What to do if you cannot keep the body of a foreign family member at home in Ageo City | How to choose a place to keep the body

In the event of a sudden death, there are times when it is not possible to keep the deceased's body at home for reasons such as "the house is too small," "we are worried because we live in a rental property," "we need to consider the feelings of family members living together," or "we want to consult with relatives in our home country before making a decision." This is especially true for foreign families living in Japan, where language barriers, procedures, and communication with distant relatives can make it difficult to know where to begin.

When planning a funeral in Ageo City, it's important to consider a place to keep the deceased outside of your home and to calmly arrange the cremation and farewell. A place to keep the deceased is not simply a place to "leave" them, but also a place that supports what is important to your family, such as whether visits are permitted, whether companions are allowed, the burden of travel, and any religious or cultural requests. Here, we will guide you through the points to check when choosing a place to keep the deceased.

First, let's clarify the circumstances under which the need for temporary storage arises.

After someone passes away in a hospital or other facility, it may be difficult to immediately transport the body home. Even if it is possible to transport the body home, the living environment or family circumstances may make it burdensome to keep the body there continuously. In such cases, it is advisable to consult with a funeral home or other facility regarding a place to keep the body and to check their acceptance status and conditions.

When you come for a consultation, there's no need to rush into deciding on all the details. To the best of your knowledge, tell us where the deceased is currently, whether the family wishes to visit, and when you'd like to consider cremation or a family funeral. This will help us organize the order of considerations. If you're considering transportation from not only Ageo City but also Okegawa City or Ina Town, it's a good idea to share the starting point and a convenient location for the family to gather.

Five things to check when comparing places of repose

1. Dates and times when visits are permitted, and how accompanying persons will be handled.

The first thing you should confirm is whether your family wishes to see you and say goodbye. The procedures, times, and number of visitors vary depending on the mortuary. Don't assume you can visit anytime; discuss in advance how many people wish to visit and if any relatives are traveling from afar.

If you have family members living overseas, it's important to inform them of the situation, even if their arrival date in Japan is undecided. Whether you wait for an in-person visit or if cremation may proceed first will depend on your family's wishes and the current procedures. Please check the individual conditions regarding the period of repose and whether visits are permitted.

2. Transportation from home/hospital and the process to the crematorium

When choosing a place to keep the deceased, it's helpful to consider not only the distance from the current location, but also where the funeral will be held afterward and which crematorium will be used. The necessary travel and preparations will differ depending on the format of the service, such as a farewell at a funeral hall, a family funeral, or a cremation-only service.

For example, the funeral venue and the crematorium are not necessarily in the same location. When considering potential venues, be sure to check the flow of movement from the place of repose to the venue, and from the venue to the crematorium. In addition to the number of moves and the time involved, the burden on elderly relatives or young children who will be participating should also be discussed with the family.

3. Can you spend the time you want to cherish at a family funeral?

When choosing a private family funeral centered around close relatives, it's important to consider how you can say goodbye while the deceased is being laid to rest. Each person has different wishes, such as wanting to spend time quietly with just family, wanting to keep photos and mementos nearby, or wanting family members to speak to the deceased in their native language.

However, each facility has its own rules regarding what can be brought in, what can be done indoors, and how visitors should spend their time there. Religious prayers, clothing, food, and activities involving noise are not uniformly permitted. If you have any requests, it is best to write them down concisely and confirm them with the receiving facility or relevant parties in advance to ensure peace of mind.

4. Consultation methods to reduce misunderstandings.

When a funeral involves a foreign family member, there are often many things to confirm, such as the spelling of names, registration related to nationality, and explanations to relatives in their home country. If it is difficult to communicate by phone in Japanese, please consult about the method of communication as soon as possible. Seikatsu Funeral Service Center offers telephone consultations in Japanese, and also provides information on email consultations in multiple languages.

When contacting us by email, it's helpful to organize and provide as much information as possible about the deceased's current location, preferred language of communication, how the representative family member should be contacted, and whether you wish the body to be kept somewhere other than home. Since the availability and conditions for interpretation, transportation, storage, and religious rites vary from case to case, it's important to confirm the necessary details before proceeding.

5. Don't make a decision based solely on cost; confirm the terms and conditions in writing or through records.

In urgent situations, costs are a major concern, but when choosing a place to keep the deceased, don't judge solely on price. Check what is included and what the conditions are regarding visits and transportation. Whether your desired arrangements are possible and whether additional arrangements are needed will depend on individual circumstances and the facility's capacity.

It's a good idea to take notes of what you hear so that you can share them with your family. Especially when consulting with relatives overseas, separating what has been decided, what is still being confirmed, and who will confirm it will help minimize misunderstandings. Even in a hectic situation, taking the time to confirm each point will lead to choices you'll regret less.

We will confirm the procedures and cremation schedule simultaneously.

Alongside deciding on a place to keep the body, it's also necessary to confirm the procedures required for filing a death certificate and cremation. The death certificate must be accompanied by a doctor's death certificate or post-mortem examination report, and the filing location and required information will vary depending on the circumstances. The cremation permit must include the name of the crematorium to be used, so arrangements for booking the crematorium are also involved.

For foreign nationals, it may be necessary to check with the relevant authorities, embassies, or consulates regarding nationality, name spelling, and registration in their home country. If it is difficult for family members to make decisions on their own, divide the inquiries among different authorities. You can reduce confusion by assigning roles to each person: ask the funeral home about the funeral, mortuary, and cremation process; ask the local government office about registration; and ask the embassy or consulate about procedures in their home country.

Things to decide with family members who live far away

It's reassuring to share decisions made during the funeral arrangements with relatives in your home country or other regions. Since it's difficult to reach an agreement with all relatives in a short time, you might consider appointing a representative and establishing a single point of contact.

• Reasons for using a temporary mortuary rather than home
• Those who wish to meet and their estimated arrival time
• Will we hold a private family funeral, or is there a possibility of cremation first?
• Requests for confirmation regarding religion and culture
• The person in charge of the procedures in Japan and the person in charge of the procedures to be confirmed on the home country side.
• Language and means of communication for sharing decisions

When opinions are not aligned, separate what needs to be decided immediately from what can be discussed after the body is laid to rest. One approach is to first confirm the availability of the facility to receive the body and the arrangements for transportation, and then consider the details of visits and the funeral service. Even though the family members all cherish the deceased, their priorities may differ due to distance and cultural differences. Rather than rushing to a conclusion, it is important to carefully gather information as much as possible.

If you're feeling anxious, please tell us exactly what you want and what you need clarification on.

There is no need to feel sorry if you cannot keep the deceased at home. What is important is to choose a place for the deceased that suits your family's circumstances and allows your family to prepare for the farewell without undue burden. Even if you have to travel to Okegawa City or Ina Town in addition to the funeral in Ageo City, or contact relatives overseas, it is perfectly fine if you haven't sorted everything out perfectly from the start.

When contacting Seikatsu Funeral Service Center, please be upfront about your current situation, such as "it's difficult to keep the body at home," "we want to visit," or "we are consulting with family members who are abroad." We can confirm the availability of a place to keep the body, transportation, visits, religious and cultural preferences, and the process up to cremation in advance, depending on your circumstances. Let's calmly explore the options that best suit your family so that you can cherish the time you have with your loved one.