Jai West (ジェイ・ウェスト; born October 24, 1976) is an actor and poet of French Canadian and Japanese descent born in Vancouver, British Columbia and currently based in Tokyo, Japan.
He is best known for his work on screen as manic Japanese American gangster Lee in Sion Sono's Hazard (2005), a thief grappling with his sexual identity in Gen Sekiguchi's Survive Style 5+ (2004), and portraying Beethoven in the popular Tokyo Gas commercials. He has appeared in numerous films and television series, from 21 Jump Street (1990) to Takashi Shimizu's The Great Horror Family (2004) and Takashi Miike's Big Bang Love, Juvenile A (2006). West has released two spoken word poetry albums in Japanese and English under the pseudonym Lotus Chamelion.
In 2018, he became the chairman of Iron Chef Canada.
West is scheduled to publish his debut book, Dragon Man: An Actor’s Transformation, through UK publisher Collective Ink on April 28, 2026, and with a North American edition to follow through Simon & Schuster on May 5, 2026. The memoir chronicles his life in Tokyo as a half-Japanese actor while exploring themes of self-discovery, resilience, and creativity through the lens of Eastern and Western philosophical traditions.
Career In 2000, West collaborated with his then-girlfriend, J-pop singer Olivia Lufkin, on two tracks for her debut solo studio album, Synchronicity, which was released by Avex Trax. He co-wrote and performed on "Liquid Skies", a whimsical fairy tale about a pegasus and a mermaid coming together to fulfill her longing for wings and "Soulmate", a duet that explores the theme of reincarnation. The album peaked at number twenty on the Oricon Charts.
In 2016, West starred alongside Pamela Anderson and Dree Hemingway in the Canadian-Japanese drama The People Garden. He played a mysterious driver and worker.
In 2018, West was announced as the Iron Chef Canada chairman, which premiered on October 17 on Food Network.
In 2021, West portrayed the arch-villain Lyon Arkland in the Kamen Rider film Zero-one Others: Kamen Rider MetsubouJinrai. The movie's release coincided with the 50th anniversary of the historic tokusatsu superhero franchise. Lyon Arkland is the CEO of ZAIA Enterprise, a global weapons manufacturing company and transforms into Kamen Rider Zaia.
Filmography Film Film Year Title Role Notes Ref 1995 Once in a Blue Moon Mexican Bandito 2000 Worst Contact Kerara Short film 2001 Bus Panic!!! The Busjacker Short film2004 Survive Style 5+ J - Burglar Lost Samurai Bob Short film Writer Co-producer 2005 Hazard Lee2006 Hachimitsu to Clover Man at party 13 no tsuki Mori Big Bang Love, Juvenile A Deranged Prisoner Cherry Girl Joji Direct-to-video2007 Tokyo no uso Tamura Tengu Gaiden Louis Short film 2008 Love Exposure Bosozoku Leader Credited as Jei Uesuto 2010 King Game Johnny B. 2014 Pancakes Billy2016 The People Garden Mak Credited as Jai Tatsuto West El Diablo Foreigner Short film 2017 My Little Guidebook Luke Gardener 2018 Sid & Aya: Not a Love Story Club Customer 2020 Sayo The Driver2021 Zero-One Others: Kamen Rider MetsubouJinrai Lyon Arkland/Kamen Rider ZAIAV-cinema Prisoners of the Ghostland Jay
Television Television Year Title Role Notes Ref. 1992–1998 KidZone Himself 1990 21 Jump Street Young Ioki 1993 Highlander The Kid 1992 The Odyssey Feelgood Episode: "Checkpoint Eagle" 1994 The Odyssey Spook 2 episodes 1995 Matt TV film 2001 Yonimo kimyô na monogatari: Aki no tokubetsu hen Jack the Rabbit TV film Segment: "Mama shin hatsubai!" Credited as Jei Uesuto 2002 The Private Detective Mike Jake the Bellhop Known as "Shiritsu tantei Hama Maiku" in Japanese2004 X'smap: Tora to raion to gonin no otoko TV film Tonaka Kyoojoorou 2005 Tameiki no riyû Tetsuya Ihara 2007 Ojisan Sensei Nakategawa 12 episodes 2018 Iron Chef Canada The Chairman 2 seasons Chairman of Iron Chef Canada
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