List of Japanese Americans

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The following is a list of notable Japanese Americans who have made significant contributions to the United States, or have appeared in the news numerous times:

Lists of Americans

by U.S. state

by ethnicity:

African | Albanian | Arab

Argentine | Armenian | Austrian

Bahamian | Bangladeshi | Belgian

Brazilian | Bulgarian | Cajun

Cambodian | Chinese | Croatian

Cuban | Czech | Danish

Dutch | English

Estonian | Filipino

Finnish | French | German

Greek | Haitian | Hispanic

Hmong | Hungarian | Indian

Indonesian | Iranian

Irish | Israeli | Italian

Jamaican | Japanese | Jewish

Korean | Laotian | Louisiana Creole

Mexican | Native American | Hawaiian

Nicaraguan | Nigerian

Norwegian | Polish

Portuguese | Romanian | Russian

Rusyn | Salvadoran | Scots-Irish

Scottish | Serbian

Slovak | Slovenian

Spanish | Swedish | Swiss

Taiwanese | Turkish | Ukrainian

Vietnamese | Welsh

Contents 1 List 1.1 Arts and architecture 1.2 Business and economics 1.3 Entertainment 1.4 History 1.5 Literature and poetry 1.6 News/Media 1.7 Military 1.8 Politics and Law 1.9 Religion 1.10 Science and technology 1.11 Sports 2 See also 3 References

[edit] List

[edit] Arts and architecture

• Tadashi Asoma, a contemporary art painter;in the television series 24
• Jeff Matsuda, Emmy award-winning concept artist, comics artist, and animator
• Jimmy Mirikitani, painter
• Luna H. Mitani, Surrealism Painting Artist
• George Nakashima (1905 - 1990), Nisei, woodworker, architect, and furniture maker
• Isamu Noguchi (1904 - 1988), Issei, artist, sculptor, designer
• Sueo Serisawa (1910 - 2004), Issei, noted Californian Impressionist artist
• George Tsutakawa (1910 - 1997), sculptor and painter
• Minoru Yamasaki (1912 - 1986), Nisei, architect, best known for the New York World Trade Center "Twin Towers."

[edit] Business and economics

• Takeshi Amemiya, economist, Stanford professor
• Glen Fukushima, Co-President and Representative Director, NCR Japan, Ltd., and former President, American Chamber of Commerce in Japan
• Francis Fukuyama, economist and historian
• Wayne Inouye, former president & CEO of Gateway, Inc.
• Roy Kusumoto, founder, Solectron
• Koichi Nishimura, former CEO (1996-2003), Solectron
• Scott Oki, former senior vice-president of sales and marketing for Microsoft

[edit] Entertainment

• Keiko Agena, actress (Gilmore Girls TV series)
• Toshiko Akiyoshi, Shin-Issei, musician, jazz pianist, composer, arranger and big band leader
• Devon Aoki, model and actress
• Tsuru Aoki (1892 - 1961), Issei, actress
• Gregg Araki, film director
• Dean Cain, actor; he is 1/4 Japanese
• Asia Carrera (née Jessica Andrea Steinhauser), former pornographic actress
• Marié Digby, singer-songwriter, guitarist, pianist; she is 1/2 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
• John Fujioka, actor
• 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. He is half-Japanese.
• Gina Hiraizumi,Yonsei, actress, singer
• Shizuko Hoshi, Shin-Issei (Japanese-born), actress
• James Iha, Guitarist for 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
• Tatsuya Ishida, creator of the webcomic Sinfest
• Robert Ito, Nisei (Canadian-born), actor, best known as "Dr. Sam Fujiyama" on the popular TV series Quincy, M.E.
• Rodney Kageyama, Nisei, actor
• Kenn Kashima, film editor, filmmaker
• Janice Kawaye, voice actress
• Ariane Koizumi, film actress
• Sho Kosugi, Shin-Issei (Japanese-born), actor and martial artist
• Eric Koyanagi, filmmaker
• Denise Kumagai, actress (Night Court TV series)
• Dan Kuramoto, Sansei, musician, composer, band-leader of Hiroshima
• Emily Kuroda, actress (Gilmore Girls TV series)
• Clyde Kusatsu, actor
• Bob Kuwahara animator for Walt Disney and Terrytoons. Created Hashimoto-san series.
• Akira Lane, adult model known for her work with pantyhose
• Sean Ono Lennon, Hapa, musician, son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono
• Mako (1933 - 2006), Shin-Issei (Japanese-born), actor, Academy Award nominee for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (The Sand Pebbles) and Tony Award nominee for Best Actor (Pacific Overtures Original Broadway Cast), Founder of East West Players
• Lily Mariye, actress (ER), filmmaker
• Keiko Matsui, Shin-Issei (Japanese-born), jazz musician
• 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; she is 1/4 Japanese on her mother's side
• Kim Miyori, actress (St. Elsewhere TV series)
• Diane Mizota, dancer, actress, TV host
• Pat Morita (1932 - 2005), Nisei, Academy Award nominated actor and comedian
• 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
• Eric Nakamura, founder of Giant Robot magazine
• 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 and playwright (brother of Karen Narasaki)
• Hiro Narita, Shin-Issei (Japanese-born), cinematographer
• Lane Nishikawa, Sansei, actor and filmmaker
• Sophie Oda (1991 - ) child actress^[1]
• Masi Oka, Shin-Issei (Japanese-born), Golden Globe nominated television actor (Heroes)^[2]
• 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)
• Seiji Ozawa, conductor, director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra from 1973-2002
• Douglas Robb, Hapa, lead singer of Hoobastank, whose mother is Japanese American
• Bianca Ryan, Hapa, winner of America's Got Talent, Japanese American descent from mother's side
• 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 below)
• Reiko Sato, (1931 - 1981), Nisei, dancer and actress (Flower Drum Song, The Ugly American)
• Jake Shimabukuro, ukulele virtuoso
• James Shigeta, Sansei, actor (Bridge to the Sun, Crimson Kimono, Flower Drum Song, Walk Like A Dragon) and American popular standards singer
• Jenny Shimizu, fashion model
• Masahiko Shimo, classical pianist
• Yuki Shimoda (1921 - 1981), Nisei, actor
• Gary Shimokawa, television director
• Sab Shimono, actor
• Larry Shinoda, automotive designer noted for his work on the Corvette and the Boss 302 Mustang
• Mike Shinoda, Hapa, 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)
• Hidetaro Suzuki, violinist and concertmaster of the Quebec Symphony Orchestra (1963-1978) and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra (1978-2005)
• 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 Chinese and half Japanese)
• Rene Tajima-Peña, Academy Award nominated documentary filmmaker (Who Killed Vincent Chin?)
• 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
• Teppei Teranishi, Thrice band member
• Brian Tochi, Sansei, actor
• Marcus Toji, Yonsei, actor
• Marilyn Tokuda, Sansei, actress
• 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)
• Patti Yasutake, actress who played "Nurse Alyssa Ogawa" on Star Trek: The Next Generation TV series

