This is a list of

Japanese American are Americans of Japanese ancestry. Japanese Americans were among the three largest Asian American ethnic communities during the 20th century; but, according to the 2000 census, they have declined in number to constitute the sixth largest Asi ...

s, including both original immigrants who obtained American citizenship and their American descendants, but not Japanese nationals living or working in the US. The list includes a brief description of their reason for notability.

Arts and architecture

Nina Akamu Nina Akamu (born 1955) is a Japanese-American artist known for her sculpture. She is presently living in Rhinebeck, New York. Early years and education Nina Akamu was born in 1955 in Midwest City, Oklahoma. Her father was a career Air Force ser ...

, artist *

Shusaku Arakawa was a Japanese conceptual artist and architect. He had a personal and artistic partnership with the writer and artist Madeline Gins that spanned more than four decades in which they collaborated on a diverse range of visual mediums, including: ...

(1936–2010), artist and architect *

Ruth Asawa Ruth Aiko Asawa (January 24, 1926 – August 5, 2013) was an American modernist sculptor. Her work is featured in collections at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City.< ...

(1926–2013), sculptor * Hideo Date (1907–2005), painter associated with

Synchromism Synchromism was an art movement founded in 1912 by American artists Stanton Macdonald-Wright (1890–1973) and Morgan Russell (1886–1953). Their abstract "synchromies," based on an approach to painting that analogized color to music, were amon ...

movement *

Isami Doi Isami Doi (May 12, 1903 – November 29, 1965) was an American printmaker and painter. Biography Doi was the first son of Japanese immigrants, born in Ewa on the island of Oahu in the Hawaiian Islands in 1903. He moved with his family to the ...

(1903–1965), printmaker and painter *

Paul Horiuchi Paul Horiuchi (April 12, 1906 – August 29, 1999) was an American painter and collagist. He was born in Oishi, Japan, and studied art from an early age. After immigrating to the United States in his early teens, he spent many years as a railro ...

(1906–1999), painter and collagist * Miyoko Ito (1918–1983), painter and watercolorist * Ben Kamihira (1924–2004), artist and teacher *

Jeff Matsuda Jeff Matsuda (born 1970) is an American animator and concept and comics artist who served as the chief character designer for both '' Jackie Chan Adventures'' and ''The Batman'' and is the president and creative director of X-Ray Kid Studios. Mats ...

, Emmy award-winning concept artist, comics artist, and animator * John Matsudaira (1922–2007), painter * George Matsumoto (1922–2016), architect and educator *

Jimmy Mirikitani Tsutomu "Jimmy" Mirikitani (June 15, 1920 – October 21, 2012) was an American artist notable as the subject of the 2006 documentary film ''The Cats of Mirikitani''. Biography Mirikitani was born June 15, 1920, in Sacramento, California. By ag ...

(1920–2012), painter *

Luna H. Mitani Luna H. Mitani (born December 22, 1963, in Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan) is a Japanese-American artist. He works in the fields of painting and pen & ink drawing. After traveling through more than 33 countries in Europe including England and Ireland, ...

, surrealist painter *

Robert Murase Robert Murase (September 9, 1938 – July 19, 2005) was an American landscape architect. He worked throughout the Pacific Northwest in the field of landscape design. Biography Murase was born in San Francisco as a third generation Japanese-Am ...

(1938–2005), world-renowned landscape architect * Hashime Murayama (1879–1954), painter *

George Nakashima George Katsutoshi Nakashima ( ja, 中島勝寿 ''Nakashima Katsutoshi'', May 24, 1905 – June 15, 1990) was an American woodworker, architect, and furniture maker who was one of the leading innovators of 20th century furniture design and a fathe ...

(1905–1990), ''

Nisei is a Japanese-language term used in countries in North America and South America to specify the ethnically Japanese children born in the new country to Japanese-born immigrants (who are called ). The are considered the second generation, ...

'', woodworker, architect, and furniture maker *

Hideo Noda , also known as Hideo Benjamin Noda and Benjamin Hideo Noda, was a Japanese-American modernist painter and muralist, member of the movement in Japan, student of Arnold Blanch, and uncle of Japanese printmaker Tetsuya Noda, as well as alleged co ...

(1908–1939), modernist painter and muralist *

Isamu Noguchi was an American artist and landscape architect whose artistic career spanned six decades, from the 1920s onward. Known for his sculpture and public artworks, Noguchi also designed stage sets for various Martha Graham productions, and several ...

(1904–1988), artist, sculptor, designer *

Kenjiro Nomura Kenjiro Nomura may refer to: * Kenjiro Nomura (baseball) * Kenjiro Nomura (artist) Kenjiro Nomura (1896–1956) was a Japanese American painter. Immigrating to the United States from Japan as a boy, he became a well-known artist in the Pacific Nor ...

(1896–1956), painter *

Chiura Obata was a well-known Japanese-American artist and popular art teacher. A self-described "roughneck", Obata went to the United States in 1903, at age 17. After initially working as an illustrator and commercial decorator, he had a successful career a ...

(1885–1975), well-known artist and recipient of the

Order of the Sacred Treasure The is a Japanese order, established on 4 January 1888 by Emperor Meiji as the Order of Meiji. Originally awarded in eight classes (from 8th to 1st, in ascending order of importance), since 2003 it has been awarded in six classes, the lowest ...

, 5th Class, for promoting goodwill and cultural understanding between the United States and Japan *

Toshio Odate Toshio Odate (born 1930) is a Japanese-born American sculptor, woodworker, craftsmen, author, and educator. He specializes in Japanese woodworking and is a noted shoji maker. He is the author of, ''Japanese Woodworking Tools: Their Tradition, Spi ...

(born 1930), Japanese woodworker, sculptor, educator; born in Japan and moved to the United States in 1948. *

Masi Oka is a Japanese actor, producer, and digital effects artist who became widely known for starring in NBC's ''Heroes'' as Hiro Nakamura and in CBS's ''Hawaii Five-0'' as Doctor Max Bergman. Early life Oka was born in Tokyo, Japan, to Setsuko Oka. Hi ...

, actor and digital effects artist, raised in the United States *

Arthur Okamura Arthur Okamura (February 24, 1932 - July 10, 2009) was an American artist, working in screen printing, drawing and painting. He lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, and was Professor Emeritus at the California College of the Arts in San Francisco ...

(1932–2009), California painter, illustrator and screen-printer associated with the

San Francisco Renaissance The term San Francisco Renaissance is used as a global designation for a range of poetic activity centered on San Francisco, which brought it to prominence as a hub of the American poetry avant-garde in the 1950s. However, others (e.g., Alan Watts ...

Miné Okubo Miné Okubo (; June 27, 1912 – February 10, 2001) was an American artist and writer. She is best known for her book ''Citizen 13660'', a collection of 198 drawings and accompanying text chronicling her experiences in Japanese American internmen ...

(1912–2001), ''Nisei'', painter, author of ''Citizen 13660'', her book documenting life during her confinement in the

Japanese American internment Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

Yoko Ono Yoko Ono ( ; ja, 小野洋子, Ono Yōko, usually spelled in katakana ; born February 18, 1933) is a Japanese multimedia artist, singer, songwriter, and peace activist. Her work also encompasses performance art and filmmaking. Ono grew up i ...

(1933–), artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon * Sueo Serisawa (1910–2004), ''

Issei is a Japanese-language term used by ethnic Japanese in countries in North America and South America to specify the Japanese people who were the first generation to immigrate there. are born in Japan; their children born in the new country are ...

'', Californian Impressionist artist *

Toshiko Takaezu Toshiko Takaezu (June 17, 1922 – March 9, 2011) was an American ceramic artist, painter, sculptor, and educator who was known for her rounded, closed forms that viewed ceramics as a fine art and more than a functional vessel. She is of Japan ...

(1922–2011), born and died in Hawaii; ceramic artist and painter; known for closed pots and cylindrical vessels *

Adrian Tomine Adrian Tomine (; born May 31, 1974) is an American cartoonist. He is best known for his ongoing comic book series ''Optic Nerve'' and his illustrations in ''The New Yorker''. Early life Adrian Tomine was born May 31, 1974, in Sacramento, Calif ...

, graphic novelist (''Shortcomings'') *

George Tsutakawa George Tsutakawa (February 22, 1910 – December 18, 1997) was an American painter and sculptor best known for his avant-garde bronze fountain designs. Born in Seattle, Washington (state), Washington, he was raised in both the United States ...

(1910–1997), sculptor and painter *

Minoru Yamasaki was an American architect, best known for designing the original World Trade Center in New York City and several other large-scale projects. Yamasaki was one of the most prominent architects of the 20th century. He and fellow architect Edward D ...

(1912–1986), ''Nisei'', architect, best known for the New York

World Trade Center World Trade Centers are sites recognized by the World Trade Centers Association. World Trade Center may refer to: Buildings * List of World Trade Centers * World Trade Center (2001–present), a building complex that includes five skyscrapers, a ...

"Twin Towers" *

Ray Yoshida Raymond "Ray" Kakuo Yoshida (October 3, 1930 – January 10, 2009) was an American artist known for his paintings and collages, and for his contributions as a teacher at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago from 1959 to 2005. He was an import ...

(1930–2009), painter and collagist, teacher at the

School of the Art Institute of Chicago The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) is a private art school associated with the Art Institute of Chicago (AIC) in Chicago, Illinois. Tracing its history to an art students' cooperative founded in 1866, which grew into the museum and ...

, and an important mentor of the

Chicago Imagists The Chicago Imagists are a group of representational artists associated with the School of the Art Institute of Chicago who exhibited at the Hyde Park Art Center in the late 1960s. Their work was known for grotesquerie, Surrealism and complete ind ...

Business and economics

Takeshi Amemiya is an economist specializing in econometrics and the economy of ancient Greece. Amemiya is the Edward Ames Edmonds Professor of Economics (emeritus) and a Professor of Classics at Stanford University. He is a Fellow of the Econometric Soc ...

, economist,

Stanford Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is considere ...

professor *

Hiroaki Aoki Hiroaki is a masculine Japanese_name, Japanese given name. It can be written in many ways. In the following lists, the kanji in parentheses are the individual's way of writing the name Hiroaki. Possible writings *(written: , , , , , , , , , , , , ...

, founder of

Benihana is an American restaurant company founded by Hiroaki Aoki in New York City in 1964 and currently based in Aventura, Florida. It owns or franchises 116 Japanese-influenced restaurants around the world, including its flagship Benihana Teppanya ...

Glen Fukushima Glen Shigeru Fukushima (born 1949) is a third-generation American of Japanese ancestry who has worked in academia, journalism, law, government, business, and in the nonprofit sector. Since September 2012, he has been a senior fellow at the Cent ...

, co-president and Representative Director, NCR Japan, Ltd., and former president, American Chamber of Commerce in Japan *

Francis Fukuyama Francis Yoshihiro Fukuyama (; born October 27, 1952) is an American political scientist, political economist, international relations scholar and writer. Fukuyama is known for his book ''The End of History and the Last Man'' (1992), which argue ...

, economist and historian * Kelly Goto, American entrepreneur and author specializing in user experience design and contextual research. * Robert Hamada, Edward Eagle Brown Distinguished Service Professor of Finance; former Dean of the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business *

Jon Ikeda Jon Ikeda (born July 31, 1965) is an American automobile designer and executive. He currently serves as vice president and brand officer of Acura, the luxury and performance division of Honda, Honda Motor Company. Early life and education Iked ...

, automobile designer, Vice President and Brand Officer of

Acura Acura is the luxury vehicle, luxury and performance division of Japanese automaker Honda, based primarily in North America. The brand was launched in the United States and Canada on March 27, 1986, marketing luxury and performance automobiles. It ...

Wayne Inouye Wayne Inouye (born 1953) formerly served as Gateway's president and CEO. Inouye announced his departure from Gateway on February 9, 2006. Biography Inouye became president and CEO of privately held eMachines in 2001, where he quickly turned th ...

, former president and CEO of

Gateway, Inc. Gateway, Inc., previously Gateway 2000, is an American computer hardware company. The company developed, manufactured, supported, and marketed a wide range of personal computers, computer monitors, servers, and computer accessories. It was acqui ...

* Roy Kusumoto, founder of

Solectron Solectron Corporation was an electronics manufacturing company for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). It was the first electronics manufacturing services (EMS) industry in 1977. Solectron's first customer designed and distributed an electr ...

