Crematorium shortage becoming acute - where’ll you get cremated?

What with the rapidly aging population, mythical taboos, plus soaring land prices it isn’t difficult to understand why Japan will face serious shortage of crematorium in the very near future.

The number of Japanese aged 65 or older hit a record 27 million in 2007, more than 21 percent of the population. That percentage will nearly double in the next 30 years.

Japan, however, faces significant barriers to expanding the number of crematoria: high land costs and cultural taboos against anything related to death - meaning few Japanese would welcome a crematorium going up next door. Nagoya, in central Japan, has faced typical difficulties.

The Yagoto Cemetery has been struggling since 1999 to build a second crematorium, but opposition from nearby residents has so far blocked construction of the 18 billion yen (US$167 million), 30-furnace facility. The looming crematorium shortage has spawned some macabre proposals.

“A cremation vessel would have many advantages,” said Katsuhiro Motoyama, a spokesman for the Nippon Foundation. “It is cheap to build and it does not occupy any land.” The foundation estimated a 2,600-ton vessel with four furnaces would cost about 2 billion yen (US$20 million). (See the above artist rendition of this futuristic crematorium)

Just think about it, 27 million of Japanese people are already 65 years or older in 2007, and as years pass by these number will go up, projected at around a whopping 54 million in thirty years time! More old people means more will die at the same time. A report at Daily Yomiuri Online where the above excerpt came from claims that crematoriums in Japan have their hands full already. 

Japanese people don’t like crematorium so much - who doesn’t? -  but the point is that communities don’t want them built in their backyard. Remember that around 1.1 million who died last year were all cremated, now imagine an additional 600,000 deaths by 2040. Where would these additional get cremated? Maybe a boat like the one above will be ideal. Or maybe it will still be a lot more cheaper to die abroad. What say you, where do you think you’d like to die (get cremated or be buried)?