R. Childan
Owner of American Artistic Handicrafts, a shop that specializes in offering antiques to Japanese buyers. Childan switches between ingratiating worship of the Japanese occupiers and racist hatred of them. He eventually learns to value his culture and heritage even when it brings him into conflict with his Japanese customers.
Frank Frink
A skilled maker of knock-off historical items, living in the Pacific States of America. He is fired from his factory job following an argument with his boss, and goes into business making his own items. He is secretly Jewish, and harbors a fierce dislike of the Nazis as well as admiration of the Japanese. He often consults the I Ching before making major decisions. He was formerly married to Juliana Frink.
Nobusuke Tagomi
Head of the Japanese Trade Commission in the Pacific States of America. During a meeting, he has the sudden realization that the Nazis are evil. He plans meetings with Baynes, though he is certain that the man is a spy, and courageously defends him at a critical moment.
Paul and Betty Kasoura
A charming young Japanese couple living in San Francisco. They have a strong interest in traditional American items, and frequent Childan's store. They are young, attractive, and have a peaceful air about them.
Juliana Frink
A judo teacher living in the Rocky Mountain States. She is extremely beautiful. She is Frank Frink's former wife. She starts a romantic relationship with the truck driver, Joe Cinnadella (who is not what he seems) and warns Hawthorne Abendsen of the threat on his life.
Wyndam-Matson
Frank's former boss, who fired him for insubordinance. He runs a factory that supposedly produces metalwork for construction, but in fact churns out counterfeit antiques. He is rude and prideful, and comes up with a scheme to punish Frank for blackmailing him.
Baynes/Rudolf Wergener
Baynes poses as a businessman from Sweden, but he is actually a German spy who has come to deliver an important message to a retired Japanese General Tedeki. Despite being German himself, he believes that the Nazis are insane and must be stopped; it is this that persuades him to share state secrets with the Japanese.
Hugo Reiss
The Reich consul in the Pacific States of America, he is somewhat conflicted about Nazism: though he is a loyal servant of the Nazi state, he sometimes questions his superiors' motivations and wisdom. He seriously dislikes Bruno Kreuz com Meere, and attempts to sabotage his plans at every turn.
Bruno Kreuz vom Meere
The head of the German secret police in the Pacific States of America. Uncompromising and violent, he is determined to apprehend Baynes.
Joe Cinnadella
Posing as an Italian truck driver, he initiates a romantic relationship with Juliana Frink. However, during the course of a road trip, Juliana discovers that he is in fact a German assassin sent to kill Hawthorne Abendsen, author of The Grasshopper Lies Heavy. Juliana kills Joe in their hotel room.
Ed McCarthy
Frank's former coworker, who persuades him to go into the jewelry-making business. Unfortunately, Ed is not a very talented businessman.
Shinjiro Yatabe/General Tedeki
A retired Japanese general who travels to the Pacific States of America to hear Baynes' message, which could impact the safety of the Japanese home islands. General Tedeki poses as an ordinary retiree, Shinjiro Yatabe, to avoid detection by German authorities.
Hawthorne and Caroline Abendsen
Hawthorne is the author of The Grasshopper Lies Heavy, and Caroline is his wife. Initially they lived in a heavily guarded bunker due to the threats Hawthorne received after writing his book, but they gave up this difficult existence for a more ordinary home life. Hawthorne reveals that he wrote The Grasshopper Lies Heavy by consulting the I Ching.
