Japanese Americans

Japanese Americans are Americans of Japanese ancestry. They were one of the three largest Asian American groups during the 20th century. By the year 2000, they became the sixth largest Asian American group, with about 1,469,637 people, including those with partial Japanese ancestry.

The United States has the second largest Japanese population outside of Japan, only after Brazil. But when looking only at people born in Japan living outside their country, the United States has the most, because many Japanese people in Brazil have lived there for many generations.

According to the 2010 census, the biggest Japanese American communities were in California with 272,528 people, Hawaii with 185,502, New York with 37,780, Washington with 35,008, Illinois with 17,542, and Ohio with 16,995. Southern California has the largest Japanese American population in North America, and the city of Gardena has the highest number of Japanese Americans in the 48 contiguous states.

History

Main articles: Japanese-American history, Japanese-American life before World War II, and Japanese-American life after World War II

Many Japanese people began moving to the United States in the late 1800s. Most came from small towns and farms in Japan, especially from places like Hiroshima and Fukuoka. They settled mainly in Hawaii or along the West Coast. The number of Japanese Americans grew quickly, from just 148 in 1880 to over 24,000 by 1900.

During World War II, about 120,000 Japanese Americans were moved from their homes to special camps. This happened because of fear, not because of anything they had done wrong. Families, including children, were moved together. Later, in 1988, the government admitted this was unfair and wrong.

Cultural profile

Japanese Americans have special names for each generation of their families living outside Japan. The first generation is called Issei, the second Nisei, the third Sansei, the fourth Yonsei, and the fifth Gosei. All of these people together are called Nikkei.

Many first and second generation Japanese Americans speak both Japanese and English. Later generations usually speak English first, but some learn Japanese later. Japanese language schools teach children as young as second grade. Signs in places with many Japanese visitors often include Japanese writing. Some newspapers and magazines in Hawaii are in Japanese, but fewer people are reading them now.

Japanese American culture puts a lot of importance on education. Many families encourage their children to go to college. In the year 2000, about 41% of Japanese Americans had college degrees.

Japanese schools began in Hawaii in 1893. Before World War II, many children went to American schools during the day and Japanese schools in the evening. During World War II, many Japanese schools closed, but many opened again after the war. Today, there are special Japanese schools and weekend classes for Japanese American children in many cities.

In 2023, Japanese Americans had a higher average income than most Americans. Many work in jobs related to management, business, science, and the arts. The average age of Japanese Americans is older than many other groups, which may affect job numbers.

Religion

Japanese Americans follow many different religions. About half do not follow any specific religion, while many practice Christianity, Buddhism, or other beliefs such as Shintoism.

Many Japanese Americans celebrate traditions that come from Buddhism and Shinto, such as the Obon Festival in the summer. This festival lets families remember their ancestors through dances and special foods. These celebrations are popular in places with many Japanese Americans, like Southern California and Hawaii.

Some Japanese Americans are Christians, with groups like the Presbyterians being active for a long time. There are also Christian programs on university campuses, especially in California, that include people from many backgrounds.

Politics

Japanese Americans have often supported Democratic candidates in recent elections. Before the 2004 US presidential election, they narrowly favored Democrat John Kerry over Republican George W. Bush. In the 2008 US presidential election, most Japanese Americans voted for Democrat Barack Obama. This trend continued in later elections, with many supporting Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Joe Biden in surveys before the 2020 presidential election.

Restaurant industry

Around 2016, people of Japanese ancestry ran about 10% of the Japanese restaurants in the United States. This was because jobs in Japan paid well, and few Japanese chefs wanted to move to the United States. As a result, many Americans and immigrants from other backgrounds, like Chinese Americans, opened restaurants serving Japanese food.

Genetics

Risk for inherited diseases

Scientists have studied health risks for Japanese Americans. They looked at families over many generations to understand health patterns. Some risks include heart disease and diabetes. A study from 1994 to 2003 checked if lifestyle changes in the United States might increase diabetes risk for Japanese Americans. The study also aimed to collect DNA samples to learn more about diseases common in this group.

Research also looked at a gene linked to cholesterol levels and heart disease. Another gene change can affect cholesterol in the blood and may increase heart disease risk. These studies help doctors understand health needs for Japanese Americans better.

Neighborhoods and communities

See also: Japantown and List of U.S. cities with large Japanese-American populations

West

• Hawaii:
  Main article: Japanese in Hawaii

• California:

  • Greater Los Angeles:
    • Anaheim and Orange County.
    • Cerritos, Hawaiian Gardens and nearby cities.
    • Costa Mesa
    • Fontana in the Inland Empire.
    • Fullerton in Orange County.
    • Gardena in Los Angeles' South Bay area.
    • Irvine in Orange County, California.
    • Lomita in the L.A. area.
    • Long Beach, California – historic Japanese fisheries presence in Terminal Island.
    • Los Angeles, especially the Little Tokyo section.
    • Montebello
    • Palm Desert, the Japanese also developed the year-round agricultural industries in the Coachella Valley and Imperial Valley.
    • Pasadena in the Los Angeles' San Gabriel Valley.
    • Santa Monica – esp. Blacks Beach.
    • Sawtelle, California, in West Los Angeles.
    • Torrance in Los Angeles' South Bay area, the largest Japanese community in North America and the second largest Japanese community in the U.S.
    • Venice, Los Angeles – historically Japanese fisheries in Marina Del Rey.
    • Terminal Island – site of a former Japanese fishing village in Los Angeles Harbor.
  • San Diego area:
    • University City.
    • Chula Vista.
    • Japanese community center in Vista in North County, one of two of its kind in Southern California.
  • Central Valley, California region:
    • Bakersfield / Kern County.
    • Butte County.
    • Fresno, 0.5% of county residents have Japanese ancestry.
    • Livingston, California in Merced County.
    • Lodi.
    • Merced.
    • Stockton.
    • Sutter County.
    • Yuba County.
  • San Francisco Bay Area, the main concentration of Nisei and Sansei in the 20th century:
    • Alameda County, concentrated and historic populations in the cities of Alameda, Berkeley, Fremont, Oakland, and Hayward.
    • Contra Costa County, concentrated in Walnut Creek and El Cerrito.
    • San Mateo County, especially Daly City and Pacifica.
    • San Jose, has one of the three remaining officially recognized Japantowns in North America.
    • Santa Clara County, concentrated in Cupertino, Palo Alto, Santa Clara, and Sunnyvale.
    • San Francisco, notably in the Japantown district
    • Santa Cruz County.
  • Monterey County, especially Salinas, California.
  • Sacramento, and some neighborhoods of Elk Grove, Florin and Walnut Grove.

