Article ID: 2024-017
A web-based survey was conducted among the bereaved families of Japanese generals, soldiers, and civilian employees of the military who died in wars since the Marco Polo Bridge Incident in 1937. The study aimed to assess the status of the return of the war dead’s remains and to explore why bereaved families have continued to hope for their return. Among the 241 participants analyzed, only 35 (14.52％) had received the remains of their deceased loved ones. The nonreturn rate was notably higher for those who passed away abroad and for individuals who served in the Navy. To explore the reasons noted above, the bereaved families were divided into three groups: those who had received the remains, those who had not but visited the place of death, and those who had neither received the remains nor visited the site. Among the latter two groups, there was a common perception that the souls of the deceased remained at the place of death. This finding indicates that the remains left at the place of death are perceived by many families as embodying the souls of the war dead, underscoring the deep spiritual importance attached to their recovery.
