http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xu_Fu

Xu Fu (Chinese: 徐福 or 徐巿, not to be confused with another Chinese character 市, the pronunciation of which is Shi), was born in 255 BC in the Qi and served as a court sorcerer in Qin Dynasty China when he was alive. During his lifetime, he was sent by Qin Shi Huang to the eastern seas twice to look for the elixir of life. His two journeys occurred between 219 BC and 210 BC. It was believed that the fleet included 60 barques and around 5000 crew members, 3000 virgin boys and girls, and craftsmen of different fields. After he embarked on his mission again in 210 BC, he never returned. Various records shows that he arrived and died in Japan.

Voyage
The ruler of Qin, Qin Shi Huang feared death and sought a way to live forever. He tasked Xu Fu with finding the secret to immortality. In 219 BC, Xu Fu was sent with three thousand virgin boys and girls to retrieve the elixir of life from the immortals that lived on the Penglai Mountain in the sea to the east. Xu sailed for several years without finding the mountain. In 210 BC, when Qin Shi Huang questioned him, Xu Fu claims there was a giant sea creature blocking the path, and asked for archers to kill the creature. Qin Shi Huang agreed, and sent archers to kill a giant fish. Xu then set sail again, but he never returned from this trip. The Records of the Grand Historian says he came to a place with "flat plains and wide swamps" (平原廣澤, possibly Kyūshū of Japan) and proclaimed himself to be king, never to return.

Later historical texts were also unclear with where Xu Fu actually ended up. Sanguo Zhi, Book of Later Han, and Guadi Zhi all state that he landed in "Zhizhou" (直洲), but the whereabouts of Zhizhou are unknown. Finally in the Later Zhou Dynasty of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, monk Yichu clearly wrote that Xu Fu landed in Japan, and also said Xu Fu named Mount Fuji as Penglai. This theory is echoed by the "Legend of Xu Fu", well known in Japan as evidenced by the many memorials of him there.

Legacy
Xu's arriving in Japan evoked the development of ancient Japanese society. The Jōmon culture which had existed in ancient Japan for over 6000 years suddenly lost trace around 300 BC. The farming techniques and iatrical knowledge Xu brought along improved the life quality of ancient Japanese people. He also introduced many new plants and techniques to ancient Japan. As a result, Xu was well respected among Japanese people and was worshiped as the "God of farming", "God of medicine" and "God of silk". Numerous temples and memorials of Xu could be found in many places in Japan.

http://www.asiawind.com/hakka/history.htm#japan

Hakka and Japanese Culture
Hakka culture might be a key component of Japanese culture.

It is hard not to notice that spoken Hakka dialect/language and Japanese language are closer than Mandarin and Japanese. Certain Japanese also resemble Shandong Chinese, distinct from the Ainu features of Hokkaido. Some Japanese friends point out that Hakkas look like Japanese. In fact the strong adherance to tradition and stubbornness are very characteristic of both Hakka and Japanese. The following is an account that could provide some support to the link between Hakka and Japanese culture.

Qin dynasty, Xu Fu, Yamoto, and Yayoi culture
The earliest record of Chinese travelling to Japan was in Qin dynasty when Qin Shihuangdi sent Xu Fu with a company of 3000 boys and girls to obtain longevity medicine. They started out from Shandong and reached what they called Peng Lai (Ying Zhou) which is Kyushu today. In Kyushu, there are significant traces of Xu Fu and his company including Xu Fu's tomb. Xu Fu's landing place should be around Fukuoka (The Hill of Fu), which was named in memory of him.

To be entrusted by Qin Shihuangdi with such an enormous task at that time, Xu Fu at 36 years of age was obviously a very capable person who was also higher up in the official rank. One theory is that he actually used this proposal to leave Qin. He brought a whole fleet of ships fully loaded with all kinds of supplies. It is also clear that Xu Fu had travelled back to China more than once to gather supplies. So, likely he brought more people over for the long trip. The crew he brought over stayed in Japan and became the Yamato clan. That is why some Japanese look like Shandong people, which should be Han/Hakka in genetic trait.