• Washington State:

  • Seattle area.
  • Bellevue.
  • Redmond.
  • Tacoma.

• Puget Sound region (San Juan Islands) have Japanese fisheries for over a century.

• Skagit Valley of Washington.

• Yakima Valley, Washington.

• Chehalis Valley of Washington.

• Oregon:

  • Ontario.
  • Portland and surrounding area.
  • Southern Oregon valleys.
  • Willamette Valley.

• Idaho:

  • Boise Area.
  • Caldwell.
  • Meridian.
  • Nampa.

• Arizona:

  • Phoenix Area, notably a section of Grand Avenue in Northwest Phoenix, and Maryvale.
  • Las Vegas Area, with a reference of Japanese farmers on Bonzai Slough, Arizona near Needles, California.
  • Southern Arizona, part of the "exclusion area" for Japanese internment during World War II along with the Pacific coast states.
  • Yuma County/Colorado River Valley.

• New Mexico

  • Gallup, New Mexico, in World War II the city fought to prevent the internment of its 800 Japanese residents.

• Colorado

  • Denver, note Sakura Square.
  • Greeley.
  • Pueblo.

• Utah

  • Salt Lake City.

Outside the West

In the Southern, Midwestern, and Northeastern United States, the New York metropolitan area has the highest number of Japanese Americans, followed by the Washington metropolitan area.

• Arlington, Virginia and Alexandria, Virginia (the Northern Virginia region).
• Bergen County, New Jersey.
• Boone County, Kentucky.
• Carmel, Indiana.
• Boston, Massachusetts.
• Cambridge, Massachusetts.
• Brookline, Massachusetts.
• Chicago, Illinois and suburbs:
  • Arlington Heights.
  • Buffalo Grove
  • Elk Grove Village.
  • Evanston.
  • Kane County.
  • Naperville.
  • Schaumburg.
  • Skokie.
  • Wilmette.
• Columbus, Ohio.
• Fayetteville, North Carolina – close to the Research Triangle.
• Grand Prairie, Texas (the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area).
• Kansas City metro area.
• New York City, according to the Japanese Embassy of the US, over 100,000 persons of Japanese ancestry live in the NYC metro area, including South Shore (Long Island) and Hudson Valley; Fairfield County, Connecticut and Northern New Jersey.
• Northern Indiana has a small, but evident Japanese community.
• Novi, Michigan outside Detroit.
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with the suburbs of Chester County.
• Salem, New Jersey and Cherry Hill, New Jersey (see Delaware Valley).
• Salisbury, Maryland and Ocean City, Maryland (see Wicomico County).
• Seabrook Farms, New Jersey.
• South Texas – Rio Grande Valley had Japanese farmers.
• Washington, D.C., and suburbs in Maryland and Northern Virginia.
• Yamato Colony, Florida in South Florida.

Notable people

Japanese Americans have made important contributions in many areas of American life.

Politics

After Hawaii became a state in 1959, Japanese American political leaders began to gain more influence. Important figures include Daniel K. Inouye, who was elected to Congress, and Patsy Mink, the first Asian American woman in Congress. Many Japanese Americans have served in important government roles and as leaders in cities across the country.

Science and technology

Japanese Americans have also achieved great success in science. For example, Charles J. Pedersen won a Nobel Prize in Chemistry, and Yoichiro Nambu won a Nobel Prize in Physics. Many have made advances in areas like medicine, space exploration, and climate science.

Art and literature

In the arts, Japanese Americans have created influential paintings, architecture, and literature. Artists like Isamu Noguchi and architects like Minoru Yamasaki have shaped American culture. Writers have received major book awards and have shared important stories with readers.

Music

Japanese Americans have enriched the music world as classical musicians, rock stars, and more. Famous names include Midori Gotō, Yoko Ono, and Mike Shinoda from Linkin Park. Their talents span many musical genres.

Sports

In sports, Japanese Americans have competed and won Olympic medals, professional championships, and more. Athletes like Kristi Yamaguchi in figure skating and Apolo Anton Ohno in speed skating have brought pride to their communities. Their achievements inspire many young athletes.

Entertainment and media

Japanese Americans have also made their mark in acting, directing, and broadcasting. Figures like George Takei from Star Trek and Miyoshi Umeki, an Academy Award winner, have helped break new ground for Asian representation in media. Today, Japanese American voices are heard and seen in many TV shows and movies.

Works about Japanese Americans

See also: List of feature films about the Japanese American internment, Category:Films about the internment of Japanese Americans, and Category:Books about the internment of Japanese Americans

In 2010, TBS made a five-part, 10-hour story in Japanese called Japanese Americans. This story showed many important moments and ideas from the lives of the first Japanese American families and their children. It talked about moving to a new country, facing unfair treatment, getting married far away, working the land, feeling pressure during big wars, being forced away from home, and thinking about what it means to be both Japanese and American.