A “Report of the Study Group on Publicity and Enlightenment of Creating a Peaceful and Reliable End-of-life Stage -For Better Lives and Better Farewells-

In Japan, the natural population decline and ultra-aging of its society are causing new problems in various social and economic fields which have been dramatically changing.
To solve these problems, Japan needs to change its way of thinking and adopt new approaches.

From this viewpoint, METI released a report "Creating a Peaceful and Reliable End-of-Life Stage" on August 10, 2011. This report states that Japan would take action for creating a life-stage comprising the end of life and subsequent stages (End-of-Life Stage*) and that Japan primarily recommended that it would be required to convey various information to the public to change its awareness of preparation for the end-of-life and subsequent stages for the bereaved.
http://www.meti.go.jp/english/press/2011/0810_02.html

*Note: "End-of-life stage" refers to an idea combining the following two concepts:

1. Preparing for people facing the end-of-life stage and bereavement in advance of death (action); and
2. Reconstructing daily lives of the bereaved and its subsequent stages (period).

Based on the recommendations in the report, in October 2010 METI established a study group consisting of academics, lawyers, health professionals, financial experts, religious people, the press, consumer group representatives, experts from related service industries, etc. The study group held five meetings by February this year and discussed issues considering the information from other experts outside of the study group.

1) Outline of the End-of-life Stage and viewpoints for changing public awareness

1. Outline of the End-of-life Stage
2. Three viewpoints to change the public's awareness of preparation for end-of-life and subsequent stages:
   a. Respecting various senses of values;
   b. Seeking a spiritually affluent society; and
   c. Creating additional support according to changing in the social structures, etc.

2) Future development of End-of-life Stage

1. Facilitating cooperation between people involved in support
2. Preparing a base on which such people are able to take action sustainably and independently

Based on the recommendations in the report and opinions about this report, METI will take the following actions in this fiscal year: [i] diffusing and enlightening the End-of-life Stage concept to people from various fields involved in such support directly or indirectly through commercial and industrial associations or Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and [ii] facilitating cooperation between such people involved in the support.

[Figure for representing the End-of-life Stage concept and people involved in support]

*This figure shows typical people involved in this concept.

Image of the End-of-life Stage(PDF:128KB)

April 26, 2012

Service Industries Office, Service Affairs Policy Division, Commerce and Information Policy Bureau