Asian Mexicans (Spanish:Mexicanos Asiáticos; Asiomexicanos) areMexicans ofAsian descent. Asians are consideredcuarta raíz (fourth root) of Mexico^[1][2] in conjunction with the two main roots:Native andEuropean, and the thirdAfrican root.

Due to the historical and contemporary perception in Mexico of Asians as a distinct ethnic group in the country, this article focuses on Mexicans ofSouth,East andSoutheast Asian descent. For Mexicans ofWest Asian descent, seeArab Mexicans,history of the Jews in Mexico andTurks in Mexico.

The first record of an Asian in Mexico is from 1540; an enslaved cook originating fromCalicut^[3] bought byJuan de Zumárraga in Spain and subsequently relocated to Mexico.^[4]

However, regular immigration did not begin until 1565 with the establishment of theManila-Acapulco Galleon (lasting until 1815), which economically linked Asia, the Americas and Europe. During those two and a half centuries, many Filipinos, Mexicans and others sailed to and from Mexico and the Philippines; Mexicans as soldiers, governors and sailors, and Filipinos as slaves, prisoners and crew.

On these voyages, thousands of Asian individuals (mostly males) were brought to Mexico as slaves and were calledchinos orindios chinos,^[5] which meant "Chinese" and "Chinese Indian", respectively. Although in reality they were of diverse origins, mostly Filipino, but also including slaves bought from thePortuguese or captured through war like theMoros (Muslim Filipinos),Malays,Javanese,Bengalis, and other ethnic groups in smaller numbers, includingJapanese,Chinese,Sinhalese,Cambodians,Koreans andTimorese.^[6][7][8][9] This colonial grouping of Asians should not be confused with "chino", acasta term also used in New Spain to refer to individuals of mixed ancestry (primarily African and Amerindian).

During the early period of theSpanish colonization of the Philippines, Spaniards took advantage of the indigenousalipin (bonded serf) system in the Philippines to circumvent theLeyes de las Indias and acquire Filipino slaves for the voyage back toNew Spain. Though the numbers are unknown, it was so prevalent that slaves brought on ships were restricted to one per person (except persons of rank) in the "Laws Regarding Navigation and Commerce" (1611–1635) to avoid exhausting ship provisions. They were also taxed heavily upon arrival inAcapulco in an effort to reduce slave traffic. Traffic in Filipina women as slaves, servants, and mistresses of government officials, crew, and passengers, also caused scandals in the 17th century. Women comprised around 20 percent of the migrants from the Philippines.^[4][6]

Filipinos were alsopressed into service as sailors, due to the native maritime culture of the Philippine Islands. By 1619, the crew of the Manila galleons were composed almost entirely of native sailors. Many of whom died during the voyages due to harsh treatment and dangerous conditions. Many of the galleons were also old, overloaded, and poorly repaired. A law passed in 1608 restricted the gear of Filipino sailors to"ropa necesaria" which consisted of a single pair ofbreeches, further causing a great number of deaths of Filipino sailors through exposure. These conditions prompted KingPhilip III to sign a law in 1620 forcing merchants to issue proper clothing to native crews. During this period, many Filipino sailors deserted as soon as they reached Acapulco. Sebastian de Piñeda, the captain of the galleonEspiritu Santo complained to the king in 1619 that of the 75 Filipino crewmen aboard the ship, only 5 remained for the return voyage. The rest had deserted. These sailors settled in Mexico and married locals (even though some may have been previously married in the Philippines), particularly since they were also in high demand by wine-merchants inColima for their skills in the production oftubâ (palm wine).^[6][10]

A notable example of achino slave isCatarina de San Juan (Mirra), an Indian girl captured by the Portuguese and sold into slavery in Manila. She arrived inNew Spain, became well known for her religious piety and eventually became associated with the "China Poblana".

The estimate of the number of Asian immigrants during the Colonial era range from 40,000 to 120,000.^[4] By comparison, during the Colonial era, Mexico received about half a million Europeans and 250,000 Africans. These early Asian individuals, the foundation of thecuarta raíz, are not very apparent in modern Mexico for a few reasons: relatively small numbers, the widespreadmestizaje (racial mixing) of Colonial Mexico and the common practice ofchino slaves to "pass" asindios (the indigenous people of Mexico) in order to attain freedom. As had occurred with a large portion of Mexico's black population, over generations the Asian populace was absorbed into the generalMestizo population. The indigenous people were legally protected fromchattel slavery, and by being recognized as part of this group, Asian slaves could claim they were wrongly enslaved.

