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Russians in Japan

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Russians in Japan
Hybrid flag of Russia and Japan
The Holy Resurrection Cathedral in Tokyo, founded by a Russian Orthodox priest
Total population
16,297 (total population of Russians and other East Slavs in Japan)[1][1]
Regions with significant populations
Hakodate, Tokyo, Wakkanai, Kobe, Sapporo, Yokohama, Chiba
Languages
Russian • Japanese
Religion
Japanese Orthodox Church
Related ethnic groups
Russians in China

The East Slavs in Japan, formed mostly out of Russians in Japan, (Japanese: 日露人, Nichiro-jin; Russian: Русские в Японии, romanized: Russkije v Japonii) are people with Russian and other East Slavic ethnicity in Japan as their citizens or foreigners. 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]

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As of December 2023, there were 16,297 citizens from East Slavic countries holding residency in Japan, with the vast majority of them being Russian.[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.

Russian missions

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The Russian Mission, or Orthodox Church of Russia in Japan, dates from 1861. A hospital had been previously built at Hakodate for Russians and Japanese. Nikolai Kasatkin was attached to it as chaplain with a church near the hospital. The hospital was destroyed by fire, though the church remained and Kasatkin stayed as a missionary at Hakodate, where he baptized a number of Japanese. In 1870 the Russian minister to Japan obtained a grant of a special territory as a branch of the Russian legation at Surugadai at the very center of Tokyo. Here Kasatkin established his residence and the center of the Orthodox Church. He began by training well-instructed men and native assistants, for which purpose he had an ordinary college and a school of philosophy

and theology; later on he also had a special school for young women. He preached his religion by means of carefully trained catechists and priests. From 1881 he also had a religious review, published twice monthly and a publication committee installed at his house published many books. In 1886, Kasatkin was consecrated bishop in Russia and in 1890 he completed the erection of his cathedral.

Kasatkin enjoyed a great personal esteem; he founded and governed everything pertaining to his mission. During the Russo-Japanese War the situation was very delicate, but the Christians, at least the greater number of them, did not abandon him. Even during this time he continued all his undertakings unmolested, his house being guarded by Japanese soldiers. Prior to that, he received from the Holy Synod 95,000 yen yearly, but during the Russo-Japanese War, these and other resources from Russia were greatly diminished, while on the other hand the price of everything in Japan increased. Kasatkin was compelled to diminish his expenses, to dismiss part of his staff and to exhort the Christians to contribute more generously to support their church.

Nikolai Kasatkin

After the victories of the Japanese over the Russian armies, the Christians leaders, after having agreed among themselves, declared to Kasatkin their intention to support themselves, independent of Russia. As Russia has its national church they wished to have also their Japanese National Church.

Little has been written concerning the work of the Russians in Japan; even in Russia, virtually no literature has been published in the matter. According to one Protestant reckoning, the Orthodox church numbered 30,166 baptized Christians; according to another only 13,000 (the last figure denotes perhaps practicing members). There were 37 native priests and 139 catechists. Expenses for church and evangelization in 1907 amounted to 55,279 yen; contributions of Christians, 10,711 yen; Churches or places of preaching, 265. Among the Russians, as among Protestants, and everywhere throughout Japan, the tendency was toward independence.[4]

Russian Revolution

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The Japan-Russia border was a major gateway for Russian Emigres to enter Japan

After the Russian Revolution and Russian Civil War, about 2,000,000 Russian refugees who did not accept Bolshevik rule entered mostly the United States and Europe. Some of them settled in the Home Islands of Japan. Traditionally these refugees have been known as White Russians, with the corresponding Japanese term being Hakkei-Roshiajin, a term which has been applied to all former residents of the former Russian Empire. Initially the majority of Russians lived in Tokyo and Yokohama. After the Great Kantō earthquake of 1923 a significant number of them moved to Kobe.

A white émigré family is depicted in the novel The Makioka Sisters by famed Japanese author Junichiro Tanizaki.

Contemporary Japan

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The site of a former Russian school in Tokyo, now used as commercial space

As of 2005, the statistics of Japanese government reported 37,000 Russians enter Japan yearly on average, not counting temporary landing permits of seamen and tourists. The number of Russians that stay in Japan longer than 90 days (the maximal duration of a temporary visa in Japan) is about 6,000. The Russian Embassy School in Tokyo serves Russian diplomat families in Tokyo.[5]

Ukrainians in Japan

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As of December 2023, Japan Migration Service reports that around 4,212 Ukrainians are residing in Japan, including 2,651 individuals who are temporarily displaced.