The history of Japan is very vague as to how the empire started. Only legends exist. Japanese culture has two major components: The Jomon culture and the Yayoi culture. The native Jomon culture was based on hunting and fishing, dating back to 10,000 years ago.

The Yayoi culture, which suddenly emerged around 250 BC - 250 AD as a very advanced culture, bears all the marks of Qin/Han culture including paddy rice cultivation, bronze mirror, coins, bronze weapons, bells, etc. The three major symbols of the Japanese Kingdom : bronze mirror, sword, and the royal seal stone are exactly the same as the Qin symbols. With no archaeological precedent of a gradual evolution, Yayoi culture has to be introduced from outside, and the most probable source was China. The Yayoi culture spread northeastward towards the Kanto plain and eventually became the mainstream of the Japanese culture.

Japan's celebration of the "birthyear" of Shen Wu Tian Huang (Ten-no) was held every 50 years (last held 1930 and 1980) as a very sacred ceremony simultaneously in a memorial celebration of Xu Fu. The beginning of Shen Wu Tian Huang was in the same time period of Xu Fu's landing in 219 BC. So these two are too coincidental not to be related. Shen Wu Tian Huang is supposed to be the Father of the Japanese kingdom. The celebration actually could be for the birthyear of the Empire rather than a person.

Did Xu Fu start out from Shandong or Guangdong?
There is also a hypothesis that Xu Fu started out from Guangdong because the spoken Japanese sounds like Guangdong dialect more than Mandarin. However, Qin Shihuangdi's active area was in the north. It would be hard to trust someone so far from the south. The climbing of Taishan (Shandong) by Qin Shihuangdi was well documented by Li Si's stone engravings on Taishan. So, Shandong is a place frequented by QSHD. It is natural that he might want to watch the ships set sail to fetch the longevity medicine too. As pointed out by a netter friend, Shandong dialect actually has some similarities to Hakka (see language page). If Hakka was indeed the official language commonly used in Qin-Tang dynasties, then that was the language Xu Fu and his crew spoke. So, it would be natural for the Japanese spoken language to bear some resemblance of Hakka.

Buddhism, Wei - Tang period
Buddhism was spread to Japan during Wei-Jin and Tang period. There were more and more interactions between the two countries. In Wei Zhi (history of Wei) the word "Wo" (Japanese "Wa", Mandarin "He") first appeared to represent the Japanese kingdom.

Hakka language was highly likely the official language in Tang dynasty (see language section about Tang poems). In Japan, much of the government bureaucratic system, including the names of bureaus still use the system developed from Qin-Han to Tang period.

Examples of ancient Han/Hakka culture and Japanese culture
Japanese culture retains many of the ancient Chinese custom including deep bowing, seating on tatami with low table (only after Song did high chairs become popular in China), the women's dress and headdress, the way pipa ( a pluck string musical instrument, Japanese call it biwa) is held at an angle rather than upright. These can be easily verified in the murals of Dun Huang, which were done from Wei-Jin to Tang. In terms of calligraphy, the early Japanese masters favored Wang Xi-Zhi (Jin) while the contemporaries follow Yan Zhen-qing (Tang).

The statement doesn't mean much.Japan is an island.People had to come there from the mainland,which is China.By the time they came there,there was no China.

this is old news. yayoi culture has chinese roots. it is said some japanese are decedants of the baekje as well as the chinese.

Back in Japan's Yayoi era, its well known that many immigrants were migrated via Southern parts of Korean peninsula, and archaeological evidence prove this.

Since Korean kingdom Baekje was mixed with NE asian along with Southern siberian clans, it's highly possible that Chinese were one of them.

Well ofcourse they're all chinese.

japanese are "POSSIBLE" descendants of Chinese people? More like THEY ARE descendants from China and Mongolia. Actually to be specific, Japanese are a mixture of Jomon and Yayoi people.

