This　article　takes　a　life　course　perspective　to　examine　the　immigration　and　settlement　processes　experienced　by　children　of　Japanese　war　orphans　left　behind　in　China.　Due　to　legal,　social　and　biological　factors,　the　lifecourses　of　immigrants　are　analysed　in　four　groups,　determined　their　age　and,　concomitantly　their　year　of　immigration.　＂Child　immigrants＂　immigrated　by　the　mid-1980s　at　school　age　and　steadily　built　working　careers.　Due　to　multiple　factors,　＂adolescent　immigrants＂　made　a　hasty　decision　to　immigrate　to　Japan　before　reaching　twenty　in　the　late　1980s.　As　they　did　not　have　special　skills,　they　remained　unable　to　achieve　upward　mobility.　＂Young　adult　immigrants,＂　falling　outside　the　age-limit　eligible　for　government　support,　immigrated　in　1990s　at　their　own　expense　while　in　their　20s.　It　took　a　long　time　before　attaining　stability　in　life.　＂Elder　adult　immigrants＂　immigrated　in　the　late　1990s　and　later　while　in　their　30s.　They　continue　to　live　at　the　bottom　of　the　social　ladder　in　Japan.