Many Ukrainians in Japan are family members of Japanese citizens and hold permanent residency, enjoying the same rights and social protections as Japanese citizens (1,415 people).

The Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) states that, as of May 2023, 253 Ukrainian students are enrolled in Japanese universities through scholarship programs.

Several Ukrainian organisations are officially registered in Japan: the "Japanese-Ukrainian Cultural Association" (established in 2018 in Nagoya), the "Japan-Ukraine Friendship Association Kraiany" (founded in 2021 in Tokyo), and the "NPO Beautiful World" (set up in 2021 in Ikishima, Nagasaki Prefecture).[6]

Since the beginning of 2024, the number of Ukrainian evacuees in Japan has jumped from 24.7% to 30%, and 2 out of 3 of them want to reside in Japan as long as possible.[7][8]

Racism

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Main Article: Racism in Japan, See also: Anti Russian Sentiment

There were reports of Japanese men and women targeting against Russian citizens living in Japan and harassing them. One shop at least was slandered online and kept getting silent phone calls.[9] Around 89% of Japanese people sees Russia between very to somewhat unfavourably.[10] These discrimination and harassment against Russian residents residing in Japan became especially worse after the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Up until 2012, Japan was the country that saw Russians unfavourably the most ever surveyed with 72% of Japanese citizens voting for Russia as unfavourable.[11]

Notable individuals

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Further information: Category:Japanese people of Russian descent and Category:Japanese people of Ukrainian descent

Fictional people

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See also

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An abandoned Russian village in Niigata, Japan

References

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Citations

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "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. Cite error: The named reference "e-stat" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  2. ^ The Making of Modern Japan. Harvard University Press. 2002. p. 261. ISBN 978-0-674-00991-2.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ From the public domain Catholic Encyclopedia.
  5. ^ https://www.mofa.go.jp/
  6. ^ https://japan.mfa.gov.ua/en/partnership/268-ukrajinci-u-japoniji#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Japan%20Migration,including%202651%20temporarily%20displaced%20persons. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. ^ "Two in Three Ukrainian Evacuees in Japan Want to Stay Over Longer Term". nippon.com. 2024-03-07. Retrieved 2024-10-17.
  8. ^ https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15171727. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  9. ^ "Editorial: Discrimination against Japan's Russian residents cannot be tolerated". Mainichi Daily News. 2022-04-25. Retrieved 2024-08-23.
  10. ^ Poushter, Moira Fagan, Sneha Gubbala and Jacob (2024-07-02). "3. Views of Russia and Putin". Pew Research Center. Retrieved 2024-08-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ "International Affairs Archives". Pew Research Center. 2024-07-09. Retrieved 2024-08-23.

Sources

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  •  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Japan". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
  • Sawada Kazuhiko, Nihon ni okeru hakkei-Roshia-jin no bunka-teki eikyo (Cultural impact of White Russians in Japan), in Naganawa Mitsuo and Sawada Kazuhiko, eds., Ikyo ni ikiru — Rai-Nichi Roshia-jin no sokuseki (Living in a foreign land: Traces of Russian residents in Japan) (Yokohama, 2001), 31–46; Zai Honpo gaikokujin ni kansuru tokei chosa zakken (Miscellaneous statistical data on foreign residents in Japan, vol. 1, K–3–7–0–15, Diplomatic Record Office, Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
  • Podalko, Petr E. "The Russian Community in Kobe: A Historical Overview." 青山国際政経論集 70 (2006): 103–127.
  • Podalko, Petr Ėduardovič. Japonija v sudʹbach rossijan: očerki istoriii carskoj diplomatii i rossijskoj diaspory v Japonii (Japan in Russian people's lives: Essays on the history of the Czarist diplomacy and the Russian diaspora in Japan). Moscow: Institut vostokovedenija RAN, 2004.
  • Nakamura Yoshikazu, Naganawa Mitsuo, Podaruko Pyōtoru, eds., Rainichi Roshiajin no sokuseki. Yokohama-shi: Seibunsha, 2008.
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