List of Japanese Americans
From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
To be included in this list, the person must have a Wikipedia article showing they are Japanese American or must have references showing they are Japanese American and are notable.
This is a list of Japanese Americans, 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. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.
Contents
Arts and architecture
- Shusaku Arakawa (1936–2010), artist and architect
- Ruth Asawa (1926–2013), sculptor
- Hideo Date (1907-2005), painter associated with Synchromism movement
- Paul Horiuchi (1906–1999), painter and collagist
- Jeff Matsuda, Emmy award-winning concept artist, comics artist, and animator
- Jimmy Mirikitani (1920–2012), painter
- Luna H. Mitani, surrealist painter
- Masayuki Oda (1950–2012), sculptor[1]
- Robert Murase (1938–2005), a world-renowned landscape architect
- George Nakashima (1905–1990), Nisei, woodworker, architect, and furniture maker
- Isamu Noguchi (1904–1988), artist, sculptor, designer
- Kenjiro Nomura(1896–1956), painter
- Chiura Obata (1885–1975), well-known artist and recipient of the Order of the Sacred Treasure, 5th Class, for promoting goodwill and cultural understanding between the United States and Japan
- Masi Oka, actor and digital effects artist, raised in the US
- Arthur Okamura (1932–2009), California painter, illustrator and screen-printer associated with the San Francisco Renaissance
- Miné Okubo (1912–2001), Nisei, painter, author of Citizen 13660, her book documenting life during her confinement in the Japanese American internment
- Yoko Ono (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, noted Californian Impressionist artist
- Toshiko Takaezu (1922–2011), born and died in Hawaii, was an American ceramic artist and painter. Known for closed pots and cylindrical vessels
- Adrian Tomine, graphic novelist (Shortcomings)
- George Tsutakawa (1910–1997), sculptor and painter
- Minoru Yamasaki (1912–1986), Nisei, architect, best known for the New York World Trade Center "Twin Towers"
Business and economics
- Takeshi Amemiya, economist, Stanford professor
- Hiroaki Aoki, founder of Benihana
- Glen Fukushima, co-President and Representative Director, NCR Japan, Ltd., and former President, American Chamber of Commerce in Japan
- Francis Fukuyama, economist and historian
- Robert Hamada, Edward Eagle Brown Distinguished Service Professor of Finance; former Dean of the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business
- Wayne Inouye, former President and CEO of Gateway, Inc.
- Kayoko Kifuji, a child psychiatrist
- Roy Kusumoto, founder of Solectron
- Nobu Matsuhisa, founder of Nobu & Matsuhisa
- Bill Naito (1925–1996), prominent businessman in Portland, Oregon
- Scott Oki, former Senior Vice President of sales and marketing at Microsoft
- Richard Sakai, producer and President of Gracie Films
- George Shima (1864–1926), the first Japanese American millionaire.[2]
- Gary A. Tanaka, financier
- Kevin Tsujihara, CEO, Warner Brothers
- Ken Uston, blackjack player, strategist, and author
Entertainment
- Keiko Agena, actress (Gilmore Girls TV series)
- Toshiko Akiyoshi, Shin-Issei, musician, jazz pianist, composer, arranger and big band leader
- Daniella Alonso, actress (father is of part Japanese descent)
- Devon Aoki, model and actress (half Japanese)
- Tsuru Aoki (1892–1961), Issei, actress
- Gregg Araki, film director
- Fred Armisen, actor and comedian
- Nadia Azzi, pianist
- Dean Cain, actor; paternal grandfather is of Japanese descent
- Asia Carrera (née Jessica Andrea Steinhauser), former pornographic actress; half Japanese
- Louis Ozawa Changchien, actor; half Japanese
- Ian Anthony Dale, actor (Mr. 3000); mother is Japanese, father is French-English
- Marié Digby, singer-songwriter, guitarist, pianist; half Japanese
- Marie Eguro, actress, model, musician
- Takayo Fischer, Nisei, actress
- Tak Fujimoto, Nisei, cinematographer of many Hollywood films, including The Silence of the Lambs and Ferris Bueller's Day Off
- Jun Fujita (1888–1963), Issei, silent movie actor, Essanay Studios of Chicago
- Koichi Fukuda, Static X band member
- Umi Garrett, pianist
- Tom Gorai, film producer
- Midori Gotō, classical violinist and recipient of the Avery Fisher Prize
- Ann Harada, actress (musical Avenue Q)
- Kayo Hatta (1958–2005), filmmaker (Sundance Award winner Picture Bride)
- Sessue Hayakawa (1889–1973), Issei, Academy Award-nominated actor
- Matt Heafy, lead vocalist of band Trivium; mother is Japanese
- Don Henrie, self-proclaimed vampire and an "Alt" on the short-lived Sci Fi Channel series Mad Mad House; half Japanese
- Ryan Higa, YouTube celebrity, actor, comedian, and producer
- Satoshi Hino, voice actor
- Gina Hiraizumi, Yonsei, actress, singer
- Shizuko Hoshi, Shin-Issei (Japanese-born), actress
- James Iha, guitarist for The Smashing Pumpkins and A Perfect Circle
- Jeff Imada, actor, stuntman, stunt coordinator
- Grant Imahara, Yonsei, builder and host on MythBusters TV series on Discovery Channel
- Carrie Ann Inaba, dancer, actress
- Joe Inoue, pop and rock musician
- Tatsuya Ishida, creator of the webcomic Sinfest
- Miki Ishikawa, actress
- Miyuki Melody Ishikawa, singer and former host of NHK World TV music show J-Melo
- Robert Ito, Nisei (Canadian-born), actor, best known as "Dr. Sam Fujiyama" on the TV series Quincy, M.E.
