Koreans in Japan

Koreans constitute the second largest ethnic minority group in Japan after Chinese immigrants. The majority of Koreans in Japan are Zainichi Koreans, often known simply as Zainichi: ethnic Koreans who immigrated to Japan during the Japanese rule of Korea and are citizens or permanent residents of Japan, and their descendants. Other waves of Korean immigration have occurred, both before and after, most recently during the 1980s.

Terminology

The term Zainichi Korean refers only to long-term Korean residents of Japan who trace their roots to Korea under Japanese rule, distinguishing them from the later wave of Korean migrants who came mostly in the 1980s, and from pre-modern immigrants dating back to antiquity, possibly including the Yayoi people who constitute the biggest ancestral group of the Japanese people. Zainichi Koreans are a distinct group from South Korean nationals who have immigrated to Japan since the end of World War II and the division of Korea.

The Japanese word Zainichi (在日; lit. 'in Japan') itself means a foreign citizen "staying in Japan", and implies temporary residence. Nevertheless, the term "Zainichi Korean" is used to describe settled permanent residents of Japan, both those who have retained their Joseon, North Korean or South Korean nationalities, and even sometimes includes Japanese citizens of Korean descent who acquired Japanese nationality by naturalization or by birth from one or both parents who have Japanese citizenship.

Korean Japanese refers to Koreans residing in Japan who hold Japanese nationality, rather than South Korean or North Korean nationality. In everyday usage, the term is sometimes discussed alongside Zainichi Koreans, although some sources continue to distinguish between kankoku (韓国) and chōsen (朝鮮) due to the continued presence of residents who retain chōsen-seki (朝鮮籍) or are affiliated with Chongryon.