Why are there not Japanese Grandmasters?

Nakamura has proved Japanese can play chess

because they play even more complicated games than chess like go and the likes. It's not that they're not good at it, or wouldn't be... They're just interested in other games. BTW, when is the last time you've played go?

I passed Go and collected $200.  Doesn't seem like that complicated of a game.

Japan's top 10 : 

I don't play go

Please note Nakamura isnt listed among the Japanese ... 

I've always consider Go a game for hipsters

If I remember correctly, Yoshiharu Habu is a shogi professional, and one of the world's best at that (shogi is a variant of chess).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoshiharu_Habu

It would be good if chess was like a martial art and as you progress in the game you would get different coloured belts and several dans

Just as it happens in go and shogi.

I need this in my life.

not Hikaru, but there's Ryuji

 8 Nakamura, Ryuji JPN 2151 0 1977

Oops !  Silly me !  

Chess is not popular in Japan. There are other ways people can entertain themselves without playing chess.

You mention Grandmasters. In order to get grandmaster, we need norms and it is impossible to get GM norms (let alone IM) with the current line up of players. There's also only 2 FIDE rated tournaments in Japan PER YEAR. Japan's 2 IMs (Reb's lists no 2 and 3) both got their norms in foreign tournaments.

so to answer the OP question, it is popularity. Chess did not catch on in Japan and didn't create enough competition in Japan that you don't need to be a grandmaster to be the best player in Japan.

Source: Lived there and played chess for couple of years.

I imagine both shogi and go are more popular in Japan , chess just didnt catch on there and thus they dont have top players . 

In Japan, the stupid kids play chess.

Where is my comment❔❔❔❔

all comments with pictures has been deleted, I'm also upset