St James South Elmham is a village and civil parish in the north of the English county of Suffolk.

It is an isolated parish in a rural area and borders the parishes of St Cross South Elmham, All Saints and St Nicholas South Elmham, Rumburgh, Wissett, Chediston and Metfield.

[6] Parts of RAF Metfield, a World War II airfield built in 1943 and used by the United States Air Force, extend into the west of the parish.

An explosion in July 1944, caused by the mishandling of a number of bombs, shook the surrounding area, including St James.

It has a village hall and a recreation ground which was transferred to the control of the parish council in 2020.