I said it ends here

Kishimoto DID NOT write the guidebooks, they are merchandise compiled by SJ. For your arguments you need to bring up the manga.

Kishimoto also did not write the novels, they are not canon. Even the writers acknowledge this.

I would've guessed with all the Japanese influence in food, clothes, etc., with names like Kakashi, Naruto, Iruka, Sakura, and such that it'd be obvious? But I mean, I could be wrong 🤔

Personally I don't think about their races because I don't like to think of anime characters as real people. Which is also why I don't like live actions, it breaks the magic for me. It's just not the same. But Japanese names are sometimes given to characters the mangaka means as foreigner, sometimes out of laziness or just to make it easier for Japanese reader. I mean even English speaking fandom sees the Kumo ninjas as black despite them having Japanese names for the most part lol.

If we ask Kishi himself, he is more than fine with Naruto being white (image from Naruto Collector Interview (2007). He clearly does not care. I mean he even offered Japanese for Sasuke but non-Japanese for both Naruto and Sakura lol. He also mentioned in another interview that he wanted Naruto's design to be as far from a classic Japanese ninja, which is why he looks like a foreigner aka blond hair and blue eyes. He also mentioned Naruto's outfit is not like a typical ninja get up. It is again western type of clothing since zippers are a western invention. Tbh I think only Americans are stressed over their races (no offense really, it's just what I think). Kishi is a Japanese man who has lived his whole life surrounded by other Japanese people and media that shows mainly Japanese people. He wouldn't think having a manga cast full of Japanese is progressive like how Americans would think but what is expected and usual from a Japanese media.

Might get hate for this but the short answer to the question is; I think Kishi clearly would not mind Naruto being white. And I doubt he'd mind Naruto being Japanese or wasian either. Which is why I don't get getting upset on his behalf.