調查残留中國孤兒和家庭生活, 相隔六年舉行

A few weeks ago the NHK News on-line reported the following:

中国残留孤児と家族 ６年ぶり生活実態調査へ

5月16日 4時04分

戦後７０年となることし、日本に帰国した中国残留孤児とその家族、合わせて６０００人について、厚生労働省が６年ぶりに生活実態を調べる全国調査を行うことを決めました。残留孤児の人たちは、ことばの壁や高齢化で地域から孤立するなど課題が指摘されていて、厚生労働省は調査結果を踏まえて支援策を検討することにしています。

終戦直後の混乱で肉親と離れ離れになり、長年中国での生活を余儀なくされた中国残留孤児の人などの日本への帰国は、昭和４８年に始まりました。しかし、帰国を果たしても、ことばの習得が難しく、安定した仕事が得られなかった人は少なくないほか、高齢化が進み地域から孤立するなど課題が指摘されています。
戦後７０年となることし、厚生労働省は、残留孤児とその家族について生活実態を把握し支援につなげようと、この秋、６年ぶりに全国のおよそ６０００人を対象に調査を行うことを決めました。
調査はアンケート形式で行われ、経済的な状況や日本語の習得状況のほか、近所づきあいの程度など地域との関わりについて尋ねるということです。さらに、残留孤児の人が亡くなった場合に配偶者に支援金を支給する去年始まった制度への評価についても聞くことにしています。
厚生労働省は「戦後７０年がたち、高齢化が進むなか、中国残留孤児の人たちが求める支援の内容も変わってきていると思うので、今回の調査結果を踏まえて支援策を検討していきたい」としています。

(試譯文)

This year would be the 70th year after the War. Regarding the Japanese orphans who once were left behind in China and subsequently returned to Japan to have their family, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare decided to do a nation-wide investigation to check their living condition after 6 years on about 6000 people in total. Regarding Japanese children who once were left behind in China at the end of the World War, a problem pointed out was that they were isolated from their location by language barrier and aging. The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare would base on the survey result to re-consider the aid package.

In the confusion immediately after the end of the War which separated them from their immediate family for many years to live in China, Japanese orphans forced to stay behind in China had returned to Japan starting from 1973. But even if home returning was achieved, the acquisition of language was difficult, and many of them could not get a stable job. It was being pointed out that problem such as isolation from the area was developing due to aging etc.

This year would be the 70th year after the War. The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare decided, after 6 years, to do an investigation this autumn targeting at approximately 6,000 people in the whole country in order to grasp the living condition of the Japanese children who had once been left behind in China at the end of World War, and together with their families with a view to linking them to some support.

The investigation would be in the form of questionnaire. It was said that in addition to asking about the situation on economic and in picking up the Japanese language, the degree of the neighborhood companionship with the area would also be asked. When Japanese children who once were left behind in China at the end of World War now passed away, their spouses would be asked to comment on the system started last year which provided them with money support.

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare supposed that "70 years have passed after the War and aging is developing, because we are thinking whether the contents of the support given to these Japanese orphans should be changed, we would like to re-consider the aid package based on the result of this survey".

It is interesting to note that the Japanese government, in order to do some minor fine-tuning in its aid package, would spend time and money to care for just a few thousand people.