ABSTRACT
Numerous studies are dedicated to the Japanese diaspora in North and South America, but there is no specialized work on the Japanese in Russia. The late nineteenth century was a difficult period for Russia. Defeat in the Crimean War with England and France (1853–1856) resulted in the signing of the Treaty of Paris, which limited Russian sovereignty. The absorption of the Priamurye made the Russian government aware that China, Japan and, the United States were rivals for possession of this rich region. Most of the Japanese newcomers initially landed and lived in Vladivostok. The first category was largely comprised of entrepreneurs and artisans, who were among the first Japanese coming to Vladivostok and other Russian cities of the Primorye. By 1889 there were seven Japanese trading firms, and the company of Sugiura Toshihiro was the biggest. The Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905 had a major impact on the Japanese community.
