The number of unclaimed bodies of people who have died alone and whose identities are unknown or whose relatives have refused to claim them is increasing due to the rise in the number of elderly people living alone and the decline in family ties.

the city halls, gas companies, tepco, fire department in rural areas know who lives where.

elderly people living alone and the decline in family ties.

All those people dedicated their lives to single companies, see when those people die.

No company won't care about them after their retire.

Even a family and distance family, consider those old people just burden to their daily routines.

There's in the end not a significant difference between the handling of claimed bodies or unclaimed ones. The numbers of cremations and needed remains storage or recycling etc is also the same. And about the costs, while they are directly put on tax payers in the unclaimed cases, the costs for the claimed bodies are put on tax payers a bit postponed, because then the surviving families or relatives of the claimed ones maybe fully pay, but then have less money for themselves or for consumption, and then land a few of those relatives or company workers with then lower selling margins in unemployment or welfare, again on tax payers. You see, finally the sum we all have to pay somehow is about the same.

Given the exponentially increasing costs of taking care of families and especially if put in homes, this will only increase.

Surely the responsibility of the local government to look after their residents who paid taxes to said government for their whole lives?

Reminds me of the situation back home,where if a resident dies with debts outstanding and no surviving relatives,,the council (and by proxy,the public)have to pay,but otherwise Prince William can claim their assets or property for the Duchy.

SAD and SICKINING too,

It's all about $$$$.

Maybe Japan should learn a thing or two about other cultures, where parents are sacred and loved until passing...

I can never understand a grown up child completelly ignoring his/her parents, and letting them die alone and miserable. This is one of the cultural aspects I will never assimilate.

I love my parents so much, I always take care of them, even when they can no longer do that. They raised me with love and care, so it's my moral duty to repay them in kind when the time comes.

So for me, I can never understand those kind of things, sorry.