A Literature Review on Mental Health Among Japanese War-Displaced Orphans and Their Families Returned from China

Abstract

Purpose: This study is focusing on the mental health issue of Japanese who had been left behind in mainland China in confusion after World War Ⅱ in 1945, then returned to Japan due to the policy with the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and China in 1972. Their language, customs, values, etc., are tinged with the temperament of the Chinese cultural region. This study reports on the changes in mental health issues among the returnees over time. Method: This study investigates original papers published after 1972 when diplomatic relations between Japan and China were normalized. Moreover, we quote Ichushi (Japan Medical Abstracts Society)- Web, the most used medical publications database in Japan. As an ethical consideration, we quoted the original text as faithfully as possible so as not to infringe copyright. Result: Eleven prior research from the original papers were analyzed in this study. The research at that time were peaked in 1990. Also, the period of the research was conducted in three separate times, 1st, over three and ten years after returning to Japan. In the early years, many studies focused on psychological adjustment and analysis of background factors. Since the beginning of the 2000s, health concerns increased due to the aging. Many returnees had mental health problems, language barriers and cultural differences economic anxiety and the lack resources, and they had continued to be psychological causes of mental health. Conclusion: Mental health problems among China returnees remained a serious health problem even after a long period of time. For aging Chinese returnees to lead safe and happy lives in Japan, it is important to provide Chinese-language care services and have an abundance of spirituality. In addition, the effort to take cultural differences into account for the health supports and nursing care services is also essential.