Communication and media usage of the older generation of Sakhalin repatriates in Japan

Abstract

The aim of the article is to find out the features of communication and media usage among the older generation of Sakhalin repatriates in Japan. To achieve this aim we set up the following tasks: 1. To define what media and what language are used by the older generation of Sakhalin repatriates; 2. To make it clear what media are used by the older generation of Sakhalin repatriates for communication inside Japan and abroad; 3. To elucidate the changes and their reasons in media usage by the older generation of Sakhalin repatriates occurred since the beginning of their repatriation. This article is based on interviews with 9 respondents conducted between August and October in 2017. All respondents represent the older generation. The field study covered 5 cities (in alphabet order): Asahikawa, Hakodate, Sapporo, Tokyo, Wakkanai. The middle age of respondents is equal to 70 years and 3 months. Previous studies on Sakhalin repatriates in Japan were on the issues of the pre-repatriation period, cultural background, language level, identity factors, adaptation strategies different for each generation of Sakhalin repatriates. However, the issues connected with communication and media usage has never been the subject for a special study. The results of the study can be used for understanding the features of such a phenomena as repatriation, as well as the modern communication processes both in Japan and the world. The author comes to the following conclusions: 1. The older generation of Sakhalin repatriates is able to maintain a multicultural space of living by using multilingual media and conducting transnational communication; 2. There are differences in new media usage among the older generation of Sakhalin repatriates. These differences arise not only from lack of media literacy but also from social and economic status of repatriates and their needs.