| Group: | Russians in Japan |
| Population: | 11,634 (in December 2023, only counting Russian citizens living in Japan)[1] |
| Popplace: | Hakodate, Tokyo, Wakkanai, Kobe, Sapporo, Yokohama, Chiba |
| Langs: | Russian • Japanese |
| Religions: | Japanese Orthodox Church |
| Related Groups: | Russians in Korea |
Russians living in Japan, known domestically as Zainichi Roshia-jin (ja|在日ロシア人), consist of Russian citizens living in Japan, as well as Japanese nationals with Russian ethnicity or ancestry.
Russians were first recorded in Japan in 1739 in Kamogawa, during the period of sakoku. This does not include Russians whose ships landed in Ezo, which was not under Japanese administration at the 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. According to Japan's Ministry of Justice, a majority of the Russian citizens residing in Japan are permanent residents.[3] The Russian community in Japan is the largest in East Asia; its population exceeds those of bordering China and South Korea.
The Russian Mission, or Orthodox Church of Russia in Japan, dates from 1861. A hospital had been previously built in 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 survived; Kasatkin remained as a missionary at Hakodate and 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 in central Tokyo. He subsequently founded educational institutes for young men and women.
After the October Revolution and Russian Civil War, about 2 million Russians fled mostly to the United States and Europe. Some of them settled in Japan. In the years immediately following the revolution, most lived in Tokyo and Yokohama. After the Great Kantō earthquake of 1923, a significant number of them moved to Kobe.
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.[4]
See main article: Racism in Japan.
See also: Anti-Russian sentiment.
There were reports of Japanese harassing Russian citizens living in Japan. One shop at least was slandered online and kept getting silent phone calls.[5] Around 89% of Japanese have somewhat to very negative views on Russia.[6] Discrimination and harassment against Russians in Japan worsened after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.[7]