A Japanese war orphan speaks during an interview at his home. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A documentary exploring the lives of Japanese war orphans in China is set to premiere on Tuesday, commemorating the 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

Titled, Journey Home, the documentary delves into the stories of Japanese orphans who were left behind in China following Japan's surrender in 1945. Known as "Japanese war orphans" in China, the children were adopted and raised by ordinary Chinese families.

The documentary crew conducted extensive interviews in both China and Japan, visiting cities including Harbin, Mudanjiang, Changchun, Shenyang and Lingyuan in northeastern China, as well as Tokyo, Saitama, Nagoya, Kumamoto and Osaka in Japan.

Of the 15 war orphans interviewed, six stories were selected for the final cut, along with an account from a second-generation war orphan.

Among them is 80-year-old Kimura Narihiko, who was left behind when he was just seven days old and adopted by a couple in Dunhua, Jilin province.

A documentary exploring the lives of Japanese war orphans in China is set to premiere on Aug 19. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

"My Chinese mother, Xu Suzhen, lost all her teeth before she turned 40 because she would chew scorching hot sorghum to feed me since she couldn't produce milk," Kimura recalled. "I vowed to help her get dentures when I grew up, but she passed away at 52. This unfulfilled promise has become my lifelong regret."

The documentary, comprising over 200 hours of ultra-high-definition footage, portrays these elderly war orphans as they grapple with their dual identities eight decades after the war. Their stories, largely overlooked, reflect both the war's impact on civilian lives and the compassion of their Chinese adoptive families.

Facilitated by the National Radio and Television Administration and produced by Shanghai Media Group, the documentary will be broadcast on Dragon TV at 10 pm on Tuesday and simultaneously made available on major streaming platforms including Bilibili, Tencent, Youku, iQiyi, Migu and Mango TV.

International versions in Japanese, English, and other languages are scheduled for release later this year, with broadcasts planned on Phoenix TV and Radio Television Hong Kong on Sept 3.