Darren Kimura Darren T. Kimura (born September 10, 1974, Hilo, Hawaii) is an American businessman, inventor, and investor. He is best known as the inventor of Micro Concentrated solar power (CSP) technology otherwise known as MicroCSP. Life Kimura was born to ...

, founder of

Sopogy Sopogy was a solar thermal technology supplier founded in 2002 at the Honolulu, Hawaii-based clean technology incubator known as Energy Laboratories. The company began its research on concentrating solar thermal energy to produce solar steam and t ...

, inventor of MicroCSP technology *

Nobu Matsuhisa Nobuyuki "Nobu" Matsuhisa (松久信幸 ''Matsuhisa Nobuyuki''; born March 10, 1949) is a Japanese celebrity chef and restaurateur known for his fusion cuisine blending traditional Japanese dishes with Peruvian ingredients. His signature dish ...

, founder of Nobu and Matsuhisa * Fujimatsu Moriguchi (1898–1962), founder of

Uwajimaya Uwajimaya, Inc., doing business as , is a family-owned supermarket chain with its corporate headquarters in the International District, Seattle, Washington, and with locations in Greater Seattle and Oregon. Uwajimaya sells mainly Asian food—w ...

Bill Naito William Sumio Naito (September 16, 1925 – May 8, 1996) was an American businessman, civic leader and philanthropist in Portland, Oregon, U.S. He was an enthusiastic advocate for investment in downtown Portland, both private and public, an ...

(1925–1996), prominent businessman in Portland, Oregon *

Alice Sae Teshima Noda Alice Sae Teshima Noda (July 28, 1894 – July 25, 1964) was an American businesswoman, a dental hygienist and beauty industry entrepreneur in Hawaii and Tokyo. Early life Alice Sae Teshima was born in Fukuoka Prefecture, Fukuoka prefecture, Japa ...

(1894–1964), businesswoman, dental hygienist, and beauty industry entrepreneur * Scott Oki, former Senior Vice President of sales and marketing at Microsoft * William Saito, founder of I/O Software, Inc. (acquired by

Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washing ...

in 2004), venture capitalist and public policy consultant *

Richard Sakai Richard Sakai (born January 28, 1954) is an American television and film producer. He is best known for his work on the animated sitcom ''The Simpsons'', for which he is one of the original producers. In 1997, Sakai was nominated for an Academy ...

, producer and President of

Gracie Films Gracie Films is an American film and television production company founded by James L. Brooks in 1986. The company is primarily responsible for producing its long-running flagship animated series ''The Simpsons'', as well as the films ''Big'', ' ...

Miyoko Schinner Miyoko Schinner (née Nishimoto) is an American entrepreneur, chef, cookbook author, and founder of the dairy-free goods company, Miyoko's Creamery. She is a leading advocate for the right of vegan food products to use traditional meat and dairy t ...

, founder Miyoko's Creamery, chef and cookbook author *

George Shima George Shima (1864 – March 27, 1926) was a Japanese American businessman in California who became the first Japanese American millionaire. At one point, he produced about 85% of the state's potato crop, which earned him the nickname "The Potato ...

(1864–1926), first Japanese American millionaire *

Gary A. Tanaka Gary A. Tanaka (born June 23, 1943, in Hunt, Idaho) is an American businessman, sportsman and philanthropist who co-founded the investment company Amerindo Investment Advisors in 1979 along with Alberto Vilar. Early life and education Tanaka w ...

, financier *

Dave Tatsuno Dave Tatsuno (born Masaharu Tatsuno August 18, 1913 – January 26, 2006, in California) was a Japanese American businessman who documented life in his family's internment camp during World War II. His footage was later compiled into the film ...

, businessman and filmmaker *

Kevin Tsujihara Kevin Ken Tsujihara (born October 25, 1964) is an American businessman, and former chairman and CEO of Warner Bros Entertainment. He succeeded Barry Meyer as CEO in March 2013, and as chairman in December 2013, having previously served as preside ...

, CEO, Warner Brothers *

Ken Uston Ken Uston (January 12, 1935 – September 19, 1987) was an American blackjack player, strategist and author, credited with popularizing the concept of team play at blackjack. During the early to mid-1970s he gained widespread notoriety for perfe ...

, blackjack player, strategist, and author

Entertainment

Keiko Agena Christine Keiko Agena (born October 3, 1973) is an American actress. She is mostly known for playing Lane Kim in ''Gilmore Girls'' and NYPD medical examiner Dr. Edrisa Tanaka on FOX's crime drama ''Prodigal Son'' (2019–2021). Personal life Ag ...

, actress (''

Gilmore Girls ''Gilmore Girls'' is an American comedy-drama television series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino and starring Lauren Graham (Lorelai Gilmore) and Alexis Bledel (Rory Gilmore). The show debuted on October 5, 2000, on The WB and became a flagshi ...

'' TV series) * Jhene Aiko, singer/songwriter, maternal grandfather is Japanese-American (''Nisei'') *

Anna Akana Anna Kay Napualani Akana (born August 18, 1989) is an American actress, filmmaker, musician, and YouTuber. She has appeared in TV series, films, and music videos that include ''Awkward'' (2011), ''Ant-Man'' (2015), ''Hello, My Name is Doris'' (2 ...

YouTube celebrity A YouTuber is an online personality and/or influencer who produces videos on the video-sharing platform YouTube, typically posting to their personal YouTube channel. The term was first used in the English language in 2006. Influence Influen ...

, actress/comedian, filmmaker, author *

Asa Akira Asa Akira (born January 3, 1985) is an American pornographic actress and adult film director. Akira has appeared in over 505 adult films as of May 2016. In 2013, she became the third Asian performer (after Asia Carrera and Stephanie Swift) to w ...

, pornographic actress and director *

Toshiko Akiyoshi is a Japanese–American jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and bandleader. Akiyoshi received fourteen Grammy Award nominations and was the first woman to win Best Arranger and Composer awards in ''Down Beat'' magazine's annual Readers' Poll. ...

, ''Shin-Issei'', musician, jazz pianist, composer, arranger and big band leader *

Shuko Akune Shuko Akune is an American film, television and stage actress best known for such films and television series as '' E/R'', '' Come See the Paradise'', ''Alien Nation'', ''Cruel Intentions 2'', '' G.I. Joe: The Movie'', ''Murphy Brown'', and ''The ...

, actress *

Daniella Alonso Daniella Alonso is an American actress and former fashion model. She has appeared in a number of horror films, including ''The Hills Have Eyes 2'' and '' Wrong Turn 2: Dead End''. Alonso was a regular cast member in the NBC post-apocalyptic seri ...

, actress; father is of part Japanese descent *

Sally Amaki is an American singer and voice actress based in Tokyo, Japan. She is a member of the voice acting idol group 22/7 which debuted in 2017 and is the group's "overseas representative." Within the group, she appears both as herself and as the anim ...

, singer and voice actress, member of idol group 22/7 *

Devon Aoki Devon Edwenna Aoki (born August 10, 1982) is an actress and fashion model. Aoki's film roles include supporting roles in '' 2 Fast 2 Furious'' (2003) and ''Sin City'' (2005) and lead roles in '' DOA: Dead or Alive'' (2006) and ''Mutant Chronicle ...

, model and actress; half Japanese *

Steve Aoki Steven Hiroyuki Aoki (, ; born November 30, 1977), best known as Steve Aoki, is an American DJ, record producer, music programmer, and record executive.

, house musician and record producer *

Tsuru Aoki was a Japanese stage and screen actress whose career was most prolific in the United States during the silent film era of the 1910s through the 1920s. Aoki may have been the first Asian actress to garner top billing in American motion pictures. ...

(1892–1961), ''Issei'', actress *

Gregg Araki Gregg Araki (born December 17, 1959) is an American filmmaker. He is noted for his heavy involvement with the New Queer Cinema movement. His film ''Kaboom (film), Kaboom'' (2010) was the first winner of the Cannes Film Festival Queer Palm. Ear ...

, film director *

Reiko Aylesworth Reiko M. Aylesworth (born December 9, 1972) is an American film, television and stage actress, best known for her role on the television series '' 24'' as Michelle Dessler. Early life, career start Aylesworth was born December 9, 1972, in Evanst ...

, actress known for portraying

Michelle Dessler The following is a list of characters in the American serial drama television series '' 24'', '' 24: Live Another Day'', and '' 24: Legacy'' by season and event. The list first names the actor, followed by the character. Some characters have their ...

in TV Series '' 24''; grandmother is Japanese *

Nadia Azzi Nadia Azzi (born August 11, 1998 in Dunedin, Florida) is an American classical pianist of Lebanese people, Lebanese-Japanese people, Japanese origin. Fluent in Japanese and English, she began playing piano at age four and a half and has won many ...

, pianist *

Darren Barnet Darren Charles Barnet (born April 27, 1991) is an American actor. He is known for playing Paxton Hall-Yoshida in the Netflix series ''Never Have I Ever''. Early life and education Darren Charles Barnet was born on April 27, 1991, in Los Angele ...

, actor *

Nichole Bloom Nichole Sakura O'Connor (born December 15, 1989), formerly credited as Nichole Bloom, is an American actress and model. She is best known for her role as Cheyenne in the NBC sitcom '' Superstore.'' Career She had the recurring role of Amanda ...

, actress and model; mother is Japanese *

Kaylee Bryant Kaylee Marie Kaneshiro Bryant (born November 1, 1997) is an American actress and model. She is known for portraying Josie Saltzman on The CW television series, ''Legacies'', a role she played from 2018 to 2021. Biography Bryant grew up in Sou ...

, actress on Legacies ( Okinawan via her grandfather) * Kenji Bunch, composer and violist *

Artt Butler Arthur M. Butler (born October 13, 1969), known professionally as Artt Butler, is an American voice actor. He is best known for his voice roles as Captain Ackbar in '' Star Wars: The Clone Wars'', Rafael Diaz in ''Star vs. the Forces of Evil'' a ...

, voice actor; half Japanese *

Dean Cain Dean George Cain ( Tanaka; born July 31, 1966) is an American actor. From 1993 to 1997, he played Clark Kent / Superman in the TV series '' Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman''. Cain was the host of ''Ripley's Believe It or Not!'' and ...

, actor, best known for playing the dual role of ''

Clark Kent Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publish ...

''/''

Superman Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publi ...

'' in the TV series '' Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman''; paternal grandfather is of Japanese descent * Asia Carrera, former pornographic actress; half Japanese *

Louis Ozawa Changchien Louis Ozawa Changchien (born October 11, 1975) is an American actor best known for his role in the films ''Predators'' ( 2010) and '' The Bourne Legacy'' (2012). Early life and education Changchien was born in Queens, New York and raised in New Y ...

, actor; half Japanese *

China Chow China Eiko Chow (born 15 April 1974) is a British-born American actress and model. Life Chow was born in London to restaurateur Michael Chow and his wife, model/designer Tina Chow (). Her paternal grandfather was the Peking Opera's Zhou Xinf ...

, actress and model (daughter of

Tina Chow Tina Chow (born Bettina Louise Lutz, April 18, 1950 – January 24, 1992) was an American model and jewelry designer who was considered an influential fashion icon of the 1970s and 1980s. She was the second wife of restaurateur Michael Chow ...

); 1/4 Japanese. *

, model and jewelry designer who was considered an influential fashion icon of the 1970s and 1980s; mother is Japanese mother *

Mark Dacascos Mark Alan Dacascos (born February 26, 1964) is an American actor, martial artist and television personality. He won numerous karate and kung fu championships between the ages of 7 and 18. He is known for his roles as Wo Fat in ''Hawaii Five-0'' ...

, actor and martial artist; biological mother, Moriko McVey-Murray, is half Japanese. *

Ian Anthony Dale Ian Anthony Dale (born July 3, 1978) is an American actor. His notable roles include Adam Noshimuri on ''Hawaii Five-0'', Harris Edwards on ''Salvation'', Simon Lee on ''The Event'', Davis Lee on ''Surface'', Avatar Gamma on ''Charmed'' and Kazu ...

, actor (''Mr. 3000''); mother is Japanese, father is French-English *

Romi Dames Hiromi "Romi" Dames (born November 5, 1979) is an American actress. Biography Born to a Japanese mother and Jewish American father, Hiromi (later shortened to Romi), lived in Japan until she turned 13; soon after, her father retired and move ...

