JAI TATSUTO WEST is a half Japanese, half French-Canadian actor, screenwriter, and poet, born in Vancouver, BC, and based in Tokyo for over 25 years. He has appeared in numerous films and television shows in North America and Japan, making his screen debut in 1991 on the popular show 21 Jump Street. In 2004, he co-starred in the Japanese box office hits Survive Style 5+, The Private Detective Mike, and Hazard. In 2018, he became the Chairman of Iron Chef Canada. He has also released two spoken word poetry albums in English and Japanese under the pseudonym Lotus Chamelion.

West is the lead actor in a new Sono Sion film, entitled Evaporation.

His first book, Dragon Man: An Actor’s Transformation, will be published in Spring 2026 by Essentia Books.

His father’s name was Claude Cecil West. His mother’s name is Masako Iijima.