| The origin of the Japanese people is still debated. Archaeology and physical anthropology indicate a close connection with the Koreans and Tungusic peoples of northeastern Asia. Linguistic evidence, also hotly debated, tends to support this. There may have been a land bridge connecting Japan with Korea in high antiquity, which would help explain the connections. The Japanese are a mixed Mongoloid race, similar to Chinese and Koreans, perhaps with some Southeast Asian contributions as well; the Ainu (a Caucasoidlike people) originally inhabited the northeastern half of Japan and possibly contributed to the racial mix of Japanese today. | 1 |