, actress, voice artist *

Marié Digby Marié Christina Digby ( ; born April 16, 1983) is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and pianist known for her acoustic cover version of Rihanna's "Umbrella", which was posted on YouTube in 2007 (and has since been viewed over 22 million ...

, singer-songwriter, guitarist, pianist; half Japanese *

DJ Heavygrinder Bobbie Merveille (born 1983) better known by her stage names DJ Heavygrinder and Marie Vaunt is an American disc jockey. Biography Merveille was born in Seattle, Washington to a French-American father and a Japanese mother. She was raised in J ...

, disc jockey; mother is Japanese *

Yvonne Elliman Yvonne Marianne Elliman (born December 29, 1951) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress who performed for four years in the first cast of the stage musical ''Jesus Christ Superstar''. She scored a number of hits in the 1970s and achieved ...

, singer-songwriter; mother is Japanese * Lieko English, model and actress. She is known for being ''

Playboy ''Playboy'' is an American men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. K ...

''s ''

Playmate of the Month A Playmate is a female model featured in the centerfold/gatefold of ''Playboy'' magazine as Playmate of the Month (PMOTM). The PMOTM's pictorial includes nude photographs and a centerfold poster, along with a pictorial biography and the "Playm ...

'' in 1971. *

Maya Erskine Maya may refer to: Civilizations * Maya peoples, of southern Mexico and northern Central America ** Maya civilization, the historical civilization of the Maya peoples ** Maya language, the languages of the Maya peoples * Maya (Ethiopia), a populat ...

, film actress; half Japanese *

Takayo Fischer Takayo Fischer (née Tsubouchi; born November 25, 1932) is an American stage, film and television actress, as well as voice-over actress. Personal life Fischer was born in Hardwick, California, the youngest of four daughters of ''Issei'' (Japane ...

, ''Nisei'', actress *

Tak Fujimoto Takashi "Tak" Fujimoto, ASC (born July 12, 1939) is an American cinematographer. Fujimoto was born in San Diego, California. He is of Japanese descent. During World War II, he was interned at the Poston War Relocation Center due to Executive Ord ...

, ''Nisei'',

cinematographer The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the photographing or recording of a film, television production, music video or other live action piece. The cinematographer is the ch ...

of many Hollywood films, including '' The Silence of the Lambs'' and ''

Ferris Bueller's Day Off ''Ferris Bueller's Day Off'' is a 1986 American teen comedy film written, co-produced, and directed by John Hughes and co-produced by Tom Jacobson. The film stars Matthew Broderick, Mia Sara, and Alan Ruck with supporting roles by Jennifer Grey ...

'' *

Jun Fujita Jun Fujita ( ja, 藤田準之助, ''Fujita Junnosuke'', 13 December 1888 - 12 July 1963) was a first-generation Japanese-American photojournalist, photographer, silent film actor, and published poet in the United States. He was the first Japanes ...

(1888–1963), ''Issei'', silent movie actor, Essanay Studios of Chicago *

Koichi Fukuda Koichi Fukuda (born July 1, 1975) is a Japanese musician, best known as the lead guitarist, programmer, and keyboardist for the metal band Static-X; he has been a member of the band three times, initially from 1994 to 2000, again from 2005 to ...

Static-X Static-X is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1994. The line-up has fluctuated over the years, but was long-held constant with band founder, frontman, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Wayne Static until his ...

band member *

Karen Fukuhara is an American actress, best known for her roles as Tatsu Yamashiro/Katana in the 2016 superhero film ''Suicide Squad'' and as Kimiko Miyashira/The Female in the Amazon Prime original series '' The Boys'' (2019–present). Fukuhara is also kn ...

, actress *

Cary Fukunaga Cary Joji Fukunaga (born July 10, 1977) is an American filmmaker. He first gained recognition for writing and directing the 2009 film '' Sin nombre'' and the 2011 adaptation of ''Jane Eyre''. He was the first director of partial East Asian des ...

Emmy The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

-award-winning filmmaker and writer known for directing & executive producing the first season of

HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...

series ''

True Detective ''True Detective'' is an American anthology crime drama television series created and written by Nic Pizzolatto. The series, broadcast by the premium cable network HBO in the United States, premiered on January 12, 2014. Each season of the ...

'' and for directing the 2021 James Bond film ''

No Time to Die ''No Time to Die'' is a 2021 spy film and the twenty-fifth in the ''James Bond'' series produced by Eon Productions, starring Daniel Craig in his fifth and final portrayal of fictional British MI6 agent James Bond. It was directed by Cary Jo ...

'' (father is 3rd generation Japanese American) *

Umi Garrett Umi Garrett (born August 15, 2000) is an American classical pianist. Early career Garrett began playing the piano at the age of four years. She began serious study of the piano under the instruction of Itoe Akimoto and Yoshie Akimoto. Currently ...

, pianist *

Rigel Gemini Rigel Gemini is the stage name of Rigel Cable, a queer, non-binary music artist known for his songs entitled "I Can't", "It's The -- For Me", "Coffee In My Cup", and "Gorgeois". His music videos have included queer and trans entertainers, includ ...

, music artist; one quarter Japanese *

Kimiko Glenn Kimiko Elizabeth Glenn (June 27, 1989) is an American actress and Broadway performer known for portraying Brook Soso in the Netflix series ''Orange Is the New Black'', for which she received three ensemble Screen Actors Guild Awards. She also st ...

, actress and singer, known for portraying "Brook Soso" in the

Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...

TV series ''

Orange Is the New Black ''Orange Is the New Black'' (sometimes abbreviated to ''OITNB'') is an American comedy-drama streaming television series created by Jenji Kohan for Netflix. The series is based on Piper Kerman's memoir '' Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Wo ...

'' *

Alésia Glidewell Alésia Toyoko Glidewell (born December 8, 1978) is an American web-series-director, producer, and voice-actress. She was previously the owner of a small production-company. Career She has provided voices for video games, including '' Sly 2: B ...

, web series director, producer and voice actress. Known for providing face and body models in ''

Portal Portal often refers to: * Portal (architecture), an opening in a wall of a building, gate or fortification, or the extremities (ends) of a tunnel Portal may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Gaming * ''Portal'' (series), two video games ...

'' and ''

Portal 2 ''Portal 2'' is a 2011 puzzle-platform video game developed by Valve Corporation, Valve for Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. The digital PC version is distributed online by Valve's Steam (service), Steam service, while al ...

'', ''

Left 4 Dead ''Left 4 Dead'' is a 2008 first-person shooter game developed by Valve South and published by Valve. It was originally released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 in November 2008 and for Mac OS X in October 2010, and is the first title in the ...

'' and other video games; mother is Japanese *

Griffin Gluck Griffin Gluck (born August 24, 2000) is an American actor. In television, he is known for his roles as Charlie in ''Red Band Society'', Mason Warner in ''Private Practice'', and Danny Gannon in '' Back in the Game''. He also starred as a main ch ...

, film & TV actor; paternal grandmother is Japanese *

Tom Gorai Tom Gorai (born December 1962) is an American film producer. Biography Gorai was born in Seattle, Washington. A graduate of Vassar College with a degree in Philosophy and Film, Tom Gorai is an eighteen-year veteran of the film and television i ...

, film producer *

Midori Gotō , who performs under the mononym Midori, is a Japanese-born American violinist. She made her debut with the New York Philharmonic at age 11 as a surprise guest soloist at the New Year's Eve Gala in 1982. In 1986 her performance at the Tanglewood ...

, classical violinist and recipient of the

Avery Fisher Prize The Avery Fisher Prize is an award given to American musicians for outstanding achievement in classical music. Founded by philanthropist Avery Fisher in 1974, it is regarded as one of the most significant awards for American instrumentalists. Th ...

Ryu Goto is a Japanese-American concert violinist. Goto gained attention as a child prodigy, first performing at the age of seven in the Pacific Music Festival held in Sapporo, Japan. In 2006, his debut tour of 12 cities of Japan was sold out. Early ...

, violinist *

Kina Grannis Kina Kasuya Grannis (born August 4, 1985) is an American guitarist, singer and Internet personalities, YouTuber. Grannis was the winner of the 2008 Doritos Crash the Super Bowl contest, earning a recording contract with Interscope Records and ha ...

, singer-songwriter, guitarist and a

YouTuber A YouTuber is an online personality and/or influencer who produces videos on the video-sharing platform YouTube, typically posting to their personal YouTube channel. The term was first used in the English language in 2006. Influence Influent ...

; mother is Japanese *

Conan Gray Conan Lee Gray (born December 5, 1998) is an American singer and songwriter. Born in Lemon Grove, California and raised in Georgetown, Texas, he began uploading vlogs, Cover version, covers and original songs to YouTube as a teenager. Gray sig ...

, singer-songwriter and social media personality; mother is Japanese *

Alice Greczyn Alice Hannah Meiqui Greczyn (born February 6, 1986) is an American actress and model best known for roles in the films ''The Dukes of Hazzard'', '' Shrooms'', ''House of Fears'' and ''Sex Drive''. She is also well known as Sage Lund in '' Lincoln ...

, actress and model; part Japanese *

Ann Harada Ann Harada (born February 3, 1964) is an American actress and singer who was first known for the musical ''Avenue Q'', in which she originated the role of Christmas Eve, the heavily accented Japanese therapist. Early life Harada was born in Ho ...

, actress (musical ''

Avenue Q ''Avenue Q'' is a musical comedy featuring puppets and human actors with music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx and book by Jeff Whitty. It won Best Musical, Book, and Score at the 2004 Tony Awards. The show's format is a parody of PBS' ...

'') * Teri Harrison, model and actress. ''

''s ''

'' in October 2002; mother is half-Japanese *

Kayo Hatta Kayo Hatta (March 18, 1958 – July 20, 2005) was an American filmmaker, writer, and community activist. She directed and co-wrote the independent dramatic feature-length film '' Picture Bride'', which won the Sundance Film Festival Audience Award ...

(1958–2005), filmmaker (Sundance Award winner ''

Picture Bride The term picture bride refers to the practice in the early 20th century of immigrant workers (chiefly Japanese, Okinawan, and Korean) in Hawaii and the West Coast of the United States and Canada, as well as Brazil selecting brides from their nat ...

'') *

Sessue Hayakawa , known professionally as , was a Japanese actor and a matinée idol. He was a popular star in Hollywood during the silent film era of the 1910s and early 1920s. Hayakawa was the first actor of Asian descent to achieve stardom as a leading man i ...

(1886–1973), ''Issei'', Academy Award-nominated actor *

Matt Heafy Matthew Kiichi Heafy (born January 26, 1986) is an American musician, best known as the guitarist and lead vocalist for heavy metal band Trivium. He was also the lead vocalist for the band Capharnaum, along with Trivium's former producer Jason ...

, lead vocalist of band

Trivium The trivium is the lower division of the seven liberal arts and comprises grammar, logic, and rhetoric. The trivium is implicit in ''De nuptiis Philologiae et Mercurii'' ("On the Marriage of Philology and Mercury") by Martianus Capella, but the ...

; mother is Japanese *

Marie Helvin Marie Helvin (born August 13, 1952) is a British-based American former fashion model, who worked extensively with David Bailey—to whom she was married between 1975 and 1985. In the 1970s and 1980s, she appeared in many fashion stories for B ...

, fashion model; mother is Japanese * Don Henrie, self-proclaimed

vampire A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the Vitalism, vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead, undead creatures that often visited loved ones and caused mi ...

and an "Alt" on the short-lived

Sci Fi Channel Syfy (formerly Sci-Fi Channel, later shortened to Sci Fi; stylized as SYFY) is an American basic cable channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. Launc ...

series ''

Mad Mad House ''Mad Mad House'' is a 2004 reality television series about a group of ten contestants competing for $100,000. The contestants live together in a house inhabited by another group of people known as the ''alts'' (for their alternative lifestyles). T ...

''; half Japanese *

Ryan Higa Ryan Higa (born June 6, 1990), also known as nigahiga ( ), is an American Internet personality. Best known for his comedy videos on YouTube, Higa began making YouTube videos in 2006 and was one of the most popular creators on the platform in it ...

, actor, comedian, and producer *

Judith Hill Judith Glory Hill is an American singer-songwriter from Los Angeles, California. She has provided backing vocals for such artists as Michael Jackson, Prince, and Josh Groban. In 2009, Hill was chosen as Jackson's duet partner for the song " I Just ...

, singer-songwriter, provided backing vocals for such artists as ''

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...

'', ''

Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris ( Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, Pop musi ...

