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Lists of famous Americans

by U.S. state

by ethnicity:

African American

Albanian | Arab

Armenian | Australian

Austrian | Bahamian

Bangladeshi | Belgian

Brazilian | Bulgarian

Cajun

Cambodian | Chinese

Croatian | Cuban

Danish | Dutch

English | Estonian

Filipino | Finnish

French

German | Greek

| Hmong

Hungarian

Indian | Iranian

Irish | Italian

Israeli

Jamaican | Japanese

Jewish | Korean

Laotian

Louisiana Creole

Mexican

Muslim

Native American

Native Hawaiian

Norwegian | Polish

Portuguese | Romanian

Russian | Salvadoran

Scots-Irish | Scottish

Swedish | Swiss

Taiwanese | Ukrainian

Vietnamese | Welsh

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

Contents 1 Arts and Entertainment 2 Business 3 News/Media 4 Military 5 Politics and Law 6 Religion 7 Science and Education 8 Sports 9 See also 10 Footnotes

• Keiko Agena, actress (Gilmore Girls TV series)
• Toshiko Akiyoshi, musician, jazz
• Devon Aoki, model and actress
• Tsuru Aoki (1892 - 1961), Issei, actress
• Gregg Araki, film director
• Tadashi Asoma, a contemporary art painter
• Reiko Aylesworth, actress, best known for playing Michelle Dessler in the television series 24
• Maya Bond, singer-songwriter
• Dean Cain, Hapa, actor and best known for playing Superman in the television series Lois & Clark. Born Dean George Tanaka.
• 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
• Dale Furutani, novelist
• Philip Kan Gotanda, Sansei, playwright
• Kayo Hatta (1958 - 2005), filmmaker (Sundance Award winner Picture Bride)
• Sessue Hayakawa (1889 - 1973), Issei, Academy Award nominated actor
• Amy Hill, Hapa, actress and performance artist (mother is Japanese)
• Naomi Hirahara, novelist and journalist
• Shizuko Hoshi, Shin-Issei (Japanese-born), actress
• Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, Nisei, novelist, author of Farewell to Manzanar
• James Iha, Guitarist for Smashing Pumpkins and A Perfect Circle
• Naomi Iizuka, Shin-Issei (Japanese-born), playwright
• Jeff Imada, actor, stuntman, stunt coordinator
• Carrie Ann Inaba, dancer, actress
• Lawson Fusao Inada, Nisei, poet
• Tatsuya Ishida, creator of the webcomic Sinfest
• Robert Ito (Canadian-born), actor, best known as "Dr. Sam Fujiyama" on the popular TV series Quincy, M.E.
• Jhene, singer
• Kenn Kashima, film editor, filmmaker
• Hiroshi Kashiwagi, Nisei, poet, playwright, actor
• 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.
• Sean Ono Lennon, Hapa, musician, son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono
• Sean Mackin, Hapa, violinist/backing vocals and sometimes vocals from Yellowcard (half-Japanese and half-Irish)
• Mako (1933 - 2006), Shin-Issei (Japanese-born), Oscar and Tony nominated actor, Founder of East West Players
• Lily Mariye, actress (ER), filmmaker
• Keiko Matsui, Shin-Issei (Japanese-born), jazz musician
• Nobu McCarthy (1934 - 2002), Shin-Issei (Japanese-born), Actress
• Kim Miyori, actress (St. Elsewhere TV series)
• Diane Mizota, dancer, actress, TV host
• Ken Mochizuki, author
• Pat Morita (1932 - 2005), Nisei, Academy Award nominated actor and comedian
• Doris Muramatsu, Girlyman band member
• Kent Nagano, conductor, Los Angeles Symphony
• Eric Nakamura, founder of Giant Robot magazine
• Suzy Nakamura, Sansei, actress
• Desmond Nakano, Sansei, director and screenwriter
• George Nakashima (1905 - 1990), Nisei, cabinetry, crafts movement, internment survivor
• Ken Narasaki, Sansei, actor and playwright (brother of Karen Narasaki)
• Hiro Narita, Shin-Issei (Japanese-born), cinematographer
• Nigo, member of the Teriyaki Boyz and owner of "a Bathing Ape"
• Lane Nishikawa, Sansei, actor and filmmaker
• Isamu Noguchi (1904 - 1988), Issei, artist, sculptor, designer
• 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
• Ed Sakamoto, Nisei, playwright
• Harold Sakata (1920 - 1982), Nisei, actor ("Odd Job" from James Bond film Goldfinger) and wrestler (see also Sports below)
• Sueo Serisawa (1910 - 2004), Issei, noted Californian Impressionist artist
• Jake Shimabukuro, ukulele virtuoso
• James Shigeta, Nisei, actor
• Jenny Shimizu, fashion model
• 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)
• Jon Shirota, novelist and playwright
• Jack Soo (1916 - 1979), Nisei, actor ("Det. Sgt. Nick Yemana" from Barney Miller TV series)
• Pat Suzuki, Nisei, female singer in Broadway hit musical Flower Drum Song
• Shoji Tabuchi, Shin-Issei (Japanese-born), famous fiddler
• Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Shin-Issei (Japanese-born), actor
• Rene Tajima-Peña, Academy Award nominated documentary filmmaker (Who Killed Vincent Chin?)
• Rea Tajiri, Sansei, filmmaker
• Miiko Taka, 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
• 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, Shin-Issei (Japanese-born), Academy Award winning actress (Sayonara)
• 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, singer (second-generation Japanese American father & German-Italian mother)
• Hiro Yamamoto, original bass player for Soundgarden
• Minoru Yamasaki (1912 - 1986), Nisei, architect, best known for the New York World Trade Center "Twin Towers."
• Iris Yamashita, Academy Award nominated screenwriter (Letters from Iwo Jima)
• Wakako Yamauchi, Nisei, playwright
• Patti Yasutake, actress who played "Nurse Alyssa Ogawa" on Star Trek: The Next Generation TV series