The Yayoi people of Japan look more like Chinese and Korean people. Big cheek bones and single eyelids.

The Jomon people look like they came from SE Asia. They tend to look more like Thai or Vietnamese people. There's even a similarity between the rice storage house structure of Japan with those of Vietnam and Laos. That's what I've learned back in my undergrad in a Japanese HIstory course.

Oh, and guys, please don't give me that BS from white supremacists that Japanese people have white/caucasian genes in them. Because they don't.

Ha ha ha ha, Japaneses are now saying they have all human DNA except Black DNA. One thing they forgetting is they don't know where to begin.

only 3, humanarectus skeletons were found....
in africa, somewhere in the middle east and in china...

Boo, where this you heard this crap? You missed few if you referring to Homoerectus

Indonesia (island of Java): Trinil 2 (holotype), Sangiran collection, Sambungmachan collection, Ngandong collection
China: Lantian (Gongwangling and Chenjiawo), Yunxian, Zhoukoudian, Nanjing, Hexian
India: Narmada (taxonomic status debated!)
Kenya: WT 15000 (Nariokotome), ER 3883, ER 3733
Tanzania: OH 9
Vietnam: Northern, Tham Khuyen, Hoa Binh
Republic of Georgia: Dmanisi collection

Then they were wiped out by Homosapiens.

i was referring to the earliest ones found...

It's a myth.

What! like apes?

no, japanese are descended from gods, thats why theyre so superior

^Your sarcasm is making me hot, you big boy.

I'm so sick of these Japanese origins threads.

yeah, im gettin hot myself. and dont know what to do. and yes, a big boy i am.



yes, i've been thinkin the exact same thing

prolly, not in the way people think though. besides, its common sense, who the fu-k can just pop up on an island. its like my black friend from trinidad who refuses to accept he came from africa somewhere down the line. so i said it means his family just popped up from the sand? he said yes.

prolly same mentally with japanese people, so it doesnt matter where they from. they are only japanese.

In my opinion, no offense. Japaneses people are confused people.

To my eyes I can't tell difference between Japaneses & Korean.
Are they related? or just Japaneses came from Korea?

Either way, their geographical location suggest they are bunch of same people. If you combined them together they don't even come close to huge Chinese population.

was peking man asian looking or did that come later?

Japanese people are actually the mix between Chinese and Korean people. Before the Fujiwara period, many Baekjae and Silla migrated to Japan where many chinese already established themselves there. There were also local islander people who migrated to Japan(Wa kingdom) even before China even exist, but they all came from the mainland I can assure you that.

That's why japan is sino-centric in nature. Case closed.

Japan's Encyclopedia of 1182 Surnames,Shinsen-Syoujiroku ( 古代氏族名鑑 ) compiled in AC 815.

It noted 漢系163氏 ( 163 Han-Chinese origins )、百済系104氏 ( 104 Baekje or Paekche origins ) 、高句麗系41氏 ( 41 Koguryo origins )、新羅系9氏 ( 9 Silla origins ).

Japanese Source: 渡来系氏 ( Torai-Jin surnames )

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%96%B0%E6%...%B0%8F%E9%8C%B2

Frankly,Japanese typically don't give a $hit about their origins.

" We became Japanese " has always been the answer I got from Japanese acquaintances in cyberspace & real world.

Actually there used to be a lot more Silla origins before the Heian period. The Fujiwara clan was responsible for wiping out the Soga clan(Silla origin) and ended the domination of Silla. Though it is noted that the Fujiwara clan was a descendent of Beakjae Kingdom.

Correct! You do have some good knowledge of old Japanese clans.

Soga clan was indeed Silla faction, and he was responsible for most of anti-Baekje movement in Japan, then Soga met their final destination when Fujiwara clan diposed them with famous weapon, nippono-ken(this is actually world first Katana sword).

