People Group Profiles

“All nations will come and worship before you."

- Revelations 15:4

Japanese of United States


People Group Info

Total Population: 799,267

ROP3 Code: 104189
IMB Affinity Group: East Asian Peoples
Affinity Bloc: East Asian Peoples
People Cluster: Japanese
Language: Japanese - (jpn)
Religion: Ethnic Religions - Shintoism
Country of Origin: Japan

Photo courtesy of Joshua Project.
By EnricX
Creative Commons

Majority Located Where

  Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA - 73,041

  New York-Newark-Jersey City, NJ - 50,000

  Honolulu, HI - 40,643

  San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA - 23,048

  Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA - 18,427

Click here to recommend other locations where this People Group resides.

Learn More

Brief Profile

While many younger Japanese try to adapt as much as possible to western culture and are very independent, older Japanese in the North America maintain their culture and customs (especially if they themselves emigrated from Japan). Traditionally Japanese take pride in their education, homes, families, and work. Most are well-educated and accustomed to working long hours.

Although Japanese practice Buddhism, Shintoism permeates their culture and lifestyle. Literally meaning "the way of the gods," Shintoism is reflected in the arts, architecture, garden designs, and even cartoons (anime and manga). Shintoism and Buddhism are often seen through rituals such as marriages or funerals, and not through faithful worship, as defines religion for many Americans. However, many Japanese appear more secular, seeking materialism more than traditional Shinto ways, and this secular shift in perspective is beginning to make its way back to their home country of Japan.

There are pockets of Japanese people in North America who are evangelical Christians. Nevertheless, as a whole Japanese are still one among many of the least reached peoples in North America.

Prayer Points

  • For churches to assess the local Japanese community to understand the different needs of each Japanese generation.
  • For the discovery of persons of peace within Japanese families within your locale.
  • For Christians to encounter Japanese in their natural settings (e.g. restaurants, golf course, etc.).


Learning Resources

Learn more about "Learning Paths"
Online Courses for embracing, encountering and engaging diaspora people. Work at your own pace. Begin anytime and complete the course according to your schedule. Interactive, Hands-On Application.

Learn more about "Reaching the Nations"
This book delineates five disciplines Christians should develop in order to effectively reach the nations. More specifically, it will guide Christians to develop an engagement strategy in their locale.

World Religions - Beliefs Overview
An overview of major world religions and cults - their beliefs and practices.


Other Resources

Know God in 98 Languages
A CRU resource with 9 different witnessing models (e.g. 4 Spiritual Laws, etc.) in 98 languages.

Prayer Guide for Unreached Peoples
A 30 day guide to pray for unreached people groups.

Bible - Japanese
This Biblica translation of the Bible is for the Japanese language

Prayer Guide using the GOSPELS acronym
A prayer guide that utilizes the acronym GOSPELS to pray for workers among diaspora.

Displaying 1-30 of 66 results.
Country City Metro Area Name State / Prov. Baseline Population
United StatesSanta MonicaLos Angeles-Long Beach-AnaheimCA73,041
United StatesFort LeeNew York-Newark-Jersey CityNJ50,000
United StatesHonoluluHonoluluHI40,643
United StatesSFSan Francisco-Oakland-HaywardCA23,048
United StatesBellevueSeattle-Tacoma-BellevueWA18,427
United StatesChicagoChicago-Naperville-ElginIL16,653
United StatesCupertinoSan Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa ClaraCA13,235
United StatesSan DiegoSan Diego-Carlsbad-San MarcosCA12,165
United StatesPlanoDallas-Fort Worth-ArlingtonTX10,000
United StatesBostonBoston-Cambridge-QuincyMA7,018
United StatesBeavertonPortland-Vancouver-HillsboroOR6,751
United StatesSacramentoSacramento--Arden-Arcade--RosevilleCA5,512
United StatesLas VegasLas Vegas-Henderson-ParadiseNV5,018
United StatesAtlantaAtlanta-Sandy Springs-RoswellGA5,000
United StatesRiversideRiverside-San Bernardino-OntarioCA4,833
United StatesHoustonHouston-The Woodlands-Sugar LandTX3,583
United StatesOrlandoOrlando-Kissimmee-SanfordFL3,000
United StatesDenverDenver-Aurora-LakewoodCO2,950
United StatesMinneapolisMinneapolis-St. Paul-BloomingtonMN2,872
United StatesPhiladelphiaPhiladelphia-Camden-WilmingtonPA2,669
United StatesBaltBaltimore-Columbia-TowsonMD2,339
United StatesNoviDetroit-Warren-DearbornMI2,208
United StatesVirginia BeachVirginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport NewsVA1,944
United StatesFishersIndianapolis-Carmel-AndersonIN1,869
United StatesGreenwichBridgeport-Stamford-NorwalkCT1,701
United StatesAustinAustin-Round RockTX1,700
United StatesTampaTampa-St. Petersburg-ClearwaterFL1,699
United StatesSan AntonioSan Antonio-New BraunfelsTX1,626
United StatesOxnardOxnard-Thousand Oaks-VenturaCA1,622
United StatesSalt Lake CitySalt Lake CityUT1,571