'' and ''

Josh Groban Joshua Winslow Groban (born February 27, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. His first four solo albums have been certified multi-platinum, and he was charted in 2007 as the number-one best selling artist in the United States, wi ...

''; mother is Japanese *

Satoshi Hino is a Japanese voice actor. He is known for his voice acting roles in anime, many of which also feature voice actress Rie Kugimiya, such ''Shakugan no Shana'', ''Zero no Tsukaima'', ''Gintama'', and ''Nabari no Ou''. Early life and career Hino wa ...

, voice actor *

Kazu Hiro Kazu Hiro (born Kazuhiro Tsuji, ja, 辻一弘 ; born May 26, 1969) is a Japanese-born American special make-up effects artist and visual artist. He won the Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling for the biographical films '' Darkest H ...

, Academy Award-winning special make-up effects artist and visual artist *

James Holzhauer James Holzhauer (born August 6, 1984) is an American game show contestant and professional sports gambler. He is the third-highest-earning American game show contestant of all time and is best known for his 32-game winning streak as champion ...

, ''

Jeopardy! ''Jeopardy!'' is an American game show created by Merv Griffin. The show is a quiz competition that reverses the traditional question-and-answer format of many quiz shows. Rather than being given questions, contestants are instead given genera ...

'' contestant and professional sports gambler; grandmother born in Japan *

Shizuko Hoshi Shizuko Hoshi is a Japanese-American actress, theater director, dancer and choreographer. Born in Japan, she is a graduate of Tokyo Women's College and University of Southern California. She was married to actor Mako, the founding artistic direc ...

, ''Shin-Issei'' (Japanese-born), actress *

Glenn Howerton Glenn Franklin Howerton III (born April 13, 1976) is an American actor, producer and screenwriter. He is best known for the long-running dark satirical comedy ''It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia'' (2005–present) on FX/FXX, a show he co-created ...

, actor, producer, screenwriter, and director, best known as

Dennis Reynolds Dennis Reynolds is a fictional character on the FX series ''It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia'' (2005–present), portrayed by Glenn Howerton, and created by Rob McElhenney, Howerton, and Charlie Day. He is the co-owner of Paddy's Pub, alongside ...

on the TV series ''

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia ''It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia'' is an American sitcom created by Rob McElhenney and developed by McElhenney and Glenn Howerton that premiered on August 4, 2005 on FX and later FXX beginning with the ninth season in 2013. It stars Charlie ...

''; born in Japan to American parents *

James Iha (born March 26, 1968) is an American rock musician. He is best known as a guitarist and co-founder of the alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins. He was a member until the initial breakup in 2000. Among his musical projects of recent years ...

, guitarist for

The Smashing Pumpkins The Smashing Pumpkins (also referred to as simply Smashing Pumpkins) are an American alternative rock band from Chicago. Formed in 1988 by frontman and guitarist Billy Corgan, bassist D'arcy Wretzky, guitarist James Iha and drummer Jimmy Chamb ...

and

A Perfect Circle A Perfect Circle is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1999 by guitarist Billy Howerdel and Tool vocalist Maynard James Keenan. A Perfect Circle has released four studio albums, the first three during the early 2000s: ' ...

Suzee Ikeda Suzee Ikeda is an American singing, singer who was the first Asian-American solo artist at Motown Records, Motown. However, she is best known for her work "behind the scenes" at Motown with such acts as Michael Jackson and The Temptations. Bi ...

, singer who was the first ''

Asian-American Asian Americans are Americans of Asian ancestry (including naturalized Americans who are immigrants from specific regions in Asia and descendants of such immigrants). Although this term had historically been used for all the indigenous people ...

'' solo artist at ''

Motown Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''moto ...

''. Best known for her work "behind the scenes" at ''

'' with such acts as ''

'' and ''

The Temptations The Temptations are an American vocal group from Detroit, Michigan, who released a series of successful singles and albums with Motown Records during the 1960s and 1970s. The group's work with producer Norman Whitfield, beginning with the Top ...

''; father is Japanese *

Jeff Imada Jeff Imada (born June 17, 1955) is an American martial artist, stuntman, and actor. He has performed stunts in over 100 films and television programs and authored one of the first books published in the US about the balisong. Jeff Imada is traine ...

, actor, stuntman, stunt coordinator *

Grant Imahara Grant Masaru Imahara (October 23, 1970 – July 13, 2020) was an American electrical engineer, roboticist, and television host. He was best known for his work on the television series '' MythBusters'', on which he designed and built numero ...

(1970–2020), ''Yonsei'', builder and host on ''

MythBusters ''MythBusters'' is a science entertainment television program, developed by Peter Rees and produced by Australia's Beyond Television Productions. The series premiered on the Discovery Channel on January 23, 2003. It was broadcast internatio ...

'' TV series on

Discovery Channel Discovery Channel (known as The Discovery Channel from 1985 to 1995, and often referred to as simply Discovery) is an American cable channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav. , Discovery Channe ...

Carrie Ann Inaba Carrie Ann Inaba (born January 5, 1968) is an American television personality, dancer, choreographer, actress, and singer. She is best known for her work on ABC TV's ''Dancing with the Stars'' for which she has served as a judge since 2005. She c ...

, dancer, actress *

Joe Inoue is a Japanese-American rock musician signed to Sony Music Entertainment Japan's Ki/oon Records label. Background and career He was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, to two Japanese immigrants. It was not until middle school that he b ...

, pop and rock musician *

Brittany Ishibashi Brittany Mariko Ishibashi (born November 2, 1980) is a Japanese-American actress. She has had starring television roles on '' Political Animals'', '' Supernatural'' and '' Runaways''. Ishibashi has had roles in films such as '' Teenage Mutant N ...

, TV and film actress *

Tatsuya Ishida ''Sinfest'' is a long-running American webcomic by Tatsuya Ishida. Updating daily, ''Sinfest'' started as a black comedy strip in January 2000. It covers such topics as American politics, organized religion, and radical feminism. Overview It fol ...

, creator of the

webcomic Webcomics (also known as online comics or Internet comics) are comics published on a website or mobile app. While many are published exclusively on the web, others are also published in magazines, newspapers, or comic books. Webcomics can be co ...

Sinfest ''Sinfest'' is a long-running American webcomic by Tatsuya Ishida. Updating daily, ''Sinfest'' started as a black comedy strip in January 2000. It covers such topics as American politics, organized religion, and radical feminism. Overview It fol ...

'' *

Miki Ishikawa Miki Michelle Ishikawa (born July 29, 1991) is an American actress and singer. She is known for her role as Amy Yoshida on the second season of ''The Terror'', and for being part of the music group T-Squad. Career Miki Ishikawa started her caree ...

, actress * Miyuki Melody Ishikawa, singer and former host of

NHK World TV NHK World-Japan (formerly and also known simply as NHK World) is the international arm of the Japanese state-controlled public broadcaster NHK. Its services are aimed at the overseas market, similar to those offered by other national public-ser ...

music show ''

J-Melo ''J-Melo'' is a weekly Japanese music television program broadcast by NHK. It is recorded entirely in the English language. It began broadcasting on October 7, 2005. The program is available on NHK's World Service television station, Radio Japan, ...

'' * Maryanne Ito, soul singer, songwriter, and performer *

Robert Ito Robert Ito (born July 2, 1931) is a Canadian actor of Japanese ancestry. He is known for his television and film work, including the roles of Sam Fujiyama on the 1976–83 NBC series ''Quincy, M.E.'' and Larry Mishima on the 1980s CBS primetime s ...

, ''Nisei'' (Canadian-born), actor, best known as "Dr. Sam Fujiyama" on the TV series ''

Quincy, M.E. ''Quincy, M.E.'' (also called ''Quincy'') is an American mystery medical drama television series from Universal Studios that aired on NBC from October 3, 1976, to May 11, 1983. Jack Klugman starred in the title role as a Los Angeles County med ...

'' *

Yuna Ito is an American-born former singer and actress who was active in Japan. She was born in Los Angeles and was raised in Hawaii. Ito made her musical debut in Japan with the single, "Endless Story", which was used as one of the theme songs for the ...

, singer and actress, also of half

Korean Korean may refer to: People and culture * Koreans, ethnic group originating in the Korean Peninsula * Korean cuisine * Korean culture * Korean language **Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Chosŏn'gŭl **Korean dialects and the Jeju language ** ...

descent * Micah Iverson, musician and contestant from ''

The Voice The Voice may refer to: Fictional entities * The Voice or Presence, a fictional representation of God in DC Comics * The Voice (''Dune''), a fictional ability in the ''Dune'' universe * The Voice, a character in the American TV series ''Cleo ...

'' season 18; born and raised in Japan, later moved to the United States *

Mila J Jamila Akiko Aba Chilombo (born November 18, 1982), known as Mila J, is an American singer, rapper and songwriter. Born and raised in Los Angeles, she is the older sister of R&B singer Jhéne Aiko and is known for being in Prince's video for " ...

, singer, rapper, dancer; sister of Jhene Aiko *

Jadagrace Jadagrace Michiko Gordy-Nash (born September 1, 1999), known mononymously as Jadagrace, is an American actress, dancer, singer, and rapper. She appeared in the 2009 film, ''Terminator Salvation.'' Her song "Express Yourself" was released as a s ...

, actress, dancer, and singer. She appeared in the 2009 film, ''

Terminator Salvation ''Terminator Salvation'' is a 2009 American military science fiction action film directed by McG and written by John Brancato and Michael Ferris. It is the fourth installment of the ''Terminator'' franchise and serves as a sequel to '' Termin ...

''; mother is Japanese-American *

Jero Jerome Charles White Jr. (born September 4, 1981), better known by his stage name , is an American enka singer of African-American and Japanese descent who is the first black enka singer in Japanese music history. In 2018, Jero announced that ...

, born Jerome Charles White, Jr.,

enka is a Japanese music genre considered to resemble traditional Japanese music stylistically. Modern ''enka'', however, is a relatively recent musical form, which adopts a more traditional musical style in its vocalism than ''ryūkōka'' music, p ...

singer in Japan; grandmother was Japanese *

Ben Jorgensen Ben Jorgensen is an American musician, singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is best-known as the lead singer and the guitarist of the rock band Armor for Sleep. Early life and education Jorgensen grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey, and is of German ...

, musician, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the rock band '' Armor for Sleep''; part Japanese *

Rodney Kageyama Rodney Masao Kageyama (November 1, 1941 – December 9, 2018) was an American stage, film and TV actor. He was a Nisei Japanese American (second-generation) and besides acting in Asian American theater groups, he was also a director and designer ...

(1941–2018), ''Nisei'', actor *

Stacy Kamano Stacy Lee Kamano (born September 17, 1974) is an American television actress known for her role as Kekoa Tanaka on ''Baywatch''. Career Kamano was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. At the age of 11, she won the title "Miss Tropical Pre-Teen Ha ...

, TV actress known for her role on ''

Baywatch ''Baywatch'' is an American action drama television series about lifeguards who patrol the beaches of Los Angeles County, California, and Hawaii, starring David Hasselhoff. It was created by Michael Berk, Douglas Schwartz, and Gregory J. Bonann, ...

''; father is Japanese *

Janice Kawaye Janice Hiromi Kawaye (born April 4, 1970) is an American voice actress known for her roles as Jenny Wakeman in ''My Life as a Teenage Robot'', and Lysithea in the ''Fire Emblem'' series. Early life Kawaye was born in Los Angeles, California, U. ...

, voice actress *

Candace Kita Candace Kita (born December 27, 1967) is an American actress. Career Acting Kita's first role was as a news anchor in the 1991 movie ''Stealth Hunters''. Kita's first recurring television role was in Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox's ''Masked Ri ...

, film and TV actress *

Hayley Kiyoko Hayley Kiyoko Alcroft (born April 3, 1991) is an American singer, dancer and actress. As a child model and actress, she appeared in a variety of films including ''Scooby-Doo (film series), Scooby-Doo!'' film series (2009–2010), ''Lemonade Mouth ...

, actress, singer * Ariane Koizumi, film actress * Christina Kokubo, film and TV actress *

Hokuto Konishi Hokuto Konishi (born July 11, 1984), also known as Hok, is a Japanese breakdancer, choreographer, actor, and television personality. Konishi member of the American hip-hop dance crew Quest Crew and was a finalist on the third season of the Ameri ...

, dancer and b-boy, member of the

season three A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and pol ...

