<p>What constitutes a Pacific Islander? Does Japan, Taiwan, and other islands bordering China count?</p>
<p>I'm pretty sure that if you're from Japan, Taiwan, and islands bordering China that you're still Asian. Pacific Islander is actually a pretty subjective term. A lot of small islands bordering Japan (Okinawa) are considered PI. A lot of people think the Philippines are, as well as Indonesia...a lot of people don't. That wasn't very helpful, hah. Sorry.</p>
<p>Pacific Islander, as a general rule, refers to a broad group, including Polynesians, Maori, and many other Oceanic groups (such as Tahitians and Guamanians.)</p>
<p>It does not include the large islands such as Taiwan, Japan, and Indonesia.</p>
<p>I'm from the large islands so do you think it's more beneficial to not put my ethnicity or put Asian? My last name looks asian.</p>
<p>Which large island?</p>
<p>The Land of Japan</p>
<p>Phillipinos are Pacific Islanders</p>
<p>Japanese is Asian....</p>
<p>Japanese is Asian for sure.</p>
<p>I checked both because I'm Filipino and well didn't know which one to check because the Philippines is still listed under Asia.</p>
<p>Filipinos are, at least usually, considered Pacific Islander.</p>
<p>Japanese, however, is East Asian or Northeast Asian.</p>
<p>Isn't it hilarious how a mandate from the U.S. government to use a clearly subjective term or definition can become eitiher totally confusing or meaningless? I mean, who said Filipinos are not Asian, but are "Pacific Islander" instead? For that matter, why aren't Filipinos considered Hispanic in the U.S., since a good number of Filipinos have more Spaniard heritage than Inidians or mestizos in the southwestern U.S. or Latin America.</p>
<p>LakeWashington,</p>
<p>Part of it is anthropological. There are much larger differences between the average Japanese and Filipino than between the average Samoan and Fijian.</p>
<p>Ah, I love this debate. It really depends on how you're looking at it. For college reasons, I would look to the good old common app. They have a list of the islands that are Pacific.</p>
<p>In an out-of-college mind, Pacific Islands are really just a sub-group of Asia. Continent-wise, all of those islands would be part of Asia.</p>