{
  "id": 413224,
  "title": "The increase in public spending on \"death without relatives\" has become a hotbed of unclaimed businesses.\nIn 2018, 33,000 people died without any relatives to claim their bodies, an increase of 9,000 from 2013,\nand local governments across the country are struggling to cope with the rising costs of cremation and burial.\nIn response, some local governments have introduced a system where they pay for cremation and burial\nand then try to recover the costs from the deceased's estate.\nHowever, there are many cases where it is difficult to recover the costs,\nand the financial burden on local governments is expected to continue to increase.\nThis situation has created a lucrative business for some companies that specialize in handling unclaimed bodies.\nThese companies, often referred to as \"unclaimed business operators,\"\noffer services such as cremation and burial for a fee,\nand some have even been known to solicit business from funeral homes and local governments.\nThe spread of unclaimed businesses has raised concerns about the commercialization of death.\nThe Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has announced plans to review the system\nand consider measures to prevent the exploitation of vulnerable individuals.\nThe ministry will also work to ensure that local governments are aware of the issue\nand are taking steps to address the problem.\nIn addition, the ministry will consider introducing regulations to oversee the unclaimed business industry.\nThe issue of unclaimed bodies is a complex one,\nand it will require a comprehensive approach to address the various concerns and challenges involved.\nThe government, local governments, and the private sector will need to work together\nto find a solution that balances the needs of all parties involved.",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/09/story-413224",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-09T22:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Asahi Shimbun",
    "slug": "the-asahi-shimbun",
    "url": "http://www.asahi.com/articles/ASV7X0RNHV7XULLI00MM.html?ref=rss"
  },
  "original_language": "ja",
  "account": null,
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}