-winning crew on ''

America's Best Dance Crew ''America's Best Dance Crew'', often abbreviated as ''ABDC'', was an American competitive dance reality television series that features both national and international dance crews. The show was produced by singer, record producer, and former ''Am ...

'' *

Mia Korf Mia Korf (born November 1, 1965) is an American actress best known for originating the role of Blair Cramer, Blair Daimler Buchanan in ''One Life to Live''. Early life and education Korf is the daughter of mycologist Richard P. Korf and Kumiko (" ...

, film and TV actress; mother is Japanese *

Kane Kosugi Kane or KANE may refer to: Art, entertainment and media Fictional entities *Kane (comics), the main character of the eponymous comic book series by Paul Grist * Kane (''Command & Conquer''), character in the ''Command & Conquer'' video game series ...

, actor and martial artist, son of Sho Kosugi *

Sho Kosugi is a Japanese actor with extensive training in Shindō jinen-ryū Karate, Kendo, Judo, Iaido, Kobudo, Aikido and Ninjutsu. A former All Japan Karate Champion, he gained popularity as an actor during the 1980s, often playing ninjas. He starred ...

, ''Shin-Issei'' (Japanese-born), actor and martial artist *

Shin Koyamada is a Japanese Americans, Japanese-American actor, producer, entrepreneur, martial artist, and philanthropist. He is best known for his starring roles in ''The Last Samurai'' and the Disney's movie ''Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior'' on Disney+. He ...

, ''Shin-Issei'' (Japanese-born), actor, producer, philanthropist, and

martial artist Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; and the preserv ...

* Asako Kōzuki, voice actress, voice of

Princess Peach is a fictional character in Nintendo's ''Mario'' franchise, created by Shigeru Miyamoto and introduced in the 1985 original ''Super Mario Bros.'' installment. She is the princess regnant and ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom, where she resides in ...

from the ''

Super Mario (also known as and ) is a platform game series created by Nintendo starring their mascot, Mario. It is the central series of the greater Mario (franchise), ''Mario'' franchise. At least one ''Super Mario'' game has been released for every m ...

'' series *

Louisa Krause Louisa Noel Krause (born May 20, 1986) is an American actress. After studying drama in college, Krause appeared in numerous off-Broadway productions while also appearing in episodes of New York-based network television series. Her first film role ...

, film, stage, and television actress; father is of half-Japanese descent (from Okinawa, Japan) *

Emily Kuroda Emily Keiko Kuroda (born October 30, 1952) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Mrs. Kim on TV's ''Gilmore Girls'', but she has had a long career on stage and screen and is a veteran of East West Players, Los Angeles's premi ...

, actress (''

'' TV series) *

Karyn Kusama Karyn Kiyoko Kusama (born March 21, 1968) is an American filmmaker. She made her directorial and writing feature film debut with the sports drama film ''Girlfight'' (2000) for which she received a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for B ...

, director *

Clyde Kusatsu Clyde Kusatsu (born September 13, 1948) is an American actor and trade union leader of Japanese descent. Since 2013, he has served as the National Vice President of SAG-AFTRA Los Angeles Local. Life and career Clyde Kusatsu was born in Hawaii a ...

, actor *

George Kuwa George Kuwa (born Keichii Kuwahara) was a Japanese and American Issei (Japanese immigrant) film actor of the silent era. He appeared in more than 50 films between 1916 and 1931. He was the first actor to portray Charlie Chan on-screen in the 19 ...

(1885–1931), actor *

Bob Kuwahara Rokuro "Bob" Kuwahara (August 12, 1901 – 1964) was a Japanese-born American animator best known for his work with Walt Disney and Terrytoons between the 1930s and 1960s. Kuwahara was born in Tokyo on August 12, 1901, and his family moved to the U ...

, animator for Walt Disney and

Terrytoons Terrytoons was an American animation studio in New Rochelle, New York, that produced animated cartoons for theatrical release from 1929 to 1973 (and briefly returned between 1987 and 1996 for television in name only). Terrytoons was founded by ...

; created ''

Hashimoto-san Hashimoto-san is a fictional Japanese mouse created by the Japanese-born animator Bob Kuwahara and Eli Bauer for the Terrytoons animation company. Hashimoto is a judo instructor living in Japan with his wife Hanako, son Saburo, and daughter Yur ...

'' series * Dan Kwong, performance artist, writer, playwright (''

Be Like Water ''Be Like Water'' (2008) is a play written by Dan Kwong, originally produced at East West Players, in association with Cedar Grove OnStage. The play received its world premiere in Los Angeles on September 17, 2008, directed by Chris Tashima, at ...

'') *

Jeff LaBar Jeffrey Philip LaBar (March 18, 1963 – July 14, 2021) was an American guitarist in the glam metal band Cinderella (band), Cinderella, in which he replaced original guitarist Michael Schermick. During Cinderella's temporary break-up in the mid- ...

, guitarist of

Cinderella "Cinderella",; french: link=no, Cendrillon; german: link=no, Aschenputtel) or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a folk tale with thousands of variants throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsi ...

Jake E. Lee Jake E. Lee (born Jakey Lou Williams, February 15, 1957) is an American musician best known as lead guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne between 1982 and 1987 and later as a member of the band Badlands with Ray Gillen. He formed the band Red Dragon Car ...

, heavy metal guitarist, known for his work with

Ozzy Osbourne John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which period he adop ...

and in his own band

Badlands Badlands are a type of dry terrain where softer sedimentary rocks and clay-rich soils have been extensively eroded."Badlands" in ''Chambers's Encyclopædia''. London: George Newnes, 1961, Vol. 2, p. 47. They are characterized by steep slopes, m ...

* Sean Ono Lennon, ''

Hapa Hapa is a Hawaiian word for someone of multiracial ancestry. In Hawaii, the word refers to any person of mixed ethnic heritage, regardless of the specific mixture.: "Thus, for locals in Hawai’i, both hapa or hapa haole are used to depict p ...

'' ''Nisei'', musician, son of

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...

and

James Hiroyuki Liao James Hiroyuki Liao (born February 6, 1976) is an American actor. Liao is known for his television roles as Roland Glenn in the Fox serial drama ''Prison Break'' (2008); Jay Lee in the CBS, and later A&E, police procedural series ''Unforgettable ...

, actor; half Japanese *

Lotus Long Lotus may refer to: Plants *Lotus (plant), various botanical taxa commonly known as lotus, particularly: ** ''Lotus'' (genus), a genus of terrestrial plants in the family Fabaceae **Lotus flower, a symbolically important aquatic Asian plant also ...

actress who began her acting career in Hollywood movies in the 1920s; father was of Japanese descent *

Olivia Lufkin Olivia Lufkin (born December 9, 1979), professionally known as Olivia, is a Japanese-American bilingual singer and songwriter.

, singer-songwriter *

Adelle Lutz Adelle Lutz (born November 13, 1948) is an American artist, designer and actress, most known for work using unconventional materials and strategies to explore clothing as a communicative medium.Koda, Harold. "View: ReView, Introduction," ''Adelle ...

, actress, costume designer, performance artist and sculptor; sister of

; mother is Japanese *

Mackenyu is an American-born Japanese actor. He is the son of Japanese actor, producer, director, and martial artist Sonny Chiba. Mackenyu rose to fame after portraying Wataya Arata in the Chihayafuru live-action trilogy in 2016, which earned him the ...

, actor *

Ally Maki Ally Maki Matsumura (born December 29, 1986), known professionally as Ally Maki, is an American actress and model. She portrayed Jess Kato in the TBS comedy series '' Wrecked'' and the voice of Giggle McDimples in ''Toy Story 4''. Career Maki ...

, film and TV actress *

Mako , better known by the mononym name Mako (sometimes stylised MAKO), is a Japanese voice actress, singer and a member of the band Bon-Bon Blanco, in which her prominent role is as the maraca player. She has also performed in a Japanese television d ...

(1933–2006), ''Shin-Issei'' (Japanese-born), actor,

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

nominee for Best Actor in a Supporting Role ( ''The Sand Pebbles''),

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...

nominee for Best Actor (''

Pacific Overtures ''Pacific Overtures'' is a Musical theater, musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by John Weidman, with "additional material by" Hugh Wheeler. Set in 19th-century Japan, it tells the story of the country's westernization ...

''), founder of

East West Players East West Players is an Asian American theatre organization in Los Angeles, founded in 1965. As the nation's first professional Asian American theatre organization, East West Players continues to produce works and educational programs that give v ...

Bryan Mantia Bryan Kei Mantia (born February 4, 1963), known professionally as Brain, is an American rock drummer. He has played with bands such as Primus, Guns N' Roses, Praxis, and Godflesh, and with other performers such as Tom Waits, Serj Tankian, Bil ...

, contemporary rock drummer and composer who was a drummer for bands such as

Primus (band) Primus is an American rock music, rock band formed in El Sobrante, Contra Costa County, California, El Sobrante, California in 1984. The band is currently composed of bassist/vocalist Les Claypool, guitarist Larry LaLonde, Larry "Ler" LaLonde, a ...

Guns N' Roses Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1985. When they signed to Geffen Records in 1986, the band comprised vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKa ...

Praxis Praxis may refer to: Philosophy and religion * Praxis (process), the process by which a theory, lesson, or skill is enacted, practised, embodied, or realised * Praxis model, a way of doing theology * Praxis (Byzantine Rite), the practice of fai ...

, and

Godflesh Godflesh are an English industrial metal band from Birmingham. The group formed in 1982 under the title Fall of Because but did not release any complete music until 1988 when Justin Broadrick (guitar, vocals and programming) and G. C. Gree ...

; mother is Japanese-American *

Lily Mariye Lily Mariye (born September 25, 1964) is an American television director, filmmaker and actress. Early life Mariye was born in Las Vegas, Nevada and graduated from UCLA with a BA in theater arts. Career From 1994 to 2009 she had a regular role ...

, actress ('' ER''), filmmaker *

Money Mark Mark Ramos Nishita (born February 10, 1960), known professionally as Money Mark, is an American producer and musician, best known for his collaborations with the Beastie Boys from 1992 until 2011. Early life Born in Detroit to a Japanese-Hawai ...

, producer and musician, best known for his collaborations with the ''

Beastie Boys Beastie Boys were an American rap rock group from New York City, formed in 1978. The group was composed of Mike D, Michael "Mike D" Diamond (vocals, drums), Adam Yauch, Adam "MCA" Yauch (vocals, bass), and Ad-Rock, Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz (voca ...

'' from 1992 until 2011; father is Japanese-Hawaiian *

Keiko Matsui , is a Japanese keyboardist and composer, specializing in smooth jazz and New-age music. Biography Keiko Matsui was born in Tokyo, Japan. Her mother, Emiko, took her to her first piano lesson in the June following her fifth birthday. Japanese t ...

, ''Shin-Issei'' (Japanese-born), jazz musician * Kent Matsuoka, ''Nisei'' producer and location manager *

Nobu McCarthy Nobu McCarthy ( ja, ノブ・マッカーシー, born Nobu Atsumi (渥美延); November 13, 1934 – April 6, 2002) was a Canadian actress. She received a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead for her performance in ...

(1934–2002), ''

Kibei Kibei was a term often used in the 1940s to describe Japanese Americans born in the United States who returned to America after receiving their education in Japan. Some Japanese Americans sent their children, many of whom had dual citizenship, back ...

'' (Canadian-born), actress (''

Farewell to Manzanar ''Farewell to Manzanar'' is a memoir published in 1973 by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and James D. Houston. The book describes the experiences of Jeanne Wakatsuki and her family before, during, and following their relocation to the Manzanar internm ...

'', ''

Wake Me When It's Over ''Wake Me When It's Over'' is the second album by Faster Pussycat, released in 1989. The band moved away from the glam metal of their first album to a more blues-influenced sound. Music videos were produced for "Poison Ivy" and "House of Pain". ...

'', '' Walk Like A Dragon'') *

Linda McDonald Linda McDonald is an American musician best known as the drummer of the all-female tribute band The Iron Maidens (billed as the "World's Only Female Tribute to Iron Maiden"). In addition, she was a member of the Ozzy Osbourne tribute band Th ...

, drummer of the all-female tribute band The ''

Iron Maidens The Iron Maidens are an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, formed in 2001 as an all-female tribute act to English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. The band currently consists of drummer Linda McDonald, bassist Wanda Ortiz, lead vocalist ...

