# Japanese funeral industry service expansions

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/japanese-funeral-industry-service-expansions
> Updated: 2026-09-24T01:13:39.000Z. Sources: 3. Developments: 2.

In late August 2026, idea Co., Ltd. introduced a partnership program in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, and Saitama designed to address the issue of abandoned vacant houses. The program allows funeral service providers to refer bereaved families to real estate services, earning referral fees of up to 550,000 yen per case. Concurrently, Selmo Co., Ltd. announced the opening of two new facilities in Oita City—the “Gyokusen-in Family Funeral Residence Hetugi” and the “Gyokusen-in Handa Hall”—to accommodate varying funeral scales for an aging population.

By late September 2026, idea Co., Ltd. expanded its referral initiative to include stone and Buddhist altar shops. This specific program targets customers undergoing graveyard removal (haka-jimai), connecting them with real estate services as they manage ancestral properties. The initiative responds to rising vacancy rates in Japan, which reached a record 9 million in 2023.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-24: idea Co., Ltd. launches real estate referral program for stone and altar shops

idea Co., Ltd. is recruiting stone and altar shop partners in the Kanto region to refer clients undergoing graveyard removal to real estate services, aiming to reduce abandoned vacant houses.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/idea-co-ltd-launches-real-estate-referral-program-for-stone-and-altar-shops

### 2026-08-31: Japanese funeral industry expands services and facilities

Japanese funeral industry updates include idea Co., Ltd. launching a real estate referral program for funeral homes and Selmo Co., Ltd. announcing two new specialized funeral halls in Oita City.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/japanese-funeral-industry-expands-services-and-facilities

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Cite as: Japanese funeral industry service expansions. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/japanese-funeral-industry-service-expansions