Born in Kamloops, B.C. in 1916, Kanao Inouye had relocated to his ancestral homeland of Japan, and by 1942 was assigned as a translator to the prisoner of war camp in Hong Kong where he became infamous as one of the "most sadistic guards." 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?