Black people in Japan

In the mid-16th century, Black Africans arrived in Japan alongside White Europeans, as crew members and slaves.[1]

Yasuke, a black slave, possibly from Mozambique, arrived in Japan in the late-16th century alongside Jesuit missionary Alessandro Valignano.[2] He found favor with Oda Nobunaga, the Daimyō and warlord and ultimately became a samurai.

In 2015, Ariana Miyamoto, born in Japan to a Japanese mother and an African American father, became the first biracial contestant to win the title of Miss Universe Japan.[3] The decision to allow a mixed race contestant to win the title, particularly one like Miyamoto, who did not appear outwardly Japanese, being much taller than the average Japanese woman with brown skin and afro-textured hair, was controversial.[4]

• Ariana Miyamoto, Japanese beauty contestant
• Rui Hachimura, basketball player
• Crystal Kay Williams, Japanese pop singer
• Aoyama Thelma, Japanese R&B singer
• Jerome White, Jr. (1981), American enka singer
• Chris Hart, Japanese pop singer
• Naomi Osaka (born 1997), Japanese tennis player
• Asuka Cambridge (born 1993), Japanese sprinter
• Yasuke, African samurai
• Kotaro Matsushima, Japanese rugby union player
• Ike Nwala, Nigerian American TV presenter and comedian