Mongolians in Japan
Encyclopedia
There is a small community of Mongols in Japan, representing a minor portion of emigration from Mongolia
. , there were 4,753 registered foreigners of Mongol nationality residing in Japan
, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
, up from 2,545 in 2003.
; , Mongolians composed roughly 5% of all ranked sumo wrestlers, making them more than 60% (37 out of 61) of non-Japanese rikishi in Japan. In a 2009 survey conducted by a Japanese statistical agency, of the four sumo wrestlers named as most famous by Japanese people, three were Mongols.
. Japan was also a popular destination for students from Mengjiang
(in today's Inner Mongolia
) in the late 1930s and early 1940s; among them were several who would go on to become famous scholars, such as Chinggeltei
. Japan and the Mongolian People's Republic officially agreed to send exchange students to each other in 1974; the first Mongol student to arrive under the agreement came in 1976. , 1,006 Mongol students were studying in Japanese institutions of higher education.
Aside from Mongolian citizens, there were also estimated to be roughly 4,000 members of the Mongolian minority of China residing in Japan . Like migrants from Mongolia proper, they also came mostly on student visas, beginning in the 1990s; they were sponsored by professors of Mongol studies at Japanese universities. They are close-knit community; they reside mostly in the Nerima
and Sugamo
areas of Tokyo
, and in many cases the same apartment has been occupied serially by successive migrants for more than a decade, with each passing the lease on to another migrant before leaving the country or moving on to different accommodation.
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
. , there were 4,753 registered foreigners of Mongol nationality residing in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Japan)
The is a cabinet level ministry of Japan responsible for the country's foreign relations.The ministry is due to the second term of the third article of the National Government Organization Act , and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Establishment Act establishes the ministry...
, up from 2,545 in 2003.
Sumo wrestlers
Starting in 1991, Mongols began to become especially dominant in sumoSumo
is a competitive full-contact sport where a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally...
; , Mongolians composed roughly 5% of all ranked sumo wrestlers, making them more than 60% (37 out of 61) of non-Japanese rikishi in Japan. In a 2009 survey conducted by a Japanese statistical agency, of the four sumo wrestlers named as most famous by Japanese people, three were Mongols.
Students
International students form a large proportion of the registered population of Mongolians in Japan. The earliest Mongol exchange students, all three of them women, came to Japan in 1906, when Mongolia was still ruled by the Qing DynastyQing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
. Japan was also a popular destination for students from Mengjiang
Mengjiang
Mengjiang , also known in English as Mongol Border Land, was an autonomous area in Inner Mongolia, operating under nominal Chinese sovereignty and Japanese control. It consisted of the then-Chinese provinces of Chahar and Suiyuan, corresponding to the central part of modern Inner Mongolia...
(in today's Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China, located in the northern region of the country. Inner Mongolia shares an international border with the countries of Mongolia and the Russian Federation...
) in the late 1930s and early 1940s; among them were several who would go on to become famous scholars, such as Chinggeltei
Chinggeltei
Chinggeltei is a professor of linguistics at the Inner Mongolia University in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, People's Republic of China, focusing on the Mongolic languages. He was one of the founders of the university, and served as its first vice-rector...
. Japan and the Mongolian People's Republic officially agreed to send exchange students to each other in 1974; the first Mongol student to arrive under the agreement came in 1976. , 1,006 Mongol students were studying in Japanese institutions of higher education.
Aside from Mongolian citizens, there were also estimated to be roughly 4,000 members of the Mongolian minority of China residing in Japan . Like migrants from Mongolia proper, they also came mostly on student visas, beginning in the 1990s; they were sponsored by professors of Mongol studies at Japanese universities. They are close-knit community; they reside mostly in the Nerima
Nerima, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. In English, it calls itself Nerima City.As of August 1, 2007, the ward has an estimated population of 703,005 , and a density of 14,443 persons per km². 12,897 foreign residents are registered in the ward. 18.4% of the ward's population is over the...
and Sugamo
Sugamo
is a neighborhood in Toshima, Tokyo, Japan. It is well known for , a popular shopping street for the older generation . It lies at the crossing point of the JR Yamanote railway line, and national road route Route 17.-See also:* Sugamo Prison* Sugamo Station...
areas of Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, and in many cases the same apartment has been occupied serially by successive migrants for more than a decade, with each passing the lease on to another migrant before leaving the country or moving on to different accommodation.
Notable people
- Asashōryū AkinoriAsashōryū Akinoriis a former sumo wrestler from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. He was the 68th yokozuna in the history of the sport in Japan and became the first Mongol to reach sumo's highest rank in January 2003. He was one of the most successful yokozuna ever. In 2005 he became the first man to win all six official...
, originally Dolgorsuren Dagvadorj, sumo wrestler - Hakuhō ShōHakuho Shois a professional sumo wrestler from Ulan Bator, Mongolia. Making his debut in March 2001, he reached the top makuuchi division in May 2004. On May 30, 2007 at the age of 22 he became the second native of Mongolia, and the fourth non-Japanese overall, to be promoted to the highest rank in sumo,...
, originally Mönkhbatyn Davaajargal, sumo wrestler - Kyokutenhō Masaru, originally Tsebeknyam Nyamjyab, sumo wrestler
- Kyokutenzan TakeshiKyokutenzan TakeshiKyokutenzan Takeshi is a former professional sumo wrestler from Ulan Bator, Mongolia, one of the first Mongolians to join the sport in Japan...
, originally Enkhbat Batmunkh, sumo wrestler - Harumafuji Kōhei, originally Davaanyamyn Byambadorj, sumo wrestler
External links
- Mongolian Association in Japan
- Япон дахь Монгол Оюутны Холбоо (Union of Mongolian Students in Japan)