[Post-Funeral Reality Survey] Approximately 80% of Chief Mourners Desire 'Continuous Support from Funeral Homes'

Awareness Survey on Post-Funeral Procedures and After-Care Support A funeral is a once-in-a-lifetime event to send off a loved one. However, even after the funeral, there are many things to do, such as submitting notifications to government offices, changing names at financial institutions, inheritance procedures, and preparing for memorial services. Navigating unfamiliar procedures while grieving can be a significant burden. So, how do those who have served as chief mourners or conducted funerals feel about post-funeral procedures, and what kind of support do they desire from funeral homes? This time, in collaboration with Hatao Funeral Home, we conducted a survey on "Expectations for Post-Funeral Procedures and After-Care Support" targeting 195 men and women nationwide who responded in a preliminary survey that they had "experience as a chief mourner or conducting a funeral." *When quoting the contents of this press release, please follow the instructions below. ・State that the source is "a survey by NEXER Co., Ltd. and Hatao Funeral Home." ・Provide a link to Hatao Funeral Home (https://hataosougisha.com/). "Survey on Expectations for Post-Funeral Procedures and After-Care Support" Overview Survey method: Online questionnaire Survey period: April 7, 2026 - April 16, 2026 Target audience: Men and women nationwide who responded in a preliminary survey that they had "experience as a chief mourner or conducting a funeral." Valid responses: 195 samples Questions: Question 1: To what extent were you aware of the necessary post-funeral procedures (notifications to government offices, inheritance, memorial services, etc.) beforehand? Question 2: Have you ever had trouble with post-funeral procedures? Question 3: What kind of difficulties did you encounter? (Multiple answers allowed) Question 4: Would you feel relieved if there was a funeral home that you could continue to consult with after the funeral? Question 5: Please tell us the reason. Question 6: What kind of after-care support do you expect from funeral homes? (Multiple answers allowed) Question 7: Please tell us about any memorable experiences or things you would be happy to have regarding post-funeral procedures and support. *As a general rule, figures are rounded to the second decimal place, so the total may not always be 100%. ■ 45.6% responded that they were "not very / hardly aware" of post-funeral procedures. First, we asked to what extent they were aware of the necessary post-funeral procedures beforehand. As a result, 12.3% said "fully aware" and 42.1% said "somewhat aware," totaling 54.4% who had some prior knowledge. On the other hand, 28.7% said "not very aware" and 16.9% said "hardly aware," totaling 45.6% who seemed to have taken on the role of chief mourner without fully understanding post-funeral procedures. ■ 21.0% responded that they had "experienced difficulties" with post-funeral procedures. Next, we asked if they had experienced any difficulties with post-funeral procedures. As a result, 21.0% said "yes" and 79.0% said "no." Only about 20% of the total experienced difficulties, indicating that most people were able to proceed with procedures without major problems. Furthermore, we asked those who responded that they had "experienced difficulties" with post-funeral procedures what kind of difficulties they encountered. The most common was "changing names/canceling bank accounts and various contracts" at 58.5%. This was followed by "inheritance procedures" at 56.1%, "notifications to government offices" at 46.3%, "organizing遺品 (belongings of the deceased)" at 34.1%, "preparing for memorial services and interment" at 29.3%, and "insurance claim procedures" at 26.8%. Post-funeral procedures vary in contact points and deadlines depending on the content. Even if each procedure is not difficult, trying to proceed with them simultaneously can be burdensome. The difficulty in understanding what to do, by when, and where to do it may be contributing to the chief mourner's worries. ■ 77.9% responded that they would feