 The Holy Resurrection Cathedral in Tokyo, founded by a Russian Orthodox priest, the same person who founded the Japanese Orthodox Church. | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 11,634 (in December 2023, only counting Russian citizens living in Japan)[1] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Hakodate, Tokyo, Wakkanai, Kobe, Sapporo, Yokohama, Chiba | |
| Languages | |
| Russian • Japanese | |
| Religion | |
| Japanese Orthodox Church | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Russians in Korea |
Russians in Japan (Japanese: 在日ロシア人, Zai-Nichi Roshia-jin; Russian: Русские в Японии, romanized: Russkije v Japonii) are Russian citizens living in Japan and Japanese nationals with Russian ethnicity or ancestry. The first recorded landing of Russians in Japan was in 1739 in Kamogawa, Chiba during the times of Japanese seclusion of the Edo period, not counting landings in Hokkaidō, which was not under Japanese administration at this time. In the 18th century, Russians were sometimes called "Red-haired Ainu" in Japan.[2]
As of December 2023, there were 11,634 Russian citizens holding residency in Japan.[1] According to Japan's Ministry of Justice, a majority of the Russian citizens residing in Japan are permanent residents.[3] Russians in Japan make up the largest Russian population in East Asia in total, exceeding the Russian population of other neighbouring countries like China and South Korea.
- ^ a b "在留外国人統計（旧登録外国人統計）" (in Japanese). Japanese Ministry of Justice. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
- ^ The Making of Modern Japan. Harvard University Press. 2002. p. 261. ISBN 978-0-674-00991-2.
- ^ Exum, Anika Osaki (2023-02-21). "'We're all different': Russians in Japan reflect on year since Ukraine invasion". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2024-08-05.