Sino-Japanese Children Born of the Second Sino-Japanese War Who “Returned” to Their “Homeland”: Experiences, Identities, and Belonging

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August 19

Sino-Japanese Children Born of the Second Sino-Japanese War Who “Returned” to Their “Homeland”: Experiences, Identities, and Belonging
Sino-Japanese Children Born of the Second Sino-Japanese War Who “Returned” to Their “Homeland”: Experiences, Identities, and Belonging

Volume 23

Abstract: This article examines the little-known experiences of children born of Chinese mothers and Japanese fathers who had consensual relationships during and after the Second Sino-Japanese War in China, with a specific focus on those who migrated to Japan after 1972. To understand how and why they—in their own words—“returned” to their “homeland,” this article analyzes historical circumstances as well as Sino-Japanese children’s experiences, identities, and belonging in comparison with other groups of “children born of war” in different historical and geopolitical settings. Their long-neglected stories point to a missing part in narratives of the 8-year war.

Keywords: Sino-Japanese Children, Second Sino-Japanese War, Children Born of War, Identity, Belonging

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Volume 23

About the author:

Kanako Kuramitsu conducted research on children born of Chinese mothers and Japanese fathers during and after the Second Sino-Japanese war as part of the EU-funded collaborative network Children Born of War (www.chibow.org) and completed her Ph.D. at the Department of History at the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom. She is currently a teacher and visiting scholar at the Centre for East Asian Studies at the University of Turku in Finland.

The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus is a peer-reviewed publication, providing critical analysis of the forces shaping the Asia-Pacific and the world.

    About the author:

    Kanako Kuramitsu conducted research on children born of Chinese mothers and Japanese fathers during and after the Second Sino-Japanese war as part of the EU-funded collaborative network Children Born of War (www.chibow.org) and completed her Ph.D. at the Department of History at the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom. She is currently a teacher and visiting scholar at the Centre for East Asian Studies at the University of Turku in Finland.

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