After Japan's surrender in 1945, more than 4,000 Japanese children were left behind in China and raised by Chinese foster parents. They share a common name: Japanese "war orphans" in China.
Reiko Nakai, who was once known by her Chinese name Zhang Xiling, was adopted by her Chinese foster parents in 1945 when she was three years old. Though she moved to Japan years ago, she has never been able to cut the deep ties that bind her to her family in northeast China's Jilin Province. Stepping once again onto the land she calls home, memories come rushing back: her adoptive mother carrying her on her back through the turmoil of war, the reluctant farewell from her adoptive father on his deathbed, and the laughter of childhood classmates.
In Japan, Nakai works at an organization supporting Japanese orphans who were left behind in China. Miyuki Mizumoto, a volunteer at the organization who once worked alongside Nakai, noted, "As time goes on, fewer people will be left who can tell these stories firsthand. That's why we must pass on what we are learning now to more people."
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