ABSTRACT
This chapter summarizes the modern history of death in Japan (1800–2020) with a particular focus on the role of religion, the family, and end-of-life care. It explains why Buddhism has traditionally held a strong influence over beliefs and practices associated with death in Japan, how the forms of funerary rites were renegotiated in the context of Japan’s rapid modernization, and how the recent aging of Japan’s population has created a severe demographic problem with significant implications for the care of the dying and memorialization practices. It also touches on how religious and cultural beliefs have mitigated Japanese views on issues such as suicide, brain death, and death anxiety. This overview suggests that far from being hidden from modern view, death remains visible in Japanese society in many ways. This is especially due to the traditional importance placed on the maintenance of bonds between the living and the dead.
