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Paper short abstract

This paper explores care and family in Sukuwaretenjaneyo by Kamimura Yutaka, where a teenage girl struggles with her own well-being while caring for her ill mother. It examines the emergence of “young carers” and the role of humor in representing power dynamics between caregivers and care receivers.

Paper long abstract

Having transformed itself from an “ageing society” into an “aged society,” Japan is known as the oldest society in history. It therefore comes as no surprise that, in such a super-aged society (chōkōreishakai), the theme of care for older adults has attracted considerable attention in literary and film studies. In both reality and fiction, caregiving is commonly perceived and depicted as a family matter. Care is most often provided in the form of home care; consequently, the burden falls on the nuclear family, and particularly on women. An analysis of representations of care in literature is therefore essential to recognize the burdens borne by caregivers and to open discussion on new forms of caregiving and care-receiving that are not exclusively tied to traditional gender roles.

Furthermore, the lingering influence of a patriarchal family system, combined with increasing care demands in an aging population, has led to the emergence of “young carers.” While there is no legal definition of a young carer, the term generally refers to children under 18 who take on adult-like caregiving responsibilities, facing risks to their education, wellbeing, and rights.

This paper explores Sukuwaretenjaneyo (Don’t think you’re off the hook, 2025) by Kamimura Yutaka (b. 2000). The story follows a seventeen-year-old girl who attends high school while caring for her mother, who suffers from a serious incurable illness. At home, caregiving dominates her daily life, leaving her little space to think about school or her own future. Caught between her love for her mother and the unspoken pressure from her family and society that she should provide care simply because she is a daughter, she suppresses her own emotions and desires. The narrative traces her journey from being submerged in caregiving to seeking to distance herself from familial roles and reclaiming her own sense of self.

In this presentation, I examine how Sukuwaretenjaneyo depicts relationships and conflicts within the family, and how it raises questions about who within the family should bear responsibility for the care of adults. I further explore the role of humor in representing power dynamics between caregivers and care receivers.