Yuji Ichioka is a historian best known for his work in ethnic studies, particularly Asian American studies . In fact, he coined the term "Asian American" to help unify different Asian ethnic groups (e.g. Japanese Americans, Chinese Americans, Korean Americans, etc.). He served as a professor at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) for many years, from approximately 1969 up until his death in 2002 at the age of 66.