''; she is of Irish and Japanese descent * Elle McLemore, stage & TV actress; 1/4 Japanese * Meiko, L.A.-based singer-songwriter; one-quarter Japanese on her mother's side *

Emi Meyer Emi Meyer (born March 1987) is a Japanese-born, American-raised jazz pianist and singer-songwriter who is based in Seattle and Tokyo and active in both the Japanese and American markets. Background Meyer was born in Kyoto, Japan, but grew up in ...

, jazz pianist and singer-songwriter; mother is Japanese *

Anne Akiko Meyers Anne Akiko Meyers (born May 15, 1970) is an American concert violinist. Meyers was the top-selling classical instrumentalist of 2014 on Billboard's traditional classical charts. Early life and education The daughter of an artist and a colleg ...

, classical violinist *

Derek Mio Derek Mio (born 1982) is an American film and television actor who attended USC School of Cinematic Arts. He is a fourth generation Japanese American. Personal life Mio was born in Huntington Beach, California and attended Huntington Beach High ...

, '' Yonsei'', actor (TV series ''

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

'', ''

Day One Day One may refer to: Film and television * ''Day One'' (1989 film), a 1989 television film * ''Day One'', also known as ''To Write Love on Her Arms'', a 2012 drama film * ''Day One'' (2015 film), a 2015 short film * ''Day One'' (TV series), a ...

'') *

Mitski Mitski Miyawaki (born Mitsuki Laycock; September 27, 1990), known professionally by the mononym Mitski, is a Japanese-born American singer-songwriter. Mitski self-released her first two albums, '' Lush'' (2012) and '' Retired from Sad, New Caree ...

, singer-songwriter and musician; mother is Japanese *

Kim Miyori Kim Miyori (born Cheryl Utsunomiya; January 4, 1951) is an American actress, best known for the role of Dr. Wendy Armstrong, a beleaguered resident, on the first two seasons (1982–1984) of the medical drama '' St. Elsewhere''. Miyori was born ...

, actress ( ''St. Elsewhere'' TV series) *

Diane Mizota Diane Kiyomi Mizota (born September 9, 1973) is an American dancer, actress, and TV personality. Early life Diane Mizota, a Japanese American, was born in Los Angeles, California and raised in Danville, California, Danville, California. She st ...

, dancer, actress, and TV personality *

Pat Morita Noriyuki "Pat" Morita (June 28, 1932 – November 24, 2005) was an American actor and comedian. He was known for his roles as Matsuo "Arnold" Takahashi on ''Happy Days'', Mr. Miyagi in ''The Karate Kid'' film series, Captain Sam Pak on the sitco ...

(1932–2005), ''Nisei'',

-nominated actor and comedian *

Hiro Murai Hiro Murai (born 1983) is a Japanese-American filmmaker based in Los Angeles. His most notable works include internationally successful music videos for artists such as Childish Gambino, Earl Sweatshirt, Chet Faker, Flying Lotus, David Guetta, ...

, Director (''

Atlanta (TV series) ''Atlanta'' is an American comedy-drama television series created by Donald Glover. The series follows college dropout and music manager Earnest "Earn" Marks (Glover) and rapper Alfred "Paper Boi" Miles (Brian Tyree Henry) as they navigate a s ...

'', " This Is America" music video) *

Glen Murakami Glen Murakami is an American animator, director and producer best known for his work on ''Batman Beyond'', ''Teen Titans'', ''Teen Titans Go!'', '' Ben 10: Alien Force'' and '' Ben 10: Ultimate Alien''. Murakami co-created, produced, and developed ...

, animator, director, producer * Doris Muramatsu,

Girlyman Girlyman was an American folk-rock band formerly based in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, later based in Atlanta, Georgia. Its 2003 self-released debut album, '' Remember Who I Am'', sold 5,000 copies before it was re-released by Daemon Reco ...

band member *

Alan Muraoka Alan Muraoka (born August 10, 1962) is a Japanese American actor and director who plays Alan, the current owner of Hooper's Store, on the television show ''Sesame Street'' since 1998. He currently serves on the board of directors at thBayard Rusti ...

, actor and theatre director who plays the current owner of

Hooper's Store Hooper's Store is a fictional business and meeting-place on the television show ''Sesame Street''. When the show began, the store was one of the four main locations on the set representing the fictional Sesame Street, with the 123 Sesame Street b ...

on ''

Sesame Street ''Sesame Street'' is an American educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Workshop until June 2000) a ...

'' * Mina Myōi, singer, dancer, and a member of South Korean girl group

Twice Twice (; Japanese: トゥワイス, Hepburn: ''To~uwaisu''; commonly stylized as TWICE) is a South Korean girl group formed by JYP Entertainment. The group is composed of nine members: Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaey ...

Kent Nagano Kent George Nagano GOQ, MSM (born November 22, 1951) is an American conductor and opera administrator. Since 2015, he has been Music Director of the Hamburg State Opera and was Music Director of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra from 2006 to 20 ...

, conductor, Los Angeles Symphony * Robert A. Nakamura, filmmaker, co-founder of

Visual Communications Visual Communications (also known as VC) –– is a community-based non-profit media arts organization based in Los Angeles. It was founded in 1970 by independent filmmakers Robert Nakamura, Alan Ohashi, Eddie Wong, and Duane Kubo, who were st ...

, teacher *

Suzy Nakamura Suzy Nakamura (born December 2, 1968) is an American actress and improv comedian. She is known for her many guest appearances on sitcoms such as ''According to Jim'', ''Half and Half'', ''8 Simple Rules'', ''Curb Your Enthusiasm'' and ''How I Me ...

, ''

Sansei is a Japanese and North American English term used in parts of the world such as South America and North America to specify the children of children born to ethnic Japanese in a new country of residence. The ''nisei'' are considered the second g ...

'', actress *

Desmond Nakano Desmond Nakano (born 1953) is an American screenwriter and film director. He is Sansei, or third-generation Japanese American. He directed the feature films, ''White Man's Burden (film), White Man's Burden'' (1995) and ''American Pastime (film), ...

, ''Sansei'', film director (''White Man's Burden'', ''American Pastime'') and screenwriter (''Last Exit to Brooklyn'', ''American Me'', ''White Man's Burden'', ''American Pastime'') * Ken Narasaki, ''Sansei'', actor, playwright * Hiro Narita, ''Shin-Issei'' (Japanese-born), cinematographer * Lane Nishikawa, ''Sansei'', actor, filmmaker, playwright and performance artist * Kev Nish, Kevin "KevNish" Nishimura, musician, member of the Far East Movement (half Japanese) *Trina Nishimura, voice actress * George Nozuka, R&B singer * Justin Nozuka, singer, younger brother of George Nozuka * Philip Nozuka, actor, younger brother of George Nozuka * Sophie Oda, Sophie Tamiko Oda (1991–), child actress *

, ''Shin-Issei'' (Japanese-born), Golden Globe-nominated television actor (''Heroes'') * Daryn Okada, cinematographer, current president of American Society of Cinematographers * Steven Okazaki, ''Sansei'', Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker * Amy Okuda, film and TV actress * Ryo Okumoto, Spock's Beard band member * Yuji Okumoto, ''Sansei'', actor * Lisa Onodera, film producer (Picture Bride (film), ''Picture Bride'', ''The Debut (2001 film), The Debut'', ''Americanese'') * Sono Osato (1919–2018), dancer and actress; father is Japanese * Yuko Oshima, idol, actress, and a former member of AKB48; mother is half Japanese * Ken and Miye Ota, champion ballroom dancers, martial artists (Ki-Aikido, Aikido and Judo) * Seiji Ozawa, conductor, director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra from 1973 to 2002 * Mizuo Peck, actress; mother is Japanese * Ryan Potter, actor (''Big Hero 6 (film), Big Hero 6 and ''Big Hero 6: The Series'') and martial artist * Douglas Robb (musician), Douglas Robb, lead singer of Hoobastank; mother is Japanese * Grace Rolek, actress, voice actress and singer; 1/4 Japanese * Bianca Ryan, winner of ''America's Got Talent''; mother is half Japanese * Nick Sakai, actor and producer * Stan Sakai, cartoonist, creator of ''Usagi Yojimbo'' comic series * Harold Sakata (1920–1982), ''Nisei'', actor ("Odd Job" from James Bond film Goldfinger (film), ''Goldfinger'') and wrestler (see also "Sports" section) * Tony Sano, game show host * Reiko Sato (1931–1981), ''Nisei'', dancer and actress (Flower Drum Song (film), ''Flower Drum Song'', ''The Ugly American (film), The Ugly American)'' * Kylee, Kylee Saunders, singer based in Japan * Lisa Marie Scott, model and actress, known for her appearances in ''Playboy'' magazine and for being ''

''s ''

'' in 1995; mother is Japanese from Okinawa * Toshi Seeger, filmmaker and environmental activist, founder of the Clearwater Festival * James Shigeta (1929–2014), ''Sansei'', actor (Bridge to the Sun (film), ''Bridge to the Sun'', ''Crimson Kimono'', ''Flower Drum Song (film), Flower Drum Song'', ''Walk Like a Dragon'') and American popular standards singer * Tak Shindo, musician, composer and arranger. He was one of the prominent artists in the exotica music genre during the late 1950s and early 1960s. * Jake Shimabukuro, ukulele virtuoso * Jenny Shimizu, model and actress * Yuki Shimoda (1921–1981), ''Nisei'', actor * Sab Shimono, actor * Larry Shinoda, automotive designer noted for his work on the Chevrolet Corvette, Corvette and the Ford Mustang, Boss 302 Mustang * Mike Shinoda, Linkin Park band member; father is Japanese * Kimora Lee Simmons, fashion model and fashion designer (according to Simmons, her mother Joanne "Kyoko" Kimora is of fully Japanese descent, and was a war refugee who moved to Korea) * Dan Smyers, singer-songwriter, member of the country music duo Dan + Shay; maternal grandmother is Japanese * Jack Soo (Goro Suzuki) (1916–1979), ''Nisei'', actor (''Flower Drum Song'', portrayed Detective Sergeant Nick Yemana in ''Barney Miller'' TV series) * Joanna Sotomura, TV and film actress * Chrishell Stause, TV actress; 1/4 Japanese * Stephanie (singer, born August 1987), Stephanie, singer; half Japanese * Booboo Stewart, actor; mother is part Japanese * Aya Sumika, former actress; mother is Japanese * Dave Suzuki, death metal multi-instrumentalist, best known for his work as the guitarist, lyricist, bassist and drummer for Vital Remains and as a touring guitarist with Deicide (band), Deicide * Pat Suzuki, ''Nisei'', American popular standards singer and actress (''Flower Drum Song'' Original Broadway Cast) * Shoji Tabuchi, ''Shin-Issei'' (Japanese-born), famous fiddler * Jimmy Taenaka, film and TV actor * Charlie Tagawa, musical entertainer, ''banjoist''. He was regarded as one of the best contemporary banjo players and arguably one of the all-time best. * Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, ''Shin-Issei'' (Japanese-born), actor * Kobe Tai, porn star; half Taiwanese and half Japanese, ''Very Bad Things''. * Rea Tajiri, ''Sansei'', filmmaker * Miiko Taka (1925–2023), ''Nisei'', actress, starred opposite Marlon Brando in Sayonara (film), ''Sayonara'' * Iwao Takamoto (1925–2007), ''Nisei'', animator/producer for Hanna Barbera, creator of ''Scooby-Doo'' * Cyril Takayama, illusionist * George Takei, ''Nisei'', actor, "Hikaru Sulu, Sulu" from ''Star Trek'' TV series and films * Sara Tanaka, actress * Chris Tashima, ''Sansei'', actor,

-winning director (''Visas and Virtue'') * Teppei Teranishi, Thrice band member * Mayuka Thaïs, singer-songwriter, artist, actress, voice over artist, art educator, and edutainer; father was Japanese * Brian Tochi, actor; ''Sansei'' * Mika Todd, singer and former member of the ''Hello! Project'' groups ''Coconuts Musume'' and ''Minimoni''; mother is Japanese * Mia Doi Todd, singer-songwriter; Mother is of Japanese descent * Tamlyn Tomita, actress; ''Sansei'' on father's side and mother is Japanese/Filipina * Jerry Tondo, actor * Daisuke Tsuji, actor (''The Man in the High Castle (TV series), The Man in the High Castle'', ''Ghost of Tsushima'') * Uffie, singer, songwriter, rapper, DJ, and fashion designer; mother is Japanese * Miyoshi Umeki (1929–2007), ''Shin-Issei'', Academy Award-winning actress (Sayonara (film), ''Sayonara'') and American popular standards singer * Michael Toshiyuki Uno, Academy Award-nominated director * Hikaru Utada, singer/songwriter. Multi-million selling Japanese pop music star. Topped Billboard Club chart with "Devil Inside" in 2004 * Gedde Watanabe, ''Sansei'', actor, Long Duk Dong in ''Sixteen Candles'' * Daniel Kamihira White, magician; mother is Japanese * Don Wilson (kickboxer), Don "the Dragon" Wilson, ''

