Japanese people

The Japanese (日本人, Nihon-jin) are the native people of the Japanese Archipelago. While most Japanese live on the islands, some emigrated, predominantly to Hawaii, the west coast of the United States and Canada, Latin America (particularly, Brazil), and Russia, (particularly, Sakhalin and Primorsky Krai).

Genetics and Physical Anthropology

Skeletons of the Jomon and Yayoi people have been examined, and detailed DNA studies have been made in recent years. Most Jomon and Yayoi skeletons are readily distinguishable. The Jomon people were shorter, with relatively longer forearms and lower legs, more wide-set eyes, shorter and wider faces, and much more pronounced facial topography, with strikingly raised brow ridges, noses, and nose bridges, while the Yayoi people averaged an inch or two taller, with close-set eyes, high and narrow faces, and flat browridges and noses. (Diamond 1998)

Related Topics:
Skeleton - DNA - Forearm

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Studies of teeth show two distinct patterns — sundadonty and sinodonty. The former represents Southeast Asians, Micronesians, and Polynesians, and the latter, Koreans and Manchus. The former is pre-eminent among pure-blooded Ainu and Okinawans. The teeth evidence supports the thesis that "ancient demic diffusion, commencing with the Yayoi era around 300 BC, when an immigrant population from Continental Asia entered the archipelago in north Kyushu, and expanded eastward, assimilating the aboriginal inhabitants". (Riley 2002)

Related Topics:
Teeth - Southeast Asian - Micronesian - Polynesian - Manchu - Okinawan - Thesis - Demic diffusion - 300 BC - Immigrant - Archipelago - Kyushu - Aboriginal inhabitants

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