Many Filipinos (both free and enslaved) worked on coconut plantations in the Southwest. There are examples of free Filipinos who held land, including Andrés Rosales who owned twenty-eight coconut palms in 1619.^[4] Asians were active in the politics ofColima; enough so that the positionalcalde de los chinos (Mayor of the Chinos) was created.^[4]

In the years 1613 through 1620, several diplomatic missions occurred on behalf ofJapan to theVatican in Rome, traveling through New Spain (arriving in Acapulco and departing from Veracruz) and visiting various ports-of-call in Europe. Although the final destination was not Mexico, this mission is viewed as the beginning ofJapan–Mexico relations. They were led byHasekura Tsunenaga, who was accompanied by more than one hundredJapanese Christians as well as twenty-twosamurai under theshōgunHideyoshi Toyotomi. A fight occurred in 1614 in which a Japanese samurai stabbed a Spanish soldier. This was witnessed and recorded by historianChimalpahin, who descended from anAztec nobleman. Some of Tsunega's delegation would stay and marry with the locals.^[11]

A notable case of free Asians working in an urban setting is the 1635 conflict betweenchino and Spanish barbers in Mexico City. The legal case resulted in the expulsion of the Asians from the city center, limit on their numbers to twelve and prohibition on adopting Asian apprentices.^[4] Nonetheless, a 1667 document from theReal Audiencia details the attempt to limit the more than one hundred barber shops run by Asians without a license to twelve.^[4]

Somechinos (especially Filipinos who were Spanish subjects) held certain rights not afforded to most indigenous peoples (indios), such as carrying a sword/dagger or riding a horse.^[4] Examples exist ofchinos proving their standing to authorities in order to carry arms; such as the 1654 case of Marcos de Villanueva, arguing that his people helped quell asangley rebellion in Manila. Others argued that carrying arms were a necessity when traveling through remote areas with merchandise. The most privileged Asians were thesamurai that remained in Mexico from the Japanese envoys.^[4]

Japanese immigration began in earnest in 1888 after the signing of a treaty to allow citizens of both countries the ability to travel to the other and establishing consulates.^[12] Mexico was the first Latin American country to receive organized Japanese immigration in 1897,^[13] with the first thirty five arriving to Chiapas under the auspices of ViscountEnomoto Takeaki, with the permission of presidentPorfirio Díaz. The very first settlement was based on coffee production but failed for various reasons including the fact that not all of the colonists were farmers and many became sick with tropical diseases. Many from this colony dispersed but there remains a small Japanese community inAcacoyagua,Chiapas.

Modern Korean immigration to Mexico began in 1905. The first 1,033 Korean migrants settled in Yucatán as workers inhenequen plantations.^[14]

Asians, predominantly Chinese, became Mexico's fastest-growing immigrant group from the 1880s to the 1920s, exploding from about 1,500 in 1895 to more than 20,000 in 1910.^[15] It was common among male Asian immigrants to quickly marry local women in order to facilitate assimilation. To do so, they were baptized into the Catholic faith, adopting aChristian name in the process.^[16] By doing this, they achieved a stronger bond with the land and a stronger sense of social belonging. They also received greater economic, moral and labor support from their new extended Mexican families.^[16]

At the same time, an anti-Chinese movement emerged during theMexican Revolution and peaked during theGreat Depression. This was in part due to resentment over the success of Chinese merchants and also fear of competition from Chinese workers willing to work for less pay.^[14] The most severe act of violence occurred in 1911. Amassacre of over 300 Chinese inTorreón,Coahuila, which was carried out by a faction ofPancho Villa’s army. It culminated in mass deportations in the 1930s, when nearly 70% of the country's Chinese and Chinese-Mexican population was deported or otherwise expelled from the country.

BeforeWorld War II, the highest concentrations of Japanese and Japanese descent were in Baja California, followed by Mexico City andSonora. Up until the war, the treatment of Japanese in the country and their descendants had been favorable, very different from the treatment of Chinese in the country.^[14] However, Japanese immigration was halted by WWII to near zero, and those who were in the country were faced with restrictions and relocation after Mexico broke diplomatic ties with Japan in 1941. Most Japanese citizens (especially the ones living in the Northwest) were forced to move to three interior cities:Celaya,Guadalajara and Mexico City.^[16] This was done so that they could not be used as a "fifth column" by the Japanese government. This treatment of ethnic Japanese is not in most accounts of Mexican history and is seldom taught in schools.

While in China, the Chinese-Mexicans that had been deported campaigned to be allowed to return to Mexico, from the 1930s to the 1960s. There was some success with two repatriations; one in the late 1930s and another in 1960.

After the end of the war, Japanese immigration to Mexico began again. From 1951 to 1978, this immigration was associated with Japan's economic growth, giving it money to invest abroad. A new smaller wave of Korean migrants also began to arrive in Mexico in the 1970s.

