Key Facts
• 1945: End of WWII leaves many Japanese children stranded in former Manchuria.
• 1999: Yoko Shozan, 84, returns to Japan after 54 years seeking her parents.
• 6,730 Japanese nationals have permanently returned from China as of May 2025.
• Nagoya’s ‘Hikari no Sato’ care facility specializes in supporting returnees.
• Facility offers Chinese cuisine and employs Chinese caregivers with Japanese qualifications.
• Language barriers and cultural isolation persist for elderly returnees.
• Facility founder Wang Yang highlights a lack of similar centers nationwide.
• Population of returnees at ‘Hikari no Sato’ grew from 1 to 70 in 10 years.
• Major cities like Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagano face shortages of such facilities.
• Returnees often face dual rejection: seen as Chinese in Japan, Japanese in China.
Summary
The end of WWII left many Japanese children stranded in former Manchuria, growing up as Chinese nationals. Yoko Shozan, one such individual, returned to Japan in 1999 after 54 years, only to face cultural and linguistic isolation. Nagoya’s ‘Hikari no Sato’ care facility addresses these challenges by providing culturally familiar care, including Chinese cuisine and bilingual staff. However, founder Wang Yang notes a nationwide shortage of such facilities, especially in major cities. With 6,730 returnees as of May 2025, many still struggle with dual rejection, being labeled as Chinese in Japan and Japanese in China. Efforts to prevent their re-isolation remain critical.