'', actor in Hollywood action films, mother is Japanese (see also Sports below) * Linda Wong (pornographic actress), pornographic actress * Lena Yada, model, actress, professional tandem surfer and a professional wrestler who is known for her time in ''World Wrestling Entertainment'' (WWE) * Rachael Yamagata, ''

'', '' Yonsei'', singer, songwriter, pianist; ''Sansei'' father and German-Italian mother * Hiro Yamamoto, original bass player for Soundgarden * Iris Yamashita,

-nominated screenwriter (''Letters from Iwo Jima'') * G. Yamazawa, poet and rapper born to Japanese parents who didn't grow up in an Asian-American community * Sotaro, Sotaro Yasuda, actor * Patti Yasutake, actress who played "Nurse Alyssa Ogawa" on ''Star Trek: The Next Generation'' TV series * Jenny Yokobori, voice actress born to Japanese parents

History

* Kwan-Ichi Asakawa (1873–1948), historian, professor at Yale * Yamato Ichihashi (1878–1963), one of the first Asian academics in the US * Yuji Ichioka (1936–2002), historian, coined the term "Asian American" * Akira Iriye, historian, professor at Harvard * Shunzo Sakamaki (1906–1973), historian, professor at University of Hawaii at Manoa * Ronald Takaki (1939–2009), historian, University of California, Berkeley professor

Literature and poetry

(1888–1963), ''Issei'', poet, wrote the first American Tanka poetry book in 1923, ''TANKA: Poems in Exile'' * Dale Furutani (1941–), novelist * Philip Kan Gotanda (1951–), ''Sansei'', playwright * Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston (1934–), ''Nisei'', novelist, author of ''

'' * Naomi Iizuka (1965–), ''Shin-Issei'' (Japanese-born), playwright * Ayako Ishigaki (1903–1996), ''Issei'', journalist and memoirist * Lawson Fusao Inada (1938–), ''Nisei'', poet and former poet laureate of the state of Oregon * Cynthia Kadohata (1956–), novelist; winner of the Newbery Medal (2005) and National Book Award for Young People's Literature (2013) * Hiroshi Kashiwagi (1922–2019), ''Nisei'', poet, playwright, actor * Soji Kashiwagi (1962–), ''Sansei'', playwright and producer (Grateful Crane Ensemble theater company) * Sarah Kay (poet) (1988–), known for her ''spoken word'' poetry. Her mother is a 4th generation Japanese-American (''Yonsei (Japanese diaspora), Yonsei'') * Katie Kitamura (1979–), novelist, journalist, and art critic. * Janice Mirikitani (1941–2021), former poet laureate for San Francisco * David Mura (1952–), poet, memoirist, and novelist * John Okada (1923–1971), author of ''No-No Boy'' * Julie Otsuka (1962–), novelist * Ruth Ozeki (1956–), novelist * Albert Saijo (1926–2011), poet * Monica Sone (1919–2011), author of the autobiographical ''Nisei Daughter'' * Etsu Inagaki Sugimoto (1874–1950), memoirist * Toyo Suyemoto (1916–2003), poet, memoirist, and librarian * Yoshiko Uchida (1921–1992), ''Nisei'', author * Michi Weglyn (1926–1999), author and recipient of the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award in 1977 * Hisaye Yamamoto (1921–2011), award-winning short story writer * Karen Tei Yamashita (1951–), author and playwright, recipient of the 2021 National Book Foundation's National Book Award#Medal for Distinguished Contribution (lifetime), Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters * Wakako Yamauchi (1924–2018), ''Nisei'', playwright * Taro Yashima (1908–1994), author and illustrator; recipient of the 1955 Josette Frank Award, Children's Book Award

News/media

* Ann Curry, former network anchor and correspondent for NBC News and ''Today (NBC program), The Today Show'' * Dina Eastwood, anchor * Naoko Funayama, Japanese-American Sports Castcaster, *

(1888–1963), ''Issei'', photographer/photojournalist * Joseph Heco (1837–1897), fisherman and writer, first to publish Japanese language newspaper * Bill Hosokawa (1915–2007), ''Nisei'', ''Denver Post'' journalist, columnist, editor, and author * Michiko Kakutani, Pulitzer Prize-winning literary critic and former chief book critic for ''The New York Times'' * Fred Katayama, anchor, Reuters Television, New York * Guy Kawasaki, author, Apple evangelist * Sachi Koto, former CNN news anchor * Lori Matsukawa, former evening news anchor, KING5, Seattle * Rob Mayeda, NBC Bay Area Weather Plus meteorologist * Denise Nakano, anchor, WCAU NBC 10, Philadelphia * Ellen Nakashima, journalist, ''The Washington Post'' * Kent Ninomiya, anchor, reporter and news executive * James Omura (1912–1994), ''Nisei'', journalist, editor, and civil rights leader * David Ono, anchor, ABC7, Los Angeles * Roxana Saberi, reporter, mother is an immigrant from Japan * James Sakamoto (1903–1955), ''Nisei'', journalist, columnist, editor, and boxer, founded first English-language Japanese American newspaper * Scott Sassa, former president, NBC West Coast * Tricia Takasugi, anchor, KTTV Fox 11, Los Angeles * Iva Toguri D'Aquino, Iva Toguri (1916–2006), ''Nisei'', radio broadcaster nicknamed "Tokyo Rose" * Tritia Toyota, former anchor, KNBC and KCBS, Los Angeles

Martial arts

* Taky Kimura (1924–2021), martial arts practitioner and instructor certified by Bruce Lee to teach Jun Fan Gung Fu or Jeet Kune Do * Toshihiro Oshiro, martial arts master and instructor from Haneji, Okinawa, Japan, Okinawa; a founder of the Ryukyu Bujutsu Kenkyu Doyukai * Don "The Dragon" Wilson, former world champion kickboxer and action movie star

Military

* Thomas P. Bostick (born 1956), lieutenant general, List of United States Army Corps of Engineers Chiefs of Engineers, U. S. Army Chief of Engineers * Barney F. Hajiro (1916–2011), Medal of Honor recipient in World War II * Harry B. Harris Jr., admiral (four stars) United States Navy, commander of the United States Pacific Fleet * Mikio Hasemoto (1916–1943), Medal of Honor recipient in World War II * Joe Hayashi (1920–1945), Medal of Honor recipient in World War II * Shizuya Hayashi (1917–2008), Medal of Honor recipient in World War II * Chiyoki Ikeda (1920–1960), CIA officer, recipient of Bronze Star in China in World War II * Daniel Inouye (1924–2012), former senator from Hawaii, Medal of Honor recipient World War II * Terry Teruo Kawamura (1949–1969), Medal of Honor recipient, sergeant first class in the Vietnam War * Yeiki Kobashigawa (1920–2005), Medal of Honor recipient in World War II * Robert T. Kuroda (1922–1944), Medal of Honor recipient in World War II * Ben Kuroki (1917–2015), the only Japanese-American Army Air Force pilot to fly combat missions in the Pacific theater in World War II * Susan K. Mashiko, major general (two stars) United States Air Force, November 2009–present * Roy Matsumoto (1913–2014), master sergeant, U.S. Army; member of Merrill's Marauders; inductee of the U.S. Army Rangers Hall of Fame and the Military Intelligence Corps Hall of Fame * Hiroshi Miyamura (1925–2022), Medal of Honor recipient, corporal in Korean War * Kenneth P. Moritsugu, former acting Surgeon General of the United States; rear admiral, Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, USPHS * Kaoru Moto (1917–1992), Medal of Honor recipient in World War II * James Mukoyama, United States Army major general * Sadao Munemori (1922–1945), Medal of Honor recipient, private first class in World War II * Kiyoshi K. Muranaga (1922–1944), Medal of Honor recipient in World War II * Michael K. Nagata, United States Army lieutenant general * Masato Nakae (1917–1998), Medal of Honor recipient in World War II * Shinyei Nakamine (1920–1944), Medal of Honor recipient in World War II * William K. Nakamura (1922–1944), Medal of Honor recipient, private first class in World War II * Paul M. Nakasone (born 1963), U.S. Army four-star general, 3rd commander of the United States Cyber Command and 18th Director of the National Security Agency * Joe M. Nishimoto (1920–1944), Medal of Honor recipient in World War II * Allan M. Ohata (1918–1977), Medal of Honor recipient in World War II * Vincent Okamoto (1943–2020), highly decorated veteran of the Vietnam War * James K. Okubo (1920–1967), Medal of Honor recipient in World War II * Yukio Okutsu (1921–2003), Medal of Honor recipient in World War II * Allen K. Ono, first Japanese-American Lieutenant General (United States), lieutenant general * Frank H. Ono (1923–1980), Medal of Honor recipient in World War II * Kazuo Otani (1918–1944), Medal of Honor recipient in World War II * George T. Sakato (1921–2015), Medal of Honor recipient in World War II * Eric Shinseki, United States Army general, Army Chief of Staff (1999–2003), Secretary of Veterans Affairs (2009–2014) * Francis Takemoto (1912–2002), first Japanese-American general officer in the U.S. military * Ted T. Tanouye (1919–1944), Medal of Honor recipient in World War II * Ehren Watada, first commissioned officer in the U.S. armed forces to publicly refuse deployment to Iraq War, Iraq, discharged "under Other-Than-Honorable-Conditions" in 2009 * Bruce Yamashita, worked to expose racial discrimination in the United States Marine Corps * Rodney James Takashi Yano (1943–1969), Medal of Honor recipient, sergeant first class in the Vietnam War

