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The Japanese

Strength In Numbers
Even though according to census statistics the Japanese were among the first Asian groups to arrive here, the 2000 Census counted only 5,103 Japanese people in the borough. This makes the group one of the smallest Asian populations in Queens. The reason? Most Japanese come here with their companies, and so are more likely live in Manhattan where they can be closer to work.

Where They Live
As many Japanese already have jobs when they get here, it means they also already have money. With the ability to afford the higher rents, there’s been a small emergence of Japanese communities in the residential neighborhoods of Long Island City, Elmhurst and Western Queens. The areas still give relatively easy access to Manhattan.

How They Got There
Japanese immigrants arrived here in large numbers during the late 1950s, while the Chinese and Koreans came in the 1960s. The Japanese first moved into Flushing, but most moved away when the economy took a downturn in the 1970s.

What Makes Them
Who They Are
Unlike Chinese and Korean communities, Japanese immigrants in general don’t live close together.

“Chinese and Korean immigrants have very like circumstances,” a representative from the Japanese Consulate says. “Many Chinese immigrants are in similar situations to other Chinese immigrants, so living together in tight communities like Flushing makes sense. That’s not the case with the Japanese. Many of them know English, they are of all kinds of economic backgrounds, and are in all kinds of situations. They live all over the place. The Japanese are spread out.”

The Good Life
Last Saturday, Councilman John Liu turned out with Ambassador Hiroyasu Ando, Consul General of Japan, to launch the Sakura Matsuri Cherry Blossom Celebration at Flushing Meadow Park. The celebration, mixing ancient cultural performances and cherry tree planting, is a springtime staple for Japanese communities worldwide.

The Not-So-Good Life
Suffice it to say, most Japanese did not stay in the United States, or send for their families, in the 1950s and 1960s because of the hostility in New York after World War II. The Japanese Consulate agrees, but reminds that things have changed in the last 50 years.

“That’s way in the past now,” he says of the friction between Americans and Japanese. “The relationships now are very, very good. At the time—there weren’t many problems—but it was rough time period.”

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