Larger numbers of Koreans began arriving in the 1990s: according to South Korean ment statistics, the size of the community reached its peak in 1997 with around 19,500 individuals before falling to 14,571 by 2005.

Of the 54,440 migrants granted permanent residency in 2013, 7,666 (14.08%) were Asian. 4,743 (8.71%) were Chinese, more than any other group except for Americans with 12,905 (23.7%).^[17]

According to theIndian Ministry of External Affairs, there are about 6,500people of Indian descent living in Mexico as of December 2018,^[18] up from about 2,000 in March 2011.

According to the 2011 report of South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade on overseas Korean populations, 11,800 overseas Koreans resided in Mexico. It is also claimed that the descendants of early henequen plantation laborers alone might number as many as thirty thousand.^[19]

In 1997, descendants of Japanese immigrants celebrated a century of Japanese immigration into Mexico, with an estimated 30,000 people of Japanese nationality or ethnicity living in Mexico.^{[citation needed]}

As of 2008, there were about 70,000 people of Chinese descent living in Mexico.^[20]

Genomic studies indicate that about a third of people sampled fromGuerrero have some Asian ancestry; with genetic markers matching those of the populations of Indonesia and the Philippines.^[21]

The strongest Asian influence on theculture of Mexico happened during the colonial era, many aspects of which modern Mexicans may not be aware of. Notable Filipino contributions during this era includetubâ (palm wine) and possibly theguayabera (from thebarong tagalog). Filipino words also entered Mexican vernacular, such as the word forpalapa (originally meaning "coconut palm leaf petiole" inTagalog), which became applied to a type of thatching using coconut leaves that resembles the Filipinonipa hut.^[4]

Asian influence during the colonial era can probably best be seen in theart of Mexico. Among the various luxury goods that arrived on the Manila Galleons werelacquerware,porcelains andfolding screens.^[22] These items were meant for the New Spanish elite, but as these goods, especially textiles, became more common, they reached the masses. Chinese porcelain, especially the kind showing blue decoration on white, had an important effect onMexican ceramics. The ceramic industry inPuebla included decorative elements like the phoenix, peonies, chrysanthemums, pagodas and willows.^[22] Chinese artisans, and probably some Japanese, participated in the manufacturing oftalavera.^[22] Folding screens were introduced from Japan, with Mexican-style ones produced calledbiombos. The earliest of these Mexican made screens had Asian designs but later ones had European and Mexican themes. As well as the Asian-influenced artworks known asenconchados, paintings that incorporatedmother-of-pearl.

The majority of the cargo on the Galleons were textiles which also had a profound influence on thetextiles of Mexico; such as the paliacate and the change of material/decorative motifs ofrebozos.^[22] Thelacquerware of Michoacan and Guerrero traces its origins to pre-Hispanic indigenous traditions and was heavily influenced by the cargo and artisans that were brought by the Galleons.^[22] The "pajaritos de la suerte", a common street performance in Mexico where a bird randomly chooses a fortune for the spectator may have Asian origins, possible sources includeomikuji and a similar tradition from China existing since at least the 19th century.^[4]Chamoy is a variety of savory sauce and condiment; although the attribution for its introduction to Mexico is uncertain, it descends from the Chinesecrack seed (西梅,xī méi).

Filipinos introduced many cultural practices to Mexico, such as the method of making palm wine, called "tubâ", and thedistillation technology used to makemezcal.^{[27][28][29][30][31]} A genetic study in 2018 found that around a third of the population ofGuerrero have 10% Filipino ancestry.^[21] Christianized Filipinos comprised the majority of free Asian immigrants (chino libre) and could own property and have rights that even Native Americans did not have, including the right to carry a sword and dagger for personal protection.^[4] It is estimated that around 75,000 Filipinos settled in western Mexico during the colonial era. They intermarried with local mixed-race and indigenous Mexican families who also had Spanish surnames, were Catholic, and were similarly dark-complexioned.^[28]

The loss of cultural identity of early Filipino migrants to Mexico is the result of several factors. The most significant factor being the use of the termsindio andchino. In the Philippines, natives were known asindios, but they lost that classification when they reached the Americas, since the term inNew Spain referred toNative Americans. Instead they were calledchinos, leading to the modern confusion of early Filipino immigrants with the much later Chinese immigrants in the late 1800s and early 1900s.^[6][32]

Another factor is the pre-colonial Filipino (and Southeast Asian) tradition of not having last names. Filipinos and Filipino migrants acquired Spanish surnames, either after conversion to Christianity or enforced by theCatálogo alfabético de apellidos during the mid-19th century. This makes it very difficult to trace Filipino immigrants in colonial records.^[6]

