Black people in Japan

Black people in Japan

Jerome White Jr., better known as Jero, is the first black enka singer in history.
Regions with significant populations
Tokyo, Okinawa
Languages
Japanese, English, African languages
Related ethnic groups
Black people

Black people in Japan (黒人系日本人, Kokujinkei nihonjin /Nipponjin) are Japanese residents or citizens of sub-Saharan African ancestry.

History

In the mid-16th century, Africans arrived in Japan alongside Europeans as crew members and slaves.

Yasuke, an African man, possibly from Mozambique, arrived in Japan in the late-16th century alongside Jesuit missionary Alessandro Valignano. He found favor with Oda Nobunaga, the daimyō and warlord, and ultimately became his retainer.

After WW2, with the Japanese economic miracle, many students from Africa began coming to Japan often to pursue relevant postgraduate education through MEXT and JICA. African Americans also joined the JET Programme to work as English teachers. Some African Americans arrive to serve in the United States Forces Japan.

In 2015, Ariana Miyamoto, who was born in Japan to a Japanese mother and an African-American father, became the first hāfu (meaning “mixed”) contestant to win the title of Miss Universe Japan. The decision to allow Miyamoto to win the title, due to her not being fully Japanese ethnically, was controversial.

Individuals

Japan-born

• Thelma Aoyama (born 1987), Japanese R&B singer
• Abdul Hakim Sani Brown (born 1999), Japanese sprinter
• Rui Hachimura (born 1998), Japanese basketball player
• Dan Howbert (born 1987), Japanese footballer
• Crystal Kay (born 1986), Japanese pop singer
• Issey Maholo (born 1985), Japanese football goalkeeper
• Ariana Miyamoto (born 1994), Japanese beauty contestant
• Mana Nakao (born 1986), Japanese footballer
• Talla Ndao (born 1999), Japanese footballer
• Karen Nun-Ira (born 1991), Japanese judoka
• Naomi Osaka (born 1997), Japanese tennis player
• Ado Onaiwu (born 1995), Japanese footballer
• Evelyn Mawuli (born 1995), Japanese basketball player
• Stephanie Mawuli (born 1998), Japanese basketball player
• Powell Obinna Obi (born 1990), Japanese footballer
• Richard T. Jones (born 1972), American actor
• Leo Kokubo (born 2001), Japanese professional footballer
• Keita Buwanika (born 2002), Japanese footballer
• Anrie Chase (born 2004), Japanese footballer

Foreign-born

• Asuka Cambridge (born 1993), Jamaica-born Japanese sprinter
• Pape Mour Faye (born 1986), Senegal-born Japanese professional basketball player
• Samba Faye (born 1987), Senegal-born Japanese professional basketball player
• Chris Hart (born 1984), US-born Japanese pop singer
• Kotaro Matsushima (born 1993), South Africa-born Japanese rugby union player
• Kaoru Mfaume (born 1976), US-born entertainment producer
• Ike Nwala (born 1986), US-born TV presenter and comedian
• Andy Ologun (born 1983), Nigeria-born professional boxer, mixed martial artist, kickboxer, and actor
• Bobby Ologun (born 1973), Nigeria-born television personality
• Mandy Sekiguchi (born 1991), US-born rapper
• Jerome White, Jr. (born 1981), or Jero, US-born enka singer
• Yasuke, Africa-born retainer of Oda Nobunaga
• Jelani Reshaun Sumiyoshi, US-born footballer
• Zion Suzuki, US-born footballer