The drivers of innovation in the Japanese funeral industry

Profil :
Natacha Aveline-Dubach is CNRS professor at university Paris I-Panthéon
Sorhonne (Géographie-Cités). She stayed more than ten years in Japan,
conducting research on land markets and urban policies with a visiting
scholar affiliation in several universities (Kyoto, Tokyo, Waseda,
Keio). She also served as director of the North-Asia CNRS regional
office (based in Tokyo). Recently, she published an edited collection
entitled « The Invisible Population: The Place of the Dead in East-Asian
Megacities.

Résumé :
The Japanese funeral rituals and spaces are currently undergoing rapid change due to the weakening of the traditional ie-based grave system. A true innovation process is under way, bringing novelty in ashes disposal modes and mortuary services in the biggest Japanese cities. This presentation examines the drivers of innovation in the mortuary field. Three major factors are highlighted: 1. The demographic and societal change, which not only entails an exploding demand for burial space, but also radically transforms the way burial is considered. 2. The distinctive ‘plasticity’ of the Japanese city, which allows the transfer of cemeteries from one place to another, and even their full transformation into indoor ‘coin-locker’ ossuaries (rokka-shiki nôkotsudô). 3. The cross -fertilization of ideas and approaches among three major players of the funeral industry, i. e. Buddhist communities, NPOs and marble masons.

Modérateur : Jean-Michel BUTEL (MFJ, UMIFRE 19)

Organisation : Bureau français de la MFJ
Co-organisation : CCIFJ

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