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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 U.S. The list includes a brief description of their reason for notability.
| Lists of Americans |
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| By U.S. state |
| By ethnicity |
| Afghan · African · Albanian · Arab Argentine · Armenian · Austrian |
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Bahamian · Bangladeshi · Barbadian Belgian · Brazilian · Bulgarian |
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Cajun · Cambodian · Chinese Colombian · Croatian · Cuban · Czech |
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Danish · Dutch |
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English · Estonian |
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Filipino · Finnish · French |
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German · Greek |
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Haitian · Hispanic · Hmong Hungarian |
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Indian · Indonesian · Iranian · Irish Israeli · Italian |
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Jamaican · Japanese · Jewish |
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Korean |
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Laotian · Louisiana Creole |
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Macedonian · Mexican |
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Native American · Native Hawaiian Nicaraguan · Nigerian · Norwegian |
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Polish · Portuguese |
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Romanian · Russian · Rusyn |
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Salvadoran · Scots-Irish · Scottish Serbian · Slovak · Slovenian Spanish · Swedish · Swiss |
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Taiwanese · Turkish |
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Ukrainian |
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Vietnamese |
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Welsh |
Contents |
List of Japanese Americans
Arts and architecture
- Jeff Matsuda, Emmy award-winning concept artist, comics artist, and animator
- Jimmy Mirikitani, painter
- Luna H. Mitani, surrealist painter
- 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
- Chiura Obata (1885 - 1975), a well-known artist and recipient of the Order of the Sacred Treasure, 5th Class, for promoting good will and cultural understanding between the United States and Japan
- Arthur Okamura, 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.
- Sueo Serisawa (1910 - 2004), Issei, noted Californian Impressionist artist
- 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
- 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 and former Dean of the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business
- Wayne Inouye, former president & CEO of Gateway, Inc.
- Scott Oki, former senior vice-president of sales and marketing for Microsoft
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
- Jadagrace Berry, child actress
- Dean Cain, actor; paternal grandfather is of Japanese decent
- Asia Carrera (née Jessica Andrea Steinhauser), former pornographic actress; she is 1/2 Japanese
- Ian Anthony Dale, actor (Mr. 3000);father is Japanese, mother is French-English
- 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
- Jun Fujita, Issei, silent movie actor, (1888-1963), Essanay Studios of Chicago
- Midori Gotō, a 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; 1/2 Japanese.
- Gina Hiraizumi, Yonsei, actress, singer
- Brian Hirano, dancer, winner of season 3 of America's Best Dance Crew (1/2 Japanese)
- 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.
- Yuna Ito, singer and actress, also of half-Korean descent
- Miyuki Melody Ishikawa, singer and former host of NHK World TV music show, J-Melo.
- 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"
- 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)
- 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) 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
- 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; she is 1/4 Japanese on her mother's side
- Anne Akiko Meyers, classical violinist
- Derek Mio, Yonsei, actor (Greek TV series, Day One TV series)
- Kim Miyori, actress (St. Elsewhere TV series)
- Diane Mizota, dancer, actress, TV host
- 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
- Chad Michael Murray, actor from One Tree Hill (mother is half Japanese)
- Kent Nagano, conductor, Los Angeles Symphony
- Robert A. Nakamura, filmmaker, co-founder of Visual Communications (VC), 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)
- Hiro Narita, Shin-Issei (Japanese-born), cinematographer
- Lane Nishikawa, Sansei, actor and filmmaker
- 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
- Douglas Robb, lead singer of Hoobastank, Japanese mother
- Bianca Ryan, winner of America's Got Talent, mother is 1/2 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 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
- 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)
- Stephanie, singer (half-Japanese)
- 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)
- 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)
- Steve Terada, dancer/martial artist, Winner of Season 3 of America's Best Dance Crew
- 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
Literature and poetry
- Jun Fujita, Issei, Poet, (1888-1963), 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
- Hiroshi Kashiwagi, Nisei, poet, playwright, actor
- John Okada (1923 – 1971), author of 'No-No Boy'
- Hisaye Yamamoto, award winning short-story writer
- Wakako Yamauchi, Nisei, playwright
News/Media
- Ann Curry, anchor and correspondent for NBC News and The Today Show
- Jun Fujita, Issei, (1888-1963), photographer/photojournalist
- Rob Fukuzaki, sports anchor
- Joseph Heco (1837 - 1897), fisherman and writer, first to publish Japanese language newspaper
- Susan Hirasuna, anchor
- 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
- Kent Ninomiya, anchor, reporter and news executive
- Yuki Noguchi, correspondent NPR, Washington Post
- Scott Sassa, former President, NBC West Coast
- Roxana Saberi, reporter, mother is an immigrant from Japan.
- Tricia Takasugi, anchor, KTTV Fox 11, Los Angeles
- Iva Toguri (1916 - 2006), radio broadcaster who has been nicknamed "Tokyo Rose"
- Tritia Toyota, former anchor
- Jane Yamamoto, anchor, KTTV Fox 11, Los Angeles
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
- Daniel Inouye Senator from Hawaii, Medal of Honor recipient 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 Army Air Force pilot to fly combat missions in the Pacific theater in World War II
- 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
- 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
- Eric Shinseki, United States Army General, Army Chief of Staff, 1999-2003, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 2009
- 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
Politics and Law
- 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
- Henry Hajimu Fujii, Civic Leader, Order of the Rising Sun recipient, Idaho
- Warren Furutani, California State Assemblyman, 55th District
- Colleen Hanabusa, member, Hawaii State Senate
- Bob Hasegawa, Member, House of Representatives, Washington State Legislature
- 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
- Russell S. Kokubun, member, Hawaii State Senate
- 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
- 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
- Scott Saiki, member, House of Representatives, Hawaii State Legislature
- 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
- 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
- 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, a 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, biochemist and member of the United States National Academy of Sciences
- 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
- Yoky Matsuoka, computer scientist, and a 2007 MacArthur Fellow
- Yoichiro Nambu, 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 administrator Emory University
- Gordon H. Sato, cell biologist
- Tsutomu Shimomura, computer security expert
- Takeshi Utsumi, computer simulationist
- Ryuzo Yanagimachi, pioneer in the cloning field and member of the United States National Academy of Sciences
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
- Jeremy Guthrie, MLB player
- 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)
- 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
- 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 US champion (2005 and 2009)
- Keo Nakama swimmer and world record holder
- Corey Nakatani, jockey with seven wins in Breeders' Cup races
- Apolo Anton Ohno, won five Olympic medals in short-track speed skating (two gold) in 2002 and 2006, 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
- Kurt Suzuki, MLB player
- Derek Tatsuno, baseball player and 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
- Kristi Yamaguchi, Yonsei, won three national figureskating 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, Football player, first Japanese American in the NFL, as well as a professional baseball player in Nippon Professional Baseball League
See also
References
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