Japanese funeral industry expands services and facilities

idea Co., Ltd. has launched a partnership program for funeral service providers in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, and Saitama. The initiative aims to address the growing issue of abandoned vacant houses by allowing funeral directors to refer bereaved families to real estate services. Under this system, funeral homes can receive referral fees of up to 550,000 yen per case, depending on the property value, without needing real estate licenses or staff.

In a separate development within the Japanese funeral sector, Selmo Co., Ltd. announced the opening of two new facilities in Oita City. The “Gyokusen-in Family Funeral Residence Hetugi” is scheduled to open in August 2026, focusing on small-scale family funerals for up to 30 people. This will be followed by the “Gyokusen-in Handa Hall” in September 2026, a larger hall-style facility capable of accommodating up to 70 attendees. These openings aim to meet the diversifying needs of an aging population and the increasing demand for varied funeral scales.