Small Funerals Growing in Japan amid Virus Outbreak

Tokyo, April 6 (Jiji Press)--A growing mood of voluntary restraint in Japan amid the new coronavirus outbreak is affecting people's last farewells to loved ones, as indicated in the increasing number of small family funerals. People are avoiding gatherings at enclosed places and close contacts with others, after a group infection was found among participants at a funeral in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, western Japan. The number of private funerals with few attendees started increasing in March, according to funeral company Koekisha Co., which conducts more than 11,000 funerals a year in the Kansai western Japan region and the Tokyo metropolitan area. Many dinner parties usually held after wakes have been canceled, said the company, based in the western city of Osaka. At funeral halls, measures to prevent infections have been taken, such as securing larger-than-usual distances between chairs and placing a sanitizer at the entrance. A funeral operator's job is to "protect the dignity of the deceased and offer support for the bereaved," a Koekisha worker said. "It is a one-off event and is really important for the remaining lives of the bereaved," the worker added. "We are doing everything we can to help people say last goodbyes without any regrets." Due to coronavirus infections, some people are unable to view their loved ones, with bodies placed in leak-proof nontransparent bags. The health ministry said on its website that it is desirable for the bodies of infected people to be sealed in such bags to prevent people from contracting the virus. After an increase of infections, Koekisha started asking customers for the cause of death of the deceased and whether other family members had close contacts with them. If the body is not put in a designated bag and in a coffin at the hospital, Koekisha workers carry out such work wearing protective suits, according to the company. The number of funerals is not decreasing, but many company-organized funerals, home-going services and Buddhist memorial services have been canceled, according to Koekisha and other funeral operators. END