I don't know if most Japanese people knew about this famous event, but it certainly shaped today's Japan.

Btw, that Soga daeshin or damyo was evil, they actually had secret plan to wipe out Fujiwara clan. Also Fujiwara clan was the first clan in Japan to introduce many Chinese culture to Japan, after all they controlled most of trade as well.

If Soga clan didn't died, today's Japan would have been very different, they would have help Silla, so Silla wouldn't needed Tang's help to conquared Silla's neighbors.

Interesting numbers, given the fact most of Japan's mountain & river names are come from Koguyeo names.
The name Fuji is actually comes from Buyo.

the ancestors of the cuurent emperor of japan were baekje koreans

Just hearsay & wishful thinking of Koreans as no solid history documents nack up those fictitious claims

According to Chinese history records, Huimo (Yemak 穢貊) was formed by two peoples ( S Korean nationalists staunchly claimed these clans were their ancient ancestors ).One being Hui(穢) and the other being Mo(貊). Hui people used to populated around China's Shangdong province. Mo people used to populated around the northern edge of China's Hebei and Shangxi provinces. Some branches of Hui people and Mo people migrated to Manchuria. After their arrival to the southern Manchuria and North Korea, some clans of Hui and Mo merged and evolved into a new tribal alliance of Huimo(穢貊) at the eastern side of North Korea.Some of Hui and Mo populated a large territory of southern and southcentral Macnhuria. They did not merged into a single people initially and live independently in Southern Manchuria.Later,they became the Puyo 夫餘 clans ( predecessor of Korea peninsula's Baekje or Paekche ).


穢貊 ( ancestors of Puyo & Koguryo 夫餘 & 高句麗 )

穢貊 (Yemack) 是中国东北的古老的民族，又称貉、貉貊或藏貊，古文献称之为“白民”，“毫人”或“发人”。 穢貊 (Yemack)是中國東北的古老的民族，又稱貉、貉貊或藏貊，古文獻稱之為“白民”，“毫人”或“發人” 。 濊貊族是由濊人和貊人汇合而成，以农业城栅为特点，不同于游牧族。濊貊族是由濊人和貊人匯合而成，以農業城 柵為特點，不同於游牧族。

早期社会 <br /> 濊貊族在夏商时本居于山东半岛 ，属东夷民族，周灭商时，濊貊族被周所迫，大部分向东北迁徙，并以松嫩平原为中心定居下来，其活动竹范围比较广阔，最南 端在长城以北，与燕国为邻；东北部在辽河以东，与肃慎族相接。 早期社會 <br />濊貊族在夏商時本居於山東半島 ，屬東夷民族，週滅商時，濊貊族被周所迫，大部分向東北遷徙，並以鬆嫩平原為中心定居下來，其活動竹範圍比 較廣闊，最南端在長城以北，與燕國為鄰；東北部在遼河以東，與肅慎族相接。 濊貊族早在西周时代，就是周王朝的臣属国。濊貊族早在西周時代，就是周王朝的臣屬國。 春秋时期，齐桓公曾经发动过对濊貊的战争。春秋時期，齊桓公曾經發動過對濊貊的戰爭。 战国时期，濊貊族从事农业和渔猎业，黍成为濊貊人的主要食粮。戰國時期，濊貊族從事農業和漁獵業，黍成為濊 貊人的主要食糧。 此时的濊貊族进入原始社会晚期，过著定居生活。此時的濊貊族進入原始社會晚期，過著定居生活。 后来在东北地区建立政权的夫余和高句丽，就是在融合濊貊等东北民族的基础上形成，发展起来的。後來在東北地 區建立政權的夫餘和高句麗，就是在融合濊貊等東北民族的基礎上形成，發展起來的。

During Xia 夏 & Shang 商 dynasties,Yemack originally populated China's Shandong peninsula and then classified as Dong-Yi clan ( Eastern Barbarians ).