[edit] 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
• Dennis Ogawa, author, historian, businessman, professor at Univeristy of Hawaii
• Ronald Takaki (author), historian, University of California, Berkeley professor

[edit] Literature and poetry

• Dale Furutani, novelist
• Philip Kan Gotanda, Sansei, playwright
• Naomi Hirahara, novelist and journalist
• Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, Nisei, novelist, author of Farewell to Manzanar
• Naomi Iizuka, Shin-Issei (Japanese-born), playwright
• Lawson Fusao Inada, Nisei, poet
• Hiroshi Kashiwagi, Nisei, poet, playwright, actor
• Ken Mochizuki, author
• John Okada, author of 'No-No Boy'
• Ed Sakamoto, Nisei, playwright
• Jon Shirota, novelist and playwright
• Hisaye Yamamoto, award winning short-story writer
• Wakako Yamauchi, Nisei, playwright

[edit] News/Media

• Guy Aoki, founder of Media Action Network for Asian Americans
• Ann Curry, anchor and correspondent for NBC News and The Today Show
• Rob Fukuzaki, sports anchor for KABC-TV in Los Angeles
• James Hattori, pioneering network news correspondent
• Joseph Heco (1837 - 1897), fisherman and writer, first to publish Japanese language newspaper
• Michiko Kakutani, New York Times literary critic and author
• Ken Kashiwahara, Emmy winning television journalist
• Guy Kawasaki, author, Apple evangelist
• Lori Matsukawa, co-anchor in Seattle and former Miss Teenage America in 1974
• Gordon Morioka, photojournalist based in Cincinnati, Ohio (formerly with the Dayton Journal Herald and the Cincinnati Enquirer)
• Kent Ninomiya, anchor, reporter and news executive
• David Ono, anchorman for KABC-TV in Los Angeles
• Scott Sassa, former President, NBC West Coast
• Iva Toguri (1916 - 2006), radio broadcaster who has been nicknamed "Tokyo Rose"
• Wendy Tokuda, anchorwoman for San Francisco KPIX 5, previously for KRON 4
• Tritia Toyota, former anchorwoman, founder of Asian American Journalists Association

[edit] Military

• Barney F. Hajiro, Medal of Honor recipient in World War II
• 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
• Terry Teruo Kawamura (1949 - 1969), Medal of Honor recipient, Sergeant First Class in Vietnam War
• Yeiki Kobashigawa (1920 – 2005), Medal of Honor recipient in World War II
• Alice K. Kurashige, the first Japanese American woman to be commissioned in the United States Marine Corps
• Robert T. Kuroda (1922 – 1944), Medal of Honor recipient in World War II
• Ben Kuroki, only Japanese American to serve in the Pacific theater in World War II
• Hiroshi Miyamura, Medal of Honor recipient, Corporal in Korean War
• Kaoru Moto (1917 – 1992), Medal of Honor recipient in World War II
• James H. Mukoyama, Major General, first Asian American to command an Army division
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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, Medal of Honor recipient in World War II
• Saito Shebato (1864 - 1939), served in the US Navy during World War I
• Jiro Shimoda, Sergeant in World War II
• Eric Shinseki, United States Army General, Army Chief of Staff, 1999-2003
• Francis Takemoto, first Japanese-American general officer
• 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 Vietnam War