- Yuna Ito, singer and actress, also of half Korean descent
- Jero, born Jerome Charles White, Jr., enka singer in Japan; grandmother was Japanese
- Rodney Kageyama, Nisei, actor
- Janice Kawaye, voice actress
- Hayley Kiyoko, actress, singer
- Ariane Koizumi, film actress
- Hokuto "Hok" Konishi, dancer and b-boy, member of the season three-winning crew on America's Best Dance Crew
- Kane Kosugi, actor and martial artist, son of Sho Kosugi
- Sho Kosugi, Shin-Issei (Japanese-born), actor and martial artist
- Shin Koyamada, Shin-Issei (Japanese-born), actor, producer, philanthropist, and martial artist
- Asako Kozuki, voice actress
- Emily Kuroda, actress (Gilmore Girls TV series)
- Karyn Kusama, director
- Clyde Kusatsu, actor
- Bob Kuwahara, animator for Walt Disney and Terrytoons; created Hashimoto-san series
- Dan Kwong, performance artist, writer, playwright (Be Like Water)
- Jeff LaBar, guitarist of Cinderella.
- Jake E. Lee, heavy metal guitarist, known for his work with Ozzy Osbourne and in his own band Badlands
- Sean Ono Lennon, Hapa Nisei, musician, son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono
- Olivia Lufkin, singer, songwriter
- Mako (1933–2006), Shin-Issei (Japanese-born), actor, Academy Award nominee for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (The Sand Pebbles), Tony Award nominee for Best Actor (Pacific Overtures), founder of East West Players
- Lily Mariye, actress (ER), filmmaker
- Keiko Matsui, Shin-Issei (Japanese-born), jazz musician
- Kent Matsuoka, Nisei producer and location manager
- Nobu McCarthy (1934–2002), Kibei (Canadian-born), actress (Farewell to Manzanar, Wake Me When It's Over, Walk Like A Dragon)
- Meiko, L.A.-based singer/songwriter; one-quarter Japanese on her mother's side
- Anne Akiko Meyers, classical violinist
- Derek Mio, Yonsei, actor (tv series Greek, Day One)
- Kim Miyori, actress (St. Elsewhere TV series)
- Pat Morita (1932–2005), Nisei, Academy Award-nominated actor and comedian
- Glen Murakami, animator, director, producer
- Doris Muramatsu, Girlyman band member
- Alan Muraoka, actor and theatre director who plays the current owner of Hooper's Store on Sesame Street
- Kent Nagano, conductor, Los Angeles Symphony
- Robert A. Nakamura, filmmaker, co-founder of Visual Communications, teacher
- Suzy Nakamura, Sansei, actress
- Desmond Nakano, 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 and filmmaker
- Kevin "KevNish" Nishimura, musician, member of the Far East Movement (half Japanese)
- George Nozuka, R&B singer
- Justin Nozuka, singer, younger brother of George Nozuka
- Philip Nozuka, actor, younger brother of George Nozuka
- Sophie Oda (1991– ), child actress
- Masi Oka, 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
- Ryo Okumoto, Spock's Beard band member
- Yuji Okumoto, Sansei, actor
- Lisa Onodera, film producer (Picture Bride, The Debut, Americanese)
- Ken and Miye Ota, champion ballroom dancers, martial artists (Aikido and Judo)
- Seiji Ozawa, conductor, director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra from 1973–2002
- Ryan Potter, actor and martial artist
- Douglas Robb, lead singer of Hoobastank, Japanese mother
- Bianca Ryan, winner of America's Got Talent, mother is half Japanese
- Stan Sakai, cartoonist, creator of Usagi Yojimbo comic series
- Harold Sakata (1920–1982), Nisei, actor ("Odd Job" from James Bond film Goldfinger) and wrestler (see also "Sports" section)
- Reiko Sato (1931–1981), Nisei, dancer and actress (Flower Drum Song, The Ugly American)
- Kylee Saunders, singer based in Japan
- Toshi Seeger, filmmaker and environmental activist, founder of the Clearwater Festival
- James Shigeta (1929–2014), Sansei, actor (Bridge to the Sun, Crimson Kimono, Flower Drum Song, Walk Like A Dragon) and American popular standards singer
- Jake Shimabukuro, ukulele virtuoso
- Yuki Shimoda (1921–1981), Nisei, actor
- Sab Shimono, actor
- Larry Shinoda, automotive designer noted for his work on the Corvette and the Boss 302 Mustang
- Mike Shinoda, Linkin Park band member; father is Japanese
- Jack Soo (Goro Suzuki) (1916–1979), Nisei, actor (Flower Drum Song, portrayed Det. Sgt. Nick Yemana in Barney Miller TV series)
- Austin St. John, actor (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers)
- Stephanie, singer (half Japanese)
- Hidetaro Suzuki, Juno Award-nominated classical violinist and concertmaster of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra from 1978 to 2005
- Pat Suzuki, Nisei, American popular standards singer and actress (Flower Drum Song Original Broadway Cast)
- Shoji Tabuchi, Shin-Issei (Japanese-born), famous fiddler
- Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Shin-Issei (Japanese-born), actor
- Kobe Tai, porn star (half Taiwanese and half Japanese)
- Rea Tajiri, Sansei, filmmaker
- Miiko Taka, Nisei, actress, starred opposite Marlon Brando in Sayonara
- Iwao Takamoto (1925–2007), Nisei, animator/producer for Hanna Barbera, creator of Scooby-Doo
- Cyril Takayama, illusionist
- George Takei, Nisei, actor, "Sulu" from Star Trek TV series and films
- Sara Tanaka, actress
- Chris Tashima, Sansei, actor, Academy Award-winning director (Visas and Virtue)
- Teppei Teranishi, Thrice band member
- Brian Tochi, Sansei, actor
- Tamlyn Tomita, Sansei on father's side (mother is Japanese/Filipina), actress
- Miyoshi Umeki (1929–2007), Shin-Issei, Academy Award-winning actress (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
- Don "the Dragon" Wilson, Hapa, actor in Hollywood action films, mother is Japanese (see also Sports below)
- Rachael Yamagata, Hapa, Yonsei, singer, songwriter, pianist (Sansei father & German-Italian mother)
- Hiro Yamamoto, original bass player for Soundgarden
- Iris Yamashita, Academy Award-nominated screenwriter (Letters from Iwo Jima)
- Sotaro Yasuda, actor
- Patti Yasutake, actress who played "Nurse Alyssa Ogawa" on Star Trek: The Next Generation TV series
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
- Ronald Takaki (1939–2009), historian, University of California, Berkeley professor
- Dr. Thomas T. Yatabe (1897–1977), Nisei, University of California-educated dentist, civil rights advocate, American Loyalty League and Japanese American Citizens League founder
Literature and poetry
- Jun Fujita (1888–1963), Issei, poet, wrote the first American Tanka poetry book in 1923, TANKA: Poems in Exile
- Dale Furutani, novelist
- Philip Kan Gotanda, Sansei, playwright
- Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, Nisei, novelist, author of Farewell to Manzanar
- Naomi Iizuka, Shin-Issei (Japanese-born), playwright
- Lawson Fusao Inada, Nisei, poet and current poet laureate of the state of Oregon
- Hiroshi Kashiwagi, Nisei, poet, playwright, actor
- Soji Kashiwagi, Sansei, playwright and producer (Grateful Crane Ensemble theater company)
- John Okada (1923–1971), author of No-No Boy
- Julie Otsuka (1962– ), novelist
- Albert Saijo, poet[3]
- Yoshiko Uchida (1921–1992), Nisei, author
- Hisaye Yamamoto (1921–2011), award-winning short story writer
- Wakako Yamauchi, Nisei, playwright
News/media
- Ann Curry, former anchor and correspondent for NBC News and The Today Show
- Dina Eastwood, anchor
- Jun Fujita (1888–1963), Issei, photographer/photojournalist
- Joseph Heco (1837–1897), fisherman and writer, first to publish Japanese language newspaper
- Michiko Kakutani, New York Times literary critic and author
- Guy Kawasaki, author, Apple evangelist
- Sachi Koto, former CNN news anchor
- Rob Mayeda, NBC Bay Area Weather Plus meteorologist
- Denise Nakano, anchor, WCAU NBC 10, Philadelphia
- Kent Ninomiya, anchor, reporter and news executive
- Roxana Saberi, reporter, mother is an immigrant from Japan
- James Sakamoto (1903-1955), journalist 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 (1916–2006), radio broadcaster nicknamed "Tokyo Rose"
- Tritia Toyota, former anchor
Martial arts
- Taky Kimura, 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; a founder of the Ryukyu Bujutsu Kenkyu Doyukai
- Don "The Dragon" Wilson, former world champion kickboxer and action movie star
Military
- 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
- 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, Medal of Honor recipient, Corporal in Korean War
- Kenneth P. Moritsugu, former acting Surgeon General of the United States; Rear Admiral, USPHS
- Kaoru Moto (1917–1992), Medal of Honor recipient in World War II
- 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 Major 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
- 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, 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 Ono, first Japanese American Lieutenant General[4][5]
- 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)
- 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
- 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)[6]
- 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)
- 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
- 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, 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
- 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
- Lincoln Kanai (1908-1982), plaintiff in ex parte Kanai, which challenged the constitutionality of the WWII incarceration