This book is an official publication of S Korea,1 page-map has 3 ancient migration arrows from China's Shandong Peninsula ( points to southern formost part of Korea peninsula as final destination ),Mongolia & China's NE region.

by Korean Overseas Culture and Information Service

size: 24.5x17cm 652pages

http://www.hanbooks.com/hanofkor.html

The Kaesong Wang clan, which originated in China, ruled the Korean peninsula for almost five hundred years as the ruling dynasty of the Koryo period (918–1392). There are some indications that the Kaesong Wang clan was present in the ancient Choson Kingdom (?194 bc). When the Chonju Yi clan seized power in 1392 and established the Choson kingdom, many of the members of the Kaesong Wang clan changed their names and went into hiding to avoid being persecuted by the new ruling dynasty. The Chenam Wang clan is also of Chinese origin. The Chenam Wang clan is much smaller than the Kaesong Wang clan."

As for the Wangs changing their lastname,one theory was that they changed 王 to 全.

It is likely that the Wang clan had very distant Chinese extraction either through the Lelang commandery (1st century BC to 4th century AD) or from Go Choson (3rd or 2nd century BC).

wishful thinking?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akihito

On December 23, 2001, during his annual birthday meeting with reporters, the Emperor, in response to a reporter's question about the tensioned relation with Korea, remarked that he felt a kinship with Korean peninsula and went on to explain his feeling as resulting from the classical book Shoku Nihongi that the mother of Emperor Kammu (736–806), was one of 10th descendants of the king of Baekje, Muryeong.[4] The Emperor also noted that Koreans who migrated to Japan in ancient times introduced some aspects of culture and technology to the country, and that the regrettable fact that Japan’s exchanges with Korea have not all been so friendly should never be forgotten [5]. These remarks were reported and became headlines in the South Korean Media[6].

So that means future generations of japanese emperors will be part korean lol

if you think the article is unreliable, then check the sources below

In reality, almost every emperors were the descendant of Baekje. It is important that we understand the massive influence of the Fujiwara Clan, since they controlled the royal court from 800 AD to early 1900s(Although it is noted that the political power shifted to military leader, shogun in 1200 AD). Before the Meiji Restoration period, Japanese empress has always been recruited from the Fujiwara clan. In a way, they are somewhat the yang of Japanese dynasty. Through this "intermarraige", Japanese emperors were usually a puppet of the court, and had little power to exercise political influence until the Meiji restoration period. Also as previously noted, the Fujiwara clan was the descendant of Beakjae, therefore, Japanese emperors will certainly have Baekjae blood.

Yeah may be and may be not.
Many Japanese historians including Japanese royals distorted part of Korean heritage to be part of theirs.
I wouldn't completely believed anything from Japan yet, especially during Korea-Japan disputed relations.

It's true that Fujiwara clans were related to Baekje line, but that's over 1500 years ago. We don't know if today's Japanese royals had any connection to Fujiwara clan.

If Japan's Royals have Baekje blood then why would they commanded brutal attacks on so many Koreans and killed them.
I think they invented this whole story to please themselves on some sort of claims on Korea.

Japan really need to put their war atrocities behind and simply accept their dark past and offer full appology to every asian nations they rooted and tell the truths to their citizens.

i read somewhere that the common japanese people are 25% chinese 25% korean and 50% something else. i think they do look like a mixture of korean and chinese to me because they dont look fully korean or chinese if you get what i mean...

I've previously noted that the ancestors of Fujiwara clan came from Baekjae, so it shouldn't be difficult to realize that the royal japanese blood is mixed with Baekjae blood since the Heian period. Therefore the current emperor, as part of the imperial line, should have Baekjae blood as well.

Japanese are descended from the man-gods of Taiwan

Taiwanese people are losers. Don't compare to Japanese.

If i didn't have some warning ,i could tell you much more interesting things haha

The Japanese people possess a very typical soul of Asian race , quite sentimental I can say , the white soul is different .
I know that since I was raised among the whites .

