Anshin Sogi Conducts Awareness Survey on End-of-Life Planning: Over 1 in 6 People with Children Feel "Alone" in Their Preparations

SMS Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Masaki Takahata; TSE Prime; hereinafter "the Company"), which operates the funeral home introduction service "Anshin Sogi" (URL: https://ansinsougi.jp/), conducted a "Survey on Awareness of End-of-Life Planning" targeting 11,528 men and women aged 60 and over. [Survey Results Summary] - Approximately 30% of those aged 60 and over self-identify as "ohitorisama" (alone), having no one close to rely on after death. - Even among those with children, more than 1 in 6 feel they are "ohitorisama." - The most common reason for feeling unable to rely on anyone after death among those with children is "because I do not want to burden my children." - Regarding matters after death, over 30% responded that they have worries, regardless of whether they have children or not. - Regarding post-death procedures, many have someone they can entrust with "real estate management and sales procedures," "administrative procedures," "funerals," and "notification at the time of death." - The estimated cost for one's own post-death procedures is between 500,000 and 2,000,000 yen, with over 40% answering that they "already have the full amount prepared." - The recognition rate of ending notes is over 90% for both those with and without children. The percentage of people who actually write them is higher among those with children. - The most common reason for not writing an ending note is "I don't know what to write or how to start." <> - I don't know what to expect. - I have no one to consult with. - I don't want to burden my children with the hassle of clearing out the house or dealing with public office procedures. - I am worried that things I value or have spent time collecting will simply be disposed of or processed as trash. - I have no spouse or children. My siblings live far away, and considering it may be difficult for them to come sort out my affairs after I die when they become elderly, I can't think of anyone else to rely on. - I have a niece and a younger sister, but because I have no funds, I cannot ask them to handle my post-death affairs. - When should utilities like electricity, gas, and water be stopped? [Detailed Survey Results] 1. Approximately 30% of those aged 60 and over self-identify as "ohitorisama," having no one close to rely on after death. Even among those with children, more than 1 in 6 feel they are "ohitorisama." 2. The most common reason for feeling unable to rely on anyone after death is, for those with children, "because I do not want to burden my children (65.5%)." 3. Regarding matters after death, over 30% responded that they have worries, regardless of whether they have children or not. 4. Among post-death procedures, the one with the lowest percentage of "having no one to rely on" is "management and sales procedures for real estate such as the home." 5. Those who self-identify as "ohitorisama" estimate that post-death procedures will cost between 500,000 and 2,000,000 yen. Against this estimated cost, 47.9% answered that they "already have the full amount prepared." (*Question directed to those other than people who answered "I have absolutely no idea" regarding the amount needed for post-death procedures.) 6. The creation rate of ending notes is about three times higher among those with children. In addition, the format of creation is equally split between paper and digital. 7. The most common reason for not writing an ending note is "I don't know what to write or how to start." (*Question directed to those who know about ending notes but have not created one.) [Survey Overview] - Implementation period: Friday, March 13, 2026 to Friday, March 20, 2026 - Survey target: Men and women aged 60 and over nationwide - Total number of responses: 11,528 (Of those who self-identified as "ohitorisama," 482 responded to an additional survey) - Survey method: Web-based questionnaire *Please contact us for separate materials regarding the details of the survey. *Because the figures for each item are rounded to one decimal place, the total of each item may not equal 100%. ■ Comment from Hiroki Otsubo, Group Manager, Sales & Marketing Group, Life Ending Support Business Department In recent years, as the "individualization of views on life and death" and the "simplification of funerals" progress, "isolation after death," where people face their final moments without relying on anyone, has become a prominent social issue. In order to enable everyone to design the final stages of their life with peace of mind, it is essential to uncover the potential anxieties of funeral service users and create an environment where businesses can fulfill those wishes. This survey was conducted with the aim of exploring the real situation of modern "ohitorisama" and finding hints for businesses involved in the life-ending sector to align with the true feelings of users. Through this survey, we learned that approximately 30% of those aged 60 and over perceive themselves as "ohitorisama." What is noteworthy is that even in the "with children" demographic, 1 in 6 self-identify as "ohitorisama." The background to this is the consideration that they "do not want to burden their children," which is the most common reason for not being able to rely on someone after death. Not only isolation due to environmental factors such as living alone, but even when having family, choosing to be independent