Politics, law and government

* Sanji Abe (1895–1982), first Japanese American in the Hawaii Territorial Senate (1940–1943) * Jeff Adachi (1959–2019), elected Public Defender of San Francisco, a pension reform advocate, and a director of multiple films. * Richard Aoki (1938–2009), civil rights activist and co-founder of the Black Panther Party * George Ariyoshi, first Asian American governor of a U.S. state (Hawaii) * Alexander Arvizu (born 1958), US diplomat, United States Ambassador to Albania from 2010 to 2015 * Sue Kunitomi Embrey (1923–2006), co-founder of the Manzanar Committee who worked to gain National Historic Site status for the former concentration camp * Henry Hajimu Fujii, civic leader, Order of the Rising Sun recipient, Idaho * Warren Furutani, California State Assemblyman, 55th District * Colleen Hanabusa, Congresswoman from Hawaii * Bruce Harrell, Acting Mayor of Seattle in 2017 and the current mayor of Seattle * Bob Hasegawa, Member, House of Representatives, Washington State Legislature * S. I. Hayakawa (1906–1992), Canadian, former Senator from California and linguistics scholar * Aiko Herzig-Yoshinaga (1925–2018), civil rights activist and lead researcher of the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians * Gordon Hirabayashi (1918–2012), plaintiff in ''Hirabayashi v. United States'', which challenged Japanese American internment during World War II * Mazie Hirono, former lieutenant governor of Hawaii, currently Senator from Hawaii * Mike Honda, Congressman from California * Paul Igasaki, former vice-chair and Chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission * David Ige, governor of Hawaii since 2014 * Daniel Inouye (1924–2012), former Senator from Hawaii, Medal of Honor recipient, former President pro tempore of the United States Senate, and third in the United States presidential line of succession * Lance Ito, judge, presided over O. J. Simpson criminal trial * Jani Iwamoto, Democratic Utah Senator * Lincoln Kanai (1908–1982), plaintiff in ''ex parte Kanai'', which challenged the constitutionality of the WWII incarceration * James Kanno (1925–2017), mayor of Fountain Valley, California from 1957 to 1962 * Yuri Kochiyama (1921–2014), Japanese American civil rights activist and friend of Malcolm X * Russell S. Kokubun, member, Hawaii State Senate * Fred Korematsu (1919–2005), Presidential Medal of Freedom, Medal of Freedom recipient who Korematsu v. United States, argued against the Japanese American internment, internment * Aki Kurose (1925–2008), activist and educator who helped establish Seattle's first Head Start Program * Mari Matsuda, first tenured Asian American female law professor in the United States * Kinjiro Matsudaira (1885–1963), mayor of Edmonston, Maryland in 1927 and 1943 * Doris Matsui, Congresswoman from California and widow of Robert Matsui * Robert Matsui (1941–2005), late Congressman from California and former chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee * Spark Matsunaga (1916–1990), US Senator from Hawaii * Stan Matsunaka, Colorado State Senator * Norman Mineta (1931–2022), Mayor of San Jose, California, Congressman from California, United States Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of Commerce, United States Secretary of Transportation, Secretary of Transportation * Patsy Takemoto Mink (1927–2002), first Asian American Congresswoman, Hawaii * Hermina Morita, member, House of Representatives, Hawaii State Legislature * Kenneth P. Moritsugu, United States Surgeon General (acting) from 2006 to 2007 * Alan Nakanishi, California State Assemblyman, 10th District 2002–08 * George Nakano, former California State Assemblyman * Paula A. Nakayama, Associate Justice of the Hawaii State Supreme Court * Karen Narasaki, executive director of the Asian American Justice Center * Clarence K. Nishihara, member, Hawaii State Senate * Steere Noda (1892–1986), politician, lawyer, and baseball player in the State of Hawaii * Blake Oshiro, lawyer, former deputy chief of staff to the Governor of Hawaii and Majority Leader of the Hawaii House of Representatives * Pete Rouse, interim White House Chief of Staff in the Barack Obama administration * Scott Saiki, member, House of Representatives, Hawaii State Legislature * Thomas Sakakihara (1900–1976), member 1932–1954, House of Representatives, Hawaii Territorial Legislature * Sharon Tomiko Santos, Majority Whip, House of Representatives, Washington State Legislature * Eunice Sato (1921–2021), first Asian-American female mayor of a major American city (Long Beach, California) * Maile Shimabukuro, member, House of Representatives, Hawaii State Legislature * Mark Takai, former member, House of Representatives, Hawaii State Legislature * Dwight Takamine, member, House of Representatives, Hawaii State Legislature * Mark Takano (1960–), Congressman representing the 41st Congressional District of California; first LGBT person of color to be elected to Congress * Gregg Takayama, member, House of Representatives, Hawaii State Legislature * Robert Mitsuhiro Takasugi (1930–2009), first Japanese-American appointed to the federal bench * Paul Tanaka, Mayor of the Gardena, California, City of Gardena and Assistant Sheriff of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department * A. Wallace Tashima, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit * Jill N. Tokuda, member, Hawaii State Senate and US House of Representatives * Grayce Uyehara, social worker and activist * Takuji Yamashita (1874–1959), early civil rights pioneer * Minoru Yasui (1916-1986), plaintiff in Yasui v. United States

Religion

* Yoshiaki Fukuda (1898–1957), Bishop and missionary of Konkokyo * Robert T. Hoshibata, Bishop of the United Methodist Church * Mineo Katagiri (1919–2005), minister and activist * Gyomay Kubose (1905–2000), Buddhist teacher and founder of Buddhist Temple of Chicago, Chicago Buddhist Church * Shuichi Thomas Kurai (1947–2018), Sōtō Zen Rōshi and head abbot of Sozenji Buddhist Temple * Roy I. Sano, Bishop of the United Methodist Church * Nyogen Senzaki (1876–1958), one of the 20th century's leading proponents of Zen Buddhism * Shunryū Suzuki (1904–1971), Sōtō Zen monk and teacher who helped popularize Zen Buddhism in the United States * Kenneth K. Tanaka, scholar, author, translator and ordained Jōdo Shinshū priest * Mitsumyo Tottori (1898–1976), Shingon Buddhist priest and missionary who was active in Hawaii * Taitetsu Unno, Buddhist scholar, lecturer, and author

Science and technology

* Keiiti Aki (1930–2005), seismologist * George I. Fujimoto, chemist * Ted Fujita (1920–1998), creator of the Fujita scale * Chris Hirata, cosmologist and astrophysicist * Harvey Itano (1920–2010), biochemist and member of the United States National Academy of Sciences * Mizuko Ito, cultural anthropologist at the University of California, Irvine * Akiko Iwasaki, immunologist and professor at Yale University * Michio Kaku, theoretical physics, theoretical physicist specializing in string field theory * Akihiro Kanamori, mathematician specializing in set theory * Jay Kochi (1927–2008), chemist * Dorinne K. Kondo, anthropologist * John Maeda, computer scientist, artist, professor at MIT * Syukuro Manabe, 2021 Nobel Laureate in Physics * Teruhisa Matsusaka (1926–2006), mathematician specializing in algebraic geometry * Yoky Matsuoka, computer scientist; 2007 MacArthur Fellow * Horace Yomishi Mochizuki (1937–1989), mathematician specializing in group theory * Shuji Nakamura, 2014 Nobel Laureate in Physics * Yoichiro Nambu (1921–2015), 2008 Nobel Laureate in Physics * Isaac Namioka (1928–2019), mathematician who worked in general topology and functional analysis * Susumu Ohno (1928–2000), geneticist and evolutionary biologist * Ellison Onizuka (1946–1986), first Asian American astronaut; one of the "STS-51-L, Challenger Seven" * Ken Ono, mathematician specializing in number theory * Santa J. Ono, immunologist, biologist, 28th President University of Cincinnati, 15th President & Vice-Chancellor University of British Columbia, 15th President University of Michigan * Takashi Ono (mathematician), Takashi Ono, mathematician specializing in number theory and algebraic groups * Charles J. Pedersen (1904–1989), 1987 Nobel laureate in Chemistry; his mother was Japanese * Gordon H. Sato (1927–2017), cell biologist and member of the United States National Academy of Sciences * Tsutomu Shimomura, computer security expert * Takamine Jōkichi (1854–1922) successful biochemist who founded one of the earliest pharmaceutical companies (Japanese expatriate) * Daniel M. Tani, astronaut * Takeshi Utsumi, computer simulationist * Lauren Williams (mathematician), Lauren Kiyomi Williams, mathematician * Ryuzo Yanagimachi, reproductive biologist and member of the United States National Academy of Sciences * Sho Yano, physician and former child prodigy

Sports

* Darwin Barney, MLB player, grandmother is from Japan and grandfather is from Korea. * Steve Caballero, professional skateboarder and musician. In 1999, ''Thrasher Magazine'' named Caballero the "Skater of the Century". (Father is Japanese) * Clarissa Chun, American Olympic women's freestyle wrestler. The first female wrestler from Hawaii to win a medal at the Olympics. (Mother is Japanese-American) * Bryan Clay, 2008 Olympic gold medalist in the decathlon * Sophia Danenberg, mountain climber best known as the first African American and the first black woman to climb to the summit of Mount Everest. (Mother is Japanese) * Rickie Fowler, professional golfer, maternal grandfather is Japanese * Paul Fujii, professional boxer and WBA Junior Welterweight champion * Tadd Fujikawa, teen golfer * Corey Gaines, NBA player * Robert Griffin III, retired NFL quarterback and 2011 Heisman Trophy winner, born in Japan to American parents * Miki Gorman (1935–2015), two-time winner of both the Boston Marathon, Boston and New York City Marathon, New York City marathons; former American and unofficial world record holder in the marathon * Jeremy Guthrie, MLB player, mother is of Japanese descent * Atlee Hammaker, All-Star MLB player, mother is of Japanese descent * Hiroto Hirashima, member of the American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame * Takashi Hirose (swimmer), Takashi "Halo" Hirose, first Japanese American to represent the United States in any international swimming competition, and the first to set a swimming world record * Christian Hosoi, professional skateboarder * Nyjah Huston, professional skateboarder who was the overall champion at the Street League Skateboarding (SLS) competition series in 2010, 2012, 2014,and 2017. He is also the highest paid skateboarder in the world. According to th
interview
he is of part Japanese descent. * Bryan Iguchi, professional snowboarder * Kyoko Ina, first place in the 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002 U.S. Figure Skating Championships (pairs) * Rena Inoue, first place in the 2004 and 2006 U.S. Figure Skating Championships (pairs) * Emerick Ishikawa, weightlifter * Travis Ishikawa, MLB player * Billy Johnson (racing driver), professional sports car and stock car racing driver. * Evelyn Kawamoto (1933–2017), won two Olympic bronze medals in swimming in 1952 * Kurt Kitayama, professional golfer * Ann Kiyomura, 1975 Wimbledon doubles tennis champion. * Ford Konno, former world record holder, two-time Olympic gold medalist, two-time Olympic silver medalist in swimming (1952 and 1956) * Tommy Kono (1930–2016), former world record holder, two-time Olympic gold medalist and Olympic silver medalist in weightlifting (1952, 1956, and 1960) * Shogo Kubo, professional skateboarder * Kyle Larson, ''Sansei,'' 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion * Brandon League, MLB player * Jay Litherland, competition swimmer * Mike Lum, first American of Japanese ancestry to play in the major leagues * :ja:牧ダレン聡, Darin Maki (:ja:牧ダレン聡, 牧ダレン聡),

professional basketball player and former judo champion * Wataru Misaka (1923–2019), professional basketball pioneer, broke the NBA color barrier in 1947 * Collin Morikawa, professional golfer * Mirai Nagasu, Olympic bronze medalist figure skater and women's singles champion at the 2008 U.S. Figure Skating Championships * Keo Nakama (1920–2011), swimmer and world record holder * Haruki Nakamura, NFL safety, Baltimore Ravens and Carolina Panthers * Hikaru Nakamura, chess grandmaster and US champion (2005, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2019) * Corey Nakatani, jockey with seven wins in Breeders' Cup races * Julius Naranjo, weightlifter, coach, and filmmaker * Teiko Nishi, ''Sansei'', women's basketball starter for UCLA * Apolo Anton Ohno, won eight Olympic medals in short-track speed skating (two gold) in 2002, 2006, and 2010, as well as a world cup championship * Dan Osman, ''extreme sport'' practitioner / rock-climber, known for the dangerous sports of ''free-soloing''. At the time of his legacy, he was considered to be the no. 1 rock-climber in the world. (He was of Japanese and European descent) * Yoshinobu Oyakawa, former world record holder and 1952 Olympic gold medalist in the 100-meter backstroke * Gotoku Sakai * Harold Sakata (1920–1982), 1948 Olympic silver medalist weightlifter, actor, and wrestler * Lenn Sakata, professional baseball player for the World Series Champions Baltimore Orioles * Eric Sato, won a 1988 Olympic gold medal in volleyball * Liane Sato, won a 1992 Olympic bronze medal in volleyball * Alex Shibutani, two-time national champion and Olympic bronze medalist ice dancer * Maia Shibutani, two-time national champion and Olympic bronze medalist ice dancer * Kinji Shibuya, professional wrestler and actor * Ashima Shiraishi, American rock climber * Erik Shoji, US National team volleyball player * Kawika Shoji, US National team volleyball player and Erik Shoji's brother * Jelani Reshaun Sumiyoshi * Kurt Suzuki, MLB player * Robert Swift, NBA player * Derek Tatsuno, baseball player selected to the All-Time All-Star Team of Collegiate Baseball America * Shane Victorino, ''Sansei'', MLB player * Don Wakamatsu, '' Yonsei'', MLB's first Japanese-American manager * Rex Walters, NBA player * Kristi Yamaguchi, Yonsei, won three national figure skating championships, two world titles, and the 1992 Olympic gold medal * Lindsey Yamasaki, professional basketball player (Miami Sol, New York Liberty, San Jose Spiders), Stanford University (basketball, volleyball) * Roger Yasukawa, auto-racing driver (IRL) * Christian Yelich, professional baseball outfielder for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball (MLB). His maternal grandfather Mineo Dan Oda is Japanese. * Wally Kaname Yonamine (1925–2011), football player; first Japanese American in the NFL; professional baseball player in Nippon Professional Baseball League

Other Academia

*Nobutaka Ike, Stanford University professor of Japanese and East Asian politics *Fujio Matsuda, first Asian-American president of a major American university, as president of the University of Hawaiʻi

References

{{reflist American people of Japanese descent, * Lists of American people of Asian descent, Japanese Lists of Japanese people, Americans Lists of American people by ethnic or national origin, Japanese Lists of people by ethnicity, Japanese

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See also

References