Japanese war orphans who were left behind in China amid the turmoil at the end of World War II and repatriated to Japan decades later are growing older.
Many struggle to adapt to conventional nursing homes because of language barriers. To meet their needs, Mariko Kamijo, 47, the eldest daughter of a repatriated orphan, has opened a nursing care facility that provides support in Chinese.
One day in July at Isshoen, a nursing care facility in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture, 10 clients took part in light exercises and recreational activities, occasionally chanting, "Yi, er, san, si," or one, two, three, four in Chinese. Much of the conversation in the room was in Chinese as well.
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