re: narrow asian definition, or popular far east definition, a more racial definition.
Fumi Beppu crossed to Discovery last season, because Tailwind want penetration into the Japanese market.
In the early 90's Motorola had a Japanese stagiare, Ken Hashikawa, assuming they saw potential in the above purpose - business strategy.
These are the Japanese riders, besides Beppu who have been in the European (div 1) peloton
Masahiko Mifune (Landbouwkrediet - Colnago)
Daisuke Imanaka (Team Polti)
Hidenori Nodera (Team Colpack)
Yoshiyuki Abe (Ceramiche Panaria-Vinavil – 1996, Mapei-GB 1997) (Team Colpack)
Daisuke Imanaka rode the Tour for Polti in 1996.
2005 roster of Skil-Shimano
9. Yoshiyuki Abe (Jpn)
10. Yukihiro Doi (Jpn)
11. Yoshimasa Hirose (Jpn)
12. Tomoya Kano (Jpn)
13. Hidenori Nodera (Jpn)
14. Kaoru Ouchi (Jpn)
15. Masamichi Yamamoto (Jpn) = all from Shimano Japan
16. Masahiro Shinagawa (Jpn) = ex-pro
17. Takamitu Tsuji (Jpn) = neo
2 Japanese riders, Masatoshi Ichikawa (team Frank-Toyo)and Hidenori Nodera have participated in the Giro (in 1990 and 2001 respectively). Both of them finished it. Ichikawa finished at the 50th overall out of 163 finishers and, Nodera the 139th out of 140. To be fair, Ichikawa was a good climber and was the only Japanese rider who could really fight with European riders.
Junichi Kikuta rode Spanish team Artiach in 96
Shinri Suzuki probably the winningest Japanese rider of the last decade. Sprinter/rouleur.
Besides Suzuki, the Fukushima brothers are accomplished cyclists.
Hong Kong's Kam-Po Wong has 8 UCI wins this year.