Filipinos mostly settled in the regions near the terminal ports of theManila galleons. These includeAcapulco,Barra de Navidad, andSan Blas, Nayarit, as well as numerous smaller intermediate settlements along the way. They also settled the regions ofColima andJalisco before the 17th century, which were seriously depopulated of Native American settlements during that period due to theCocoliztli epidemics and Spanish forced labor.^[6] They also settled in significant numbers in thebarrioSan Juan ofMexico City, although in modern times, the area has become more associated with later Chinese migrants.^[4]

There are two major Chinese communities or "Chinatowns" in Mexico today:La Chinesca in Mexicali and theBarrio Chino in Mexico City. Mexicali still has more Chinese, mostly Cantonese, restaurants per capita than any other city in Mexico, with over a thousand in the city. The Comunidad China de México, A.C., established in 1980, sponsors Chinese festivals, classes and other activities to preserve and promote Chinese-Mexican culture in Mexico City.^[33]

Café de chinos, which became popular in 20th century Mexico City, were run by Chinese Mexicans and offered an assortment of local and mixed cuisine .

Most Japanese immigrants came fromOkinawa,Fukuoka,Hiroshima,Aichi, andMiyagi prefectures. TheLiceo Mexicano Japonés in Mexico City was founded, in part, to preserve Japanese culture. There has been a notable influx of young Japanese artists into Mexico since 1978, who have settled mostly in Mexico City. They have come because they have found it easier to develop their careers in Mexico, as the art market in Japan is very small and very hard to break into.Cacahuates japoneses (lit. Japanese peanuts) are a popular snack in Mexico and were created by Japanese immigrant Yoshigei Nakatani (father of artistCarlos Nakatani) in 1945.^[34]

The majority of the Japanese Mexican community (some 90%) is Roman Catholic.^[35] Every year since 1949, hundreds of members of the community make the pilgrimage to visit theVirgen de Guadalupe inkimono.^[35]

Mexico City'sZona Rosa district has a Koreatown dubbedPequeño Seúl (Little Seoul), filled with businesses established by new migrants. In the same neighborhood, theEscuela Coreana en México, found its home in 2010 after two decades of occupying a variety of rented facilities. That year it was able to acquire its own premises thanks to US$850,000 donations by companies and other benefactors to the Asociación de Residentes Coreanos en México.^[36]

Taekwondo was introduced to Mexico in 1969 byDai-won Moon. With over 1.5 million taekwondo practitioners and 3,500 schools throughout the country, taekwondo is one of the most popular sports in the nation.^[37] Mexico has medaled in taekwondo at all Olympic Games since it became a full medal sport at the2000 Olympics, and currently places fifth overall on the medal count for the sport.

• Ana Gabriel – Chinese Mexican – Singer
• Carlos Kasuga – Japanese Mexican – Businessman
• Jesús Kumate Rodríguez – Japanese Mexican – Physician; formerSecretary of Health
• Pablo Larios Iwasaki – Japanese Mexican – Footballer
• Lyn May – Chinese Mexican – Entertainer
• Luis Nishizawa – Japanese Mexican – Painter
• Miguel Ángel Osorio Chong – Chinese Mexican – FormerSecretary of the Interior
• Sanjaya Rajaram – Indian Mexican –Agronomist; creator of 480 types ofwheat
• Zhenli Ye Gon – Chinese Mexican – Businessman; alleged drug trafficker

• Japanese community of Mexico City
• The Chinese in Mexico

• Chang, Jason Oliver.Chino: anti-Chinese racism in Mexico, 1880-1940. University of Illinois Press, 2017.
• Garc’a, Jerry.Looking Like the Enemy: Japanese Mexicans, the Mexican State, and US Hegemony, 1897-1945. University of Arizona Press, 2014.
• Jingsheng, Dong. "Chinese emigration to Mexico and the Sino-Mexico relations before 1910." Estudios Internacionales (2006): 75–88.
• Kim, Hahkyung. "Korean Immigrants’ Place in the Discourse of Mestizaje: A History of Race-Class Dynamics and Asian Immigration in Yucatán, Mexico." Revista Iberoamericana (2012).
• Seijas, Tatiana.Asian Slaves in Colonial Mexico: From Chinos to Indios. New York: Cambridge University Press 2014.
• Slack, Edward R. "The Chinos in New Spain: A Corrective Lens for a Distorted Image."Journal of World History 20, no. 1 (2009): 35–67.
• Vinson, Ben III.Before Mestizaje: The Frontiers of Race and Caste in Colonial Mexico. New York: Cambridge University Press 2018.
• Diego Javier Luis The First Asians in the Americas : A Transpacific History. . Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press.2024

• Asian diaspora in Mexico
• Mexican people of Asian descent

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