- 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), Medal of Freedom recipient who argued against the 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
- 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, Congressman from California and 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 2006–2007
- 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
- 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[7]
- Sharon Tomiko Santos, Majority Whip, House of Representatives, Washington State Legislature
- Maile Shimabukuro, member, House of Representatives, Hawaii State Legislature
- Dwight Takamine, member, House of Representatives, Hawaii State Legislature
- Mark Takano (2013–), Congressman representing the 41st Congressional District of California; first LGBT person of color to be elected to Congress
- Robert Mitsuhiro Takasugi (1930–2009), first Japanese-American appointed to the federal bench
- Paul Tanaka, Mayor of the 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
- Takuji Yamashita (1874–1959), early civil rights pioneer
Religion
- Robert T. Hoshibata, Bishop of the United Methodist Church
- Adney Y. Komatsu, first person of Asian descent to become a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Roy I. Sano, Bishop of the United Methodist Church
- Nyogen Senzaki (1876–1958), one of the 20th century's leading proponents of Zen Buddhism
- Sam K. Shimabukuro, member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- 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
- 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
- Michio Kaku, theoretical physicist specializing in string field theory
- Akihiro Kanamori, mathematician specializing in set theory
- Dorinne K. Kondo, anthropologist
- John Maeda, computer scientist, artist, professor at MIT
- Teruhisa Matsusaka (1926–2006), mathematician specializing in algebraic geometry
- Yoky Matsuoka, computer scientist; 2007 MacArthur Fellow
- Shuji Nakamura, 2014 Nobel Laureate in Physics
- Yoichiro Nambu (1921–2015), 2008 Nobel Laureate in Physics
- Susumu Ohno (1928–2000), geneticist and evolutionary biologist
- Ellison Onizuka (1946–1986), first Asian American astronaut; one of the "Challenger Seven"
- Ken Ono, mathematician specializing in number theory
- Santa J. Ono, immunologist, biologist, University President University of Cincinnati
- Charles J. Pedersen (1904–1989), 1987 Nobel laureate in Chemistry; his mother was Japanese
- Gordon H. Sato, cell biologist and member of the United States National Academy of Sciences
- Tsutomu Shimomura, computer security expert
- Daniel M. Tani, astronaut
- Takeshi Utsumi, computer simulationist
- Ryuzo Yanagimachi, reproductive biologist and member of the United States National Academy of Sciences
Sports
- Darwin Barney, MLB player, grandmother is from Japan and grandfather is from Korea.
- Bryan Clay, 2008 Olympic gold medalist in the decathlon
- 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
- Miki Gorman (1935–2015), two-time winner of both the Boston and 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
- Christian Hosoi, professional skateboarder
- 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)
- Travis Ishikawa, MLB player
- Evelyn Kawamoto, won two Olympic bronze medals in swimming in 1952
- Ford Konno, former world record holder, two-time Olympic gold medalist, two-time Olympic silver medalist in swimming (1952 and 1956)
- Tommy Kono, 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, NASCAR driver, mother is Japanese
- Brandon League, MLB player
- Mike Lum, first American of Japanese ancestry to play in the major leagues
- Wataru Misaka, professional basketball pioneer, broke the NBA color barrier in 1947
- Mirai Nagasu, won the singles title 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, and 2012)
- Corey Nakatani, jockey with seven wins in Breeders' Cup races
- 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
- Yoshinobu Oyakawa, former world record holder and 1952 Olympic gold medalist in the 100-meter backstroke
- 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 an 1988 Olympic gold medal in volleyball
- Liane Sato, won an 1992 Olympic bronze medal in volleyball
- Alex Shibutani, figure skater
- Maia Shibutani, figure skater; Alex Shibutani's younger sister
- 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, Major League Baseball'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)
- Wally Kaname Yonamine (1925–2011), football player; first Japanese American in the NFL; professional baseball player in Nippon Professional Baseball League
See also
References
- ↑ Masayuki Oda
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