Read this article.

http://discovermagazine.com/1998/jun/japaneseroots1455

If anyone knows of other good articles on this subject, please post them. Thanks.

Koreans do not have a DNA YAP+ at all that 50% of Japanese men have.

Abstract Using the data on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) restriction polymorphism, the gene pools of Koreans (N = 164) and Mongolians (N = 48) were characterized. It was demonstrated that the gene pools were represented by the common set of mtDNA haplogroups of East Asian origin (M*, M7, M8a, M10, C, D4, G*, G2, A, B*, B5, F1, and N*). In addition to this set, mtDNA haplogroups D5 and Y were identified in Koreans while Mongolians possessed haplogroup Z. Only in Mongolians, a European component with the frequency of 10.4% and represented by the mtDNA types belonging to haplogroups K, U4, and N1, was identified. Phylogenetic and statistical analyses of the data on mtDNA variation in the populations of South Siberia, Central, and East Asia suggested the existence of interpopulation differentiation within these regions, the main role in which was played by the geographical and linguistic factors. Analysis of the pairwise F ST distances demonstrated close genetic similarity of Koreans to Northern Chinese, which in turn, were clearly different from Southern Chinese populations. Mongolians occupied an intermediate position between the ethnic groups of South Siberia and Central/East Asia.


Genetic connection between Ainu & Jomon 縄文 people of Japan,Japanese are more of indigenous stock than previously realized.

English-subtilted video ... http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=CguNE9vcd-8


This English-subtitled video about the roots of Japanese people.

Delves into genetic research which has totally changed notions of who the Japanese are. Overturns Koreans' claim that the Japanese are descendants of Koreans. Rather, the Japanese are a very diverse people made up of Ainu, Okinawan, Chinese,and various other genetic sequences.

The Modern Japanese were thought to be a mixture of ancient Jomon and Yayoi Peoples. Recent Genetic Research has proven that the Jomon and Yayoi People themselves were a mixed ethnicity even when they first reached the Japanese Islands.

http://oniazuma.wordpress.com/2007/10/09/idenshi/

According to Chinese history records, Huimo ( Yemak 穢貊 ) was formed by two peoples ( Korean nationalists staunchly claimed these were their ancient ancestors ).One being Hui (穢) and the other being Mo (貊). Hui people used to populated around China's Shangdong peninsula. Mo people used to populated around the northern edge of China's Hebei and Shangxi provinces. Some branches of Hui (穢) people and Mo (貊) people migrated to Manchuria. After their arrival to the southern Mancuria and North Korea, some clans of Hui and Mo merged and evloved into a new tribal alliance of Huimo ( Yemak 穢貊 ) at the eastern side of North Korea.Some of Hui and Mo populated a large territory of southern and south-central Macnhuria. They did not merged into a single people initially and live independently in Southern Manchuria. Maybe I should change the wording of Huimo system into Hui-Mo system just to make a distinguishing from that single Huimo tribal alliace in the eastern North Korea.Later,they became the Puyo 夫餘 clans ( predecessor of Baekje or Paekche in southern Korea peninsula ).

Oh ... ultra-nationalist Koreans romanticized that Yamato Royal House was founded by the Puyo people.Then,Japan's Royal House is indeed of " CHINESE ORIGIN "

Japanese are about the same height as many Southeast Asian groups but shorter than most North East Asians ( northern Han-Chinese & Koreans, they're blood siblings )...maybe as tall as Hong Kong Chinese people and a lot of Taiwan Chinese ( southern Han-Chinese stock ).

' Wa 倭 ' was existed in the southern part of Korea


<韓>在<帶方>之南, 東西以海爲限, * 南與<倭>接, 方可四千里. 有三種, 一曰<馬韓>, 二曰<辰韓>, 三曰<弁韓>. <辰韓>者, 古之<辰國>也. <馬韓>在西.

