Abstract
Filipino marriage immigrants in Japan are characterized by the large number of women in their early 50s who worked as entertainers, then married Japanese customers, and settled down in Japan. Interviews with 48 Filipino marriage immigrants in their 50s or older who live in the Kansai region of Japan have revealed anxiety regarding whether to remain in Japan or return to the Philippines in their later years. Factors such as cultural differences between the Philippines and Japan regarding support for elderly parents are of particular concern. Findings from this study indicate the following. First, their own adult children (henceforth referred to as children) are both pull and push factors for return migration in old age. While the participants of this study wish to reside close to their children, they are cognizant of the cultural differences between them and thus are concerned with becoming a burden on their children. In the Philippines, it is considered to be quite natural to care financially for one’s elderly parents; however, in Japan, children and parents make a living independently of each other. Second, the study has revealed welfare issues for ageing marriage immigrant women (e.g., living alone, the absence of a pension, and the need for social aid). They are financially insecure, particularly if they are bereaved, separated from their husbands, dependent on social aid, or rely upon their children’s income. Third, the “hidden psychological costs” of marriage migration (Statham 2019) are also observed among the participants of this study, and one of its manifestations seems to be the willingness to return home due to a reluctance to rely on their own children and their spouses, as well as their grandchildren, all of whom they consider to be “Japanese” and psychologically distant from themselves.
