While some cemeteries are popular, others are experiencing a surprising lack of user growth. Recently, there has been an increase in the number of people choosing to offer perpetual memorial services and not build a grave. Perpetual memorial services offer the benefit to consumers of not having to pay annual maintenance fees like regular graves. However, just like ordinary companies, cemeteries and ossuaries can go bankrupt.
If a cemetery or graveyard goes bankrupt, do you know what happens to the existing graves and ossuaries? In that case, a new corporation will take over management, or the surviving family members will have to collect the remains. You might receive a postcard stating, "We have gone bankrupt. Please come and collect the remains by this date." That's all.
Therefore, choose your cemetery carefully. Be wary of perpetual memorial services and annual maintenance fees that are too low compared to the market price. Also, be wary of overly luxurious ossuaries and management buildings, or excessive advertising in television commercials and newspaper ads. Be sure to speak with the sales representative thoroughly and choose a reputable company that you can trust.
Cemeteries are managed and administered by local governments, religious corporations, and public interest corporations. Religious and public interest corporations can also go bankrupt if their financial situation deteriorates, but city- or town-run cemeteries managed by local governments are not necessarily safe. Japan, with its declining population, cannot escape the current high death rate, and it is predicted that Japan's population will fall below 100 million in 20 years. Population decline accelerates depopulation. Economic activity will gradually stagnate, resulting in reduced tax revenues. Meanwhile, social security costs will increase due to the declining birthrate and aging population. Repayments on bonds (debt) used to develop public facilities will remain high for the long term. The aging of these facilities will require maintenance and renovation costs, creating a triple or quadruple whammy.
In fact, there is a possibility that we will end up repeating the fate of Yubari City. Even if the local government itself survives, if the budget deficit continues, the surrounding roads will not be maintained, and it may become difficult to even reach the cemetery. The sight of a dilapidated cemetery abandoned on an isolated island in the middle of a desolate land is unbearable to even imagine. The Japanese economy is completely different from what it has been for the past 50 years. We Japanese must understand that we are currently facing a phase of economic slowdown and decline. |