Source: 《三國志》魏書 東夷傳 ( Chrnicle of 3 Kingdoms ) Book of Wei Dong-Yi/Eastern Barbarian Chronicles

If 'Wa' simply existed in Japanese islands,this description is not possible. * Samhan's southern territory borders Wa

Don't forget the view that northeast Asians (Ainu) mixed with South East Asians (Malayo-Polynesian speaking peoples) to form the Jomon People. The Jomon People then inhabited the Japanese archipelago until the great migrations of southern Chinese and Koreans mixed the melting pot a bit more to form the Yayoi People.

I've recommended it before and I will recommend it again: J. Edward Kidder, Jr.'s "Himiko and Japan's Elusive Chiefdom of Yamatai" provides a *fantastic* view of Jomon, Yayoi, and Kofun period Japan.

Professor Walter Edwards (of Tenri University) is one of the top Western scholars on the evolution of the kofun. He also wrote a rebuttal to Gari Ledyard's article. "Galloping along with the Horseriders".He says that kofun found in South Korea resemble 5th century keyhole-shaped kofun. However, even in the Yayoi period, round burial mounds had annexed rectangular portions that are believed to have once held ceremonies for the dead. These evolved into the keyhole-shaped kofun that are so well known today in the late 3rd/early 4th century. Therefore, by the time of any supposed Horserider invasion, keyhole shaped kofun were already on their way in development. Edwards is no die-hard Japanese nationalist who posits a Japanese invasion of Korea (keep in mind he's an archaeologist--that's his evidence), but he believes that keyhole-shaped kofun were one example of a cultural aspect that moved from Japan to the peninsula. He makes no claim of a political rulership over Korea, but gives evidence of bilateral relations between Paekche and Japan (an anachronistic term, really) as making this claim possible.


Therefore, the more I read, the more I can't see kofun shape as supporting the Horserider Theory.

Checked out Professor William Wayne Farris' "Sacred Texts and Buried Treasure". He has a very detailed, balanced, and respectable analysis of Korean-Japanese relations. I whole-heartedly recommend it.


Regarding similarities of Korean and Japanese art and architecture, many are made by immigrant Korean craftsmen !

Just to let you guys know, J. Edward Kidder, Jr. has done a new translation of the Wei Zhi section on the Wa in his recent "Himiko and Japan's Elusive Chiefdom of Yamatai" (2007). It's *very* well done.

His case for Yamatai being located in the Kinai is also very convincing and well-argued.

Interestingly,in Saga prefecture of Japan, there is an unknown grave on a hill that is supposedly dedicated to Xu Fu ( 徐福 ), though one might say that it could be a tourist gimmick.Meanwhile, Fukuoka ,the largest city in Kyushu Island and where Xu Fu ( 徐福 )was rumoured to have landed, was named after two places, Fuku（福） and Oka 岡.One could perhaps guess that the place Fuku was name after Xu Fu, whose name in Japanese was Jou Fuku.There are other places in the island of Kyushu which may point to Xu Fu's arrival in Japan.

But it seems to be only a legend.There were probably Chinese immigrants moving to Japan via Korea and the Ryukyus, but I think it would be pretty untrue to say that the Japanese are solely the descendants of these Chinese immigrants.

Early Chinese legend never said that the Japanese were descendants of Xu Fu ( 徐福,the Daoist alchemist) and the large number of boys and girls he brought with him. Instead, in the Sanguo Zhi ( 三國志 ) and Hou Hanshu ( 後漢書 ), the first two dynastic history chronicles to describe Japan, Xu Fu's new home is identified as a different island called Chanzhou 澶洲 or Danzhou 亶洲. Sun Quan is said to have sent a fleet to find this island, but they were unsuccessful and only reached Taiwan or Okinawa (known as Yizhou 夷洲). There is no suggestion that it was Japan.

It was only in recent Chinese history that people started to claim that Xu Fu ( 徐福 ) was the ancestor of the Japanese.This is motivated by silly idiotic Chinese nationalistic pride.