, and others who have been affected by these crimes. Survivors are individuals who were sexually abused by Nakayama. Survivor family members are the families of survivors including, but not limited to, siblings of survivors and their descendants.
4. How was the Healing Fund figure of $610,000 decided on? Does this figure reflect the intergenerational trauma and mental health effects that the abuse has caused?"

Consultations on the Healing Fund have been ongoing between the Japanese Canadians and the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC) as a meaningful follow-up to the 2015 apology presented by the ACC at the Vancouver Japanese Language School. Healing initiatives were collected from Japanese Canadians across Canada in 2017-2018 and these suggestions were submitted to the ACC as part of our consultations. In March 2021 the ACC authorized $610,000 to be used toward a meaningful follow-up to the 2015 apology and the Healing Fund for Japanese Canadians was established. Additional sums may be contributed in the future.
5. Will there be more funding in the future?

$610,000 was authorized by the Anglican Church of Canada, the Diocese of Calgary, and the Diocese of New Westminster to be used to establish the Healing Fund for Japanese Canadians in March, 2021. Additional sums may be contributed in the future.
6. Is the Anglican Church publicly taking responsibility for failing to protect its most vulnerable constituents? If so, what are they doing to educate and monitor their clergy in order to prevent such a tragedy from occurring in the future?"

An apology was issued by Bishops Melissa Skelton and Gregor Kerr-Wilson on June 15, 2015 to the survivors, survivor families and the greater community affected by the crimes of Nakayama. A link to the apology on our News Releases page can be found here.
7. How much support can I receive?

The Healing Fund projects are here to support survivors, survivor families and community members affected by Nakayama’s crimes in their healing journey. We have received $610,000 from the Anglican Church of Canada in 2021 and more funds may be contributed in the future. If you or a member of your family would like future support please fill in our community feedback form on our homepage. For all other inquiries contact us if your circumstances have not been addressed.
8. Is there a section for direct financial compensation?

The Healing Fund does not cover direct financial compensation.
9. Does the Healing Fund for Japanese Canadians offer legal advice?

Please consult an accredited lawyer with legal questions.
10. I knew a survivor of Nakayama’s abuse who has now passed. Is the Anglican Church taking responsibility for their trauma?

We understand that many Japanese Canadians who were abused by Nakayama are no longer with us. Reflecting on the time it took for the Japanese Canadian community and the Anglican Church of Canada to reach this stage in the healing process is a sobering thought for us all. The members of Healing Fund project office also have family members and friends who did not live to see the Healing Fund. The Healing Fund for Japanese Canadians offers support for counselling funding, education grants, and community healing initiatives.
11. Can we use the Healing Funds for other programs that are not listed?

The Healing Fund projects are here to support survivors, survivor families and community members affected by Nakayama’s crimes. Contact us if your circumstances have not been addressed.
12. Will the Anglican Church be releasing their records on Nakayama?

The Anglican Diocese Archives of Calgary and New Westminster have promised to open their records regarding Nakayama and have been receptive of requests for documents for the Healing Fund. As of July 2023 no documents have been released by the Diocese of Calgary.
1. Who can apply for therapy funding?

The Healing Fund supports the survivors of Nakayama’s clergy sexual abuse, their families, and others who have been affected by these crimes.
2. Who will my therapist be?

Community members are encouraged to find an accredited therapist of their choosing as finding someone you are comfortable with is a very personal choice. We will help in any way we can to find the right therapist in your healing journey.
3. Is my information shared with the Anglican Church?

Your personal information will not be shared with the Anglican Church.
1. Will we have in-person Healing Gatherings in the future?

Yes! As COVID-19 pandemic restrictions are lifted we plan to host in-person meetings again. If you are interested in hosting your own healing gathering you may apply for funding here.
2. I am unable to travel. Will I be able to participate virtually at an in-person meeting?

Zoom connections will be available for future in-person meetings in order to accommodate as many participants as possible.
3. I attended a Zoom meeting on June 26, 2021 with guest speaker Dr. Satsuki Ina. Will there be another opportunity to listen to Dr. Ina?"

Dr. Ina has been invited to speak again on intergenerational trauma and clergy child sexual abuse. We will send out an emails with any news to our mailing list. Fill in our contact form to be added to the mailing list and complete the community feedback form before September 2023 to indicate your interest.
1. I want to host a community healing event. What support can I receive?

We look forward to helping you with this community healing event! We can provide financial support to offset the costs of travel, venue rental, supplies, speaker fees, snacks, etc. We can also help get you healing and educational resources for your event. Submit an application or get in contact with us today.
2. What kinds of healing initiatives can be covered?

The Healing Fund for Japanese Canadians offers grants for community healing and education efforts to teach, discuss and promote a shared healing process for survivor families of Nakayama’s clergy sexual abuse. We acknowledge the depth of harm that went on within the community and know that community harm requires community healing. A wide variety of initiatives can be covered, such as local healing gatherings, education workshops, various related projects and information sessions on Nakayama's abuse. If you are unsure if your healing initiative can be covered please contact us.
3. Will there me a memorial created for the survivors of Nakayama's clergy sexual abuse?

Community members can apply for project-based funding to go towards healing efforts. Memorials can have a profound impact on community healing and offer a physical acknowledgement of what happened.
1. Who can apply for education grants?

Members of survivor families currently enrolled in education programs are encouraged to apply. Education grants are also available retroactively to June 15, 2015. If you or a family member of yours may be interested in an education grant in the future you can indicate this interest by filling in a community feedback form on the homepage of our website.
2. Can I apply if I am in a vocational/trades program?

Yes. The Healing Fund Education Grants were established to support the survivors of Nakayama’s clergy sexual abuse and their families. If you are enrolled in, or have been accepted this year into a post-secondary education or training program you are invited to apply for an Education Grant.
3. I am out of school now and this funding comes too late.

The Healing Fund will be accepting applications for Education Grant funding retroactively to June 15, 2015, the day the Bishops of Calgary and New Westminster presented their apology and commitment to a healing process to the Japanese Canadian survivors of Nakayama's abuse. If you were enrolled in an accredited program on or after June 15, 2015 please submit your transcripts with an application for an education grant.
4. I am a parent of young children. Can I apply for an RESP contribution on their behalf?

The Healing Fund will continue to seek better ways to accommodate the community. At the current time the Healing Fund will prioritize students who are enrolled in a post-secondary education program at the time of application. If you know of someone who will become eligible for funding you must fill in a community feedback form to declare their healing support needs. Please contact the Healing Fund for a community feedback form. These forms are due in September 2023.