I.

Introduction

Japanese Americans, residents of the United States who trace their ancestry to Japan. Although Japanese Americans live in areas throughout the country, the largest Japanese American communities are in Hawaii and along the Pacific Coast. The 2000 U.S. Census counted 808,250 Japanese Americans. They constitute the sixth largest group of Asian Americans, after Chinese Americans, Filipino Americans, Asian Indian Americans, Vietnamese Americans, and Korean Americans. Today, approximately 6,000 Japanese immigrants enter the United States annually.

Japanese Americans give each of their generations a unique name. Members of the first generation, composed of immigrants born in Japan, are called Issei. Members of the second generation, born in the United States, are called Nisei. Members of the third generation are called Sansei, and the fourth generation, Yonsei. Recently Japanese Americans have adopted a new term, Nikkei, to designate the entire Japanese American community.