Yasuo Matsui

Yasuo Matsui (1877 – 1962) was a prominent 20th century Japanese American architect.

Immigrating from Japan to the United States in 1902, he attended the University of California and afterward worked for Ernest Flagg. He eventually rose to the position of President at F.H. Dewey & Company architectural firm which was involved with many prominent skyscraper projects on the East Coast. Their most prominent project was the 71 story 40 Wall Street building. He also designed the Japanese Pavilion at the 1939 World's Fair.

Because he lived on the East Coast during WWII he was not placed in an internment camp, but his freedom to travel was curtailed and had to report his activities to the federal government every month, and he was forbidden from owning a camera. He died a naturalized American citizen in 1961.