Ethnicity is the term
for the culture of peoples in a geographic region.
Ethnicity is being
connected by
language, heritage, religion, and customs. To be a member of an ethnic group is to conform to some or all of those practices. etc.
Race is genetics and ethnicity is culture.
Race and ethnicity can overlap, but they are distinct.
A
Japanese-American would be a member of the Japanese or
East Asian race, but, if they don't practice any of the customs of their ancestors, or have no
knowledge of the Japanese language they might not identify with the ethnicity, and instead consider themselves to be American.