James Johnston (1854 – 31 December 1930) was an English-born Australian politician.
He was born in Liverpool to labourer Andrew Johnston and Anna Patterson.
The family moved to Sydney in 1857 and he attended Balmain State School.
A committed trade unionist, he helped to form the Boilermakers' Society and the Queensland branch of the Federated Seamen's Movement.
In 1891 he was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Balmain, representing the newly formed Labor Party.