Many Japanese children became separated from their parents in northeastern China in the confusing days toward the end of World War II and were left behind. They are the children of those who immigrated to Manchukuo, Japan's puppet state. These children became victims of Japan's wartime policy of sending immigrants to colonize the state.
Since 1981, "Japanese war orphans" from China had visited Japan every year to locate surviving relatives. For the first time, however, there will be no such visits this year.
Eight people in China have come out this year to claim that they are Japanese war orphans. A team from the welfare ministry visited China in June and July to do preliminary research, but could not find sufficient evidence to corroborate their claims. The ministry says the number of people who claim to be Japanese war orphans has dwindled because they are getting old and have difficulty gathering materials or testimony to support their claims, 65 years since the end of the war.