Chinese Guide Literature Garden
Author: Naruhiko Kimura
It was January 13, 10 years ago, and I was still immersed in the joy of the New Year, and it was about 9 o'clock in the evening, when the phone rang: Hey, who are you? My father has just passed away, and I tell you about it. When I heard this, my mind buzzed, and I felt that it was too sudden! How could it be? A few days ago, he was talking and laughing! Oh my God! Why can't such a good man give him a few more years to live? (at the age of 89)
The first time I met Mr. Chino was when he visited the Tokorozawa Center for the Promotion of Chinese Returnees and explained to us that returnees could quickly acquire Japanese nationality.
On November 18, 2022, the Japan-China Friendship Association held a concert to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and China.
Mr. Chino is a burly man, and his face is slightly black and red. He was accompanied by Mr. Kiyoshi Shima, an interpreter. Mr. Chino is amiable and chats and laughs. Although we couldn't understand him, we could tell from his expression that he was very approachable.
My family is the 17th batch of returnees, and I studied in Tokorozawa for four months. At the end of 1986, he was assigned to a Toei house in Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo.
At that time, the life coach of my family was Fumiko Yamamura's mother. Later, after chatting for a long time, I learned that she came back from Changchun. She had a son who was the same age as me, and he died in Changchun due to extreme hardship.
In order to help my family, my old mother came to my house and brought her own rice balls and did not eat my family's food. We said: You are so old, help us, don't eat my family's food, how can we be embarrassed to accept your help. But she said: You have just come, life is not easy, I am here to help you, I can't make trouble for you. These old people who have gone through the war will serve us wholeheartedly at all costs in order to help us return to our homeland. It really doesn't make it possible for us to thank them.
The old mother of the mountain village is a friend and assistant of Mr. Chino. Later, under the recommendation of the old mother, I got to know Mr. Chino further. Later, from time to time, I also helped to do what I could.
After a long time and frequent conversations, I learned that the reason for the establishment of the "Nationality Acquisition Support Association" was that a returnee named "Xu Ming" (now Ikeda Sumie) went to Hokkaido to confess his relatives, but was rejected because he was not considered to be part of her family. This sudden blow is really called heaven, and I don't know Japanese, how can I settle down in Japan?!
Mr. Chino said to me: I am a trader and have a flexible mind. After learning about Xu Ming's incident, I thought, "We can set up a nationality acquisition office and apply for her nationality to solve the problem!" With the joint efforts of reporter Kosuke Sugawara, the Asahi Shimbun issued a statement saying that there are those who are willing to cooperate and work together to do what we can for the remaining orphans who do not have Japanese nationality to obtain nationality as soon as possible. Later, he made an appointment with lawyer Kawai and set up a nationality acquisition support office, and resolved Xu Ming's nationality. Later, they applied for nationality for returnees, and when the number of people who obtained nationality reached 1,000, a celebration meeting was held for 1,000 people.
One day in June and July 1999, the old man told me that he was going to build a monument to thank his adoptive parents in China, and asked me to write a picture and publish it in the newspaper so that I could raise funds. In accordance with the old man's consciousness, I wrote a banner reading "Monument to Chinese Adoptive Parents" and published it in the Yomiuri Shimbun. After a period of hard work, enough money was raised. A Chinese sculptor, who had already been commissioned, had created a statue of three people. Later, it was decided that on August 20, 1999, the unveiling ceremony of the "Monument to Chinese Adoptive Parents" for the orphans of China was held in the "918 History Museum" in Shenyang.
The old man thought very comprehensively, and on the occasion of the unveiling ceremony, he also invited representatives of Chinese adoptive parents and orphans to jointly hold the unveiling ceremony. My adoptive father is one of them. I attended the ceremony with my son and daughter. Here, three generations of my family came together to experience this moment of happiness. These expenses are paid from the funds raised.
Cemeteries are very expensive in Japan, and as a returnee, it is really difficult to be able to pass away. The old man raised funds and purchased a piece of land for the returnees, which was set up as the "Cemetery for Chinese Returnees", and invited the then Prime Minister of the Sea to mention the tombstone.
The old man thought very comprehensively. At Sensoji Temple, a Jizo monument to the mother and child of the returnees was also erected. Let those who have not found their biological parents feel free to pay homage to express their longing for their biological parents.
On November 18, 2022, the Japan-China Friendship Association of Chinese Returnees held a concert to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and China.
When I returned to Japan, I was determined not to disgrace my adoptive parents. Many Japanese people see us as Chinese, so I have to fight for Chinese, so I actively try to learn Japanese. At that time, my children were all young, and we as parents had to work hard to support the family. I studied at the training school for a year, and then I went to work. At that time, I thought that I would try to find a job in a company that did not have a second Chinese employee. I hear and listen to Japanese every day, so I can learn Japanese quickly.
At that time, it was the time of Japan's bubble economy, and there were jobs everywhere. I found an equipment installation company, which is a water supply, drainage and air conditioning equipment engineering company. Listen to and speak Japanese every day. Later, I was assigned to repair water supply equipment for customers alone. These jobs have helped me practice Japanese a lot, and although I don't speak it so standardly, I can express my intentions.
Later, the bubble economy gradually subsided, and due to the company's poor management, a large number of employees were laid off. I was a bit older and was laid off for that. After that, he worked all kinds of odd jobs every day to make ends meet.
One day in August and September of 2001, Mr. Chino called, "Did you ever be a teacher when you were in China?" and I replied, "Yes." Primary school teacher and junior high school Chinese teacher. "The old man was very pleased. "That's great! I've introduced you to a job and I'm going to get an interview tomorrow. I was overjoyed to hear this. After the interview, I thought my Japanese was okay. In this way, I joined the China Returnee Support and Exchange Center and began to work for returnees until I retired.
Mr. Chino and Fumiko Yamamura, as well as many old men and mothers across the country, have devoted themselves to serving the returnees without complaint or regret. It really makes us remember it for the rest of our lives. Thank them for their selfless dedication to their work.
I pray that these old men and old mothers will be immortal through the ages!!