[edit] Politics and Law

• Richard Aoki, civil rights activist and co-founder of the Black Panther Party
• George Ariyoshi, first Asian American governor of a U.S. state, Hawaii
• S. I. Hayakawa (1906 - 1992), Canadian, former Senator from California and linguistics scholar
• Gordon Hirabayashi, plaintiff in Hirabayashi v. United States, which challenged Japanese-American internment during World War II
• Mazie Hirono, former lieutenant governor of State of Hawaii, currently Congresswomen from Hawaii
• Mike Honda, Congressman from California
• Paul Igasaki, former Vice Chair and Chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
• Daniel Inouye, Senator from Hawaii, Medal of Honor recipient
• Lance Ito, judge, presided over O.J. Simpson criminal trial
• Yuri Kochiyama, the Japanese American civil rights activist and friend of Malcolm X
• Fred Korematsu (1919 - 2005), Medal of Freedom reciepient who argued against the internment
• 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
• Paula A. Nakayama, Associate Justice of the Hawaii State Supreme Court
• Karen Narasaki, Executive Director of the Asian American Justice Center.
• 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
• Takuji Yamashita (1874 - 1959), early civil rights pioneer

[edit] Religion

• Robert T. Hoshibata, Bishop of the United Methodist Church
• Roy I. Sano, Bishop of the United Methodist Church

[edit] Science and technology

• Keiiti Aki (1930 - 2005), seismologist
• Ted Fujita (1920 - 1998), creator of the Fujita scale
• Michio Kaku, scientist known for his string field theory
• Shizuo Kakutani, mathematician, fixed-point theorem, professor at Yale University
• Dorinne K. Kondo, anthropologist
• John Maeda, computer scientist, artist, professor at MIT
• Yoichiro Nambu, physicist
• 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
• Gordon H. Sato, cell biologist
• Tsutomu Shimomura, computer security expert
• Susumu Tonegawa, Nobel Prize, Physiology or Medicine, 1987
• Takeshi Utsumi, computer simulationist

[edit] Sports

• Paul Fujii, professional boxer and WBA Junior Welterweight Champion.
• Tadd Fujikawa, Teen golf phenom.
• Miki Gorman, two-time winner of both the Boston and New York City marathons; former American and unofficial world record holder in the marathon.
• Hiroto Hirashima, member of the American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame.
• Christian Hosoi, professional skateboarder.
• Bryan Iguchi, professional snowboarder.
• Rena Inoue, first place in the 2004 and 2006 U.S. Figure Skating Championships (pairs).
• Evelyn Kawamoto, Olympic bronze medalist in swimming in 1952.
• Ford Konno, U.S.A Olympic swimmer and Olympic champion (two golds and a silver in 1952; silver in 1956).
• Tommy Kono, Olympic gold medalist (1952, 1956) and silver medalist (1960) weightlifter.
• Shogo Kubo, professional skateboarder.
• 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.
• Hikaru Nakamura, chess grandmaster and former US champion (2005).
• Keo Nakata swimmer and world record holder
• Corey Nakatani, jockey with seven wins in Breeders' Cup races
• Apolo Anton Ohno, Olympic short track speed skating competitor.
• Lance Otsubo, won the 2004 U.S. Individual National Spearfishing Championships.
• Yoshinobu Oyakawa, U.S.A Olympic swimmer and Olympic champion (1952).
• Dave Roberts, MLB player
• Soichi Sakamoto, Olympic swimming coach and member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
• Harold Sakata (1920 - 1982), 1948 Olympic medalist weightlifter, actor, and wrestler.
• Lenn Sakata, Professional baseball player for the World Series Champions Baltimore Orioles.
• Kurt Suzuki, MLB player
• Paula Suzuki, bodybuilder and powerlifter
• Derek Tatsuno, baseball player and selected to the All-Time All-Star Team of Collegiate Baseball America.
• Kristi Yamaguchi, Olympic Gold Medalist figure skater
• Lindsey Yamasaki, Professional basketball player (Miami Sol, New York Liberty, San Jose Spiders), Stanford University (basketball, volleyball)
• Roger Yasukawa, auto-racing driver (IRL)
• Jason Yokoyama, a notable athlete in both cross country and lacrosse.
• Wally Kaname Yonamine, Football player, first Japanese American in the NFL, as well as a professional baseball player in Nippon Professional Baseball League.

[edit] See also

• Ethnic Japanese

[edit] References