• Glen Fukushima, Co-President and Representative Director, NCR Japan, Ltd., and former President, American Chamber of Commerce in Japan
• Scott Oki, former senior vice-president of sales and marketing for Microsoft

• Guy Aoki, founder of Media Action Network for Asian Americans
• Ann Curry, newsreader on Today (mother is Japanese)
• 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
• Gordon Morioka, photojournalist based in Cincinnati, Ohio (formerly with the Daton Journal Herald and the Cincinnati Enquirer)
• 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 KRON 4
• Tricia Toyota, former anchorwoman, founder of Asian American Journalists Association

• Terry Teruo Kawamura, Medal of Honor recipient, Sergeant First Class in Vietnam War
• Alice K. Kurashige, the first Japanese American woman to be commissioned in the United States Marine Corps
• Hiroshi Miyamura, Medal of Honor recipient, Corporal in Korean War
• James H. Mukoyama, Major General, first Asian American to command an Army division
• Sadao Munemori, Medal of Honor recipient, Private First Class in WW2
• Jiro Shimoda, Sergeant in WWII
• Eric Shinseki, United States Army General, Army Chief of Staff, 1999-2003
• Ehren Watada, Army Lieutenant to be tried by court martial (5 Feb. 2007) for refusal to deploy to Iraq.
• Bruce Yamashita, worked to expose racial discrimination in the United States Marine Corps
• Rodney James Takashi Yano, Medal of Honor recipient, Sergeant First Class in Vietnam War

• 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, 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.
• Mike Honda, Congressman from California and community leader
• 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, Medal of Freedom reciepient who argued against the internment
• Mari Matsuda, first tenured Asian American, female law professor in the United States
• Doris Matsui, widow of Robert Matsui who succeeded him in Congress
• Robert Matsui, late Congressman from California and former chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
• Spark Matsunaga, US Senator from Hawaii
• Stan Matsunaka, Colorado State Senator
• Norman Mineta, Congressman from California and Secretary of Transportation
• Patsy Takemoto Mink, 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, early civil rights pioneer

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

• Takeshi Amemiya, economist, Stanford professor
• Ted Fujita, creator of the Fujita scale
• Francis Fukuyama, economist and historian
• Yamato Ichihashi, one of the first Asian academics in the US
• Akira Iriye, historian, Professor at Harvard
• 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
• Ellison Onizuka, first Asian American astronaut; one of the "Challenger Seven"
• Charles J. Pedersen, organic chemist, Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry (mother is Japanese)
• Ronald Takaki (author), historian, University of California, Berkeley professor
• Susumu Tonegawa, Nobel Prize, Physiology or Medicine, 1987

• Bryan Clay, Olympic silver medalist and 2005 world champion in the decathlon.
• Paul Fujii, professional boxer and WBA Junior Welterweight Champion.
• Tadd Fujikawa, Teen golf phenom.
• 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).
• Miki Gorman, two-time winner of both the Boston and New York City marathons; former American and unofficial world record holder in the marathon.
• Ford Konno, U.S.A Olympic swimmer and Olympic champion.
• Tommy Kono, Olympic gold medalist (twice) weightlifter.
• Shogo Kubo, professional skateboarder.
• Wataru Misaka, professional basketball pioneer.
• Chad Morton, running back for the Washington Redskins.
• Johnnie Morton, wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs.
• Hikaru Nakamura, chess grandmaster and former US champion.
• Keo Nakata swimmer and world record holder.
• Apolo Anton Ohno, Olympic short track speed skating competitor.
• Dan Osman, extreme sport practitioner.
• Lance Otsubo, won the 2004 U.S. Individual National Spearfishing Championships.
• Yoshinobu Oyakawa, U.S.A Olympic swimmer and Oylympic champion.
• Dave Roberts, Professional baseball player.
• Soichi Sakamoto, Olympic swimming coach and member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
• Harold Sakata, 1948 Olympic medalist weightlifter.
• Lenn Sakata, Professional baseball player for the World Series Champions Baltimore Orioles.
• Derek Tatsuno, baseball player and selected to the All-Time All-Star Team of Collegiate Baseball America.
• Don "the Dragon" Wilson, 11 World Championships in Kickboxing, 28 starring roles in Hollywood Action Films, mother Toshie Hoshino Wilson is Japanese...
• 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)
• Wally Kaname Yonamine, Football player, first Japanese American in the NFL, as well as a professional baseball player in Nippon Professional Baseball League.

• Ethnic Japanese