A Study of the Lives and Attitude to Death of Elderly Chinese Residents in Japan

虽然老年人问题在社会学和社会福利领域受到了很多研究关注，但研究往往集中在日本老年人身上。此外，在对日本的外国人的一般情况进行的广泛研究中，对华人社区的研究往往集中在民族认同和社区组织问题上。针对这一现状，本文以居住在日本的中国老年人为研究对象，着重分析了居住在日本的中国老年人在近几十年来的社会变化和老年人的孤独感问题，旨在考察居住在日本的中国老年人的生活和对死亡的态度。研究结果如下。首先，在日本的中国老年人的生活存在很大差异。收入水平因职业和领取的养恤金福利而异。参与社会活动和网络的能力因家庭和职业而异。第二，中国老年人已将日本视为他们的第二故乡。自20世纪80年代以来，第二代中国人在国际婚姻中的人数有所增加。大多数中国老年居民都在日本度过晚年。最后，大多数中国老年人打算葬在日本，因为他们的子女生活在日本。但他们也希望被埋葬在中国。似乎即使死了，他们也永远是边缘人。他们的社会地位和状况反映在他们对待死亡的态度上。

While problems of the elderly have received much research attention in the areas of sociology and social welfare, studies have tended to focus on elderly Japanese. Further, within the extensive research that has been done on the situation of foreign nationals in general in Japan, studies of the Chinese community have tended to concentrate on issues of ethnic identity and communal organizations. In response to this situation, this paper focuses on issues regarding elderly Chinese residents in Japan, with a particular emphasis on changes in the community over recent decades and on problems of loneliness among the elderly.The purpose of this paper is to examine the lives and attitude to death of elderly Chinese residents in Japan. The research results are as follows. First, there are big differences in the lives of elderly Chinese in Japan. The level of income varies according to occupation and pension benefits they receive. The ability to be involved in social activities and networks varies according to family and occupation.Second, elderly Chinese have regarded Japan as their second home. The number of second-generation Chinese in international marriages has increased since the 1980s. The majority of elderly Chinese residents are spending their old age in Japan.Finally, the majority of elderly Chinese intend to be buried in Japan, because their children live in Japan. But they also hope to be buried in China. It seems that even in death they will always be marginal men. Their social status and condition are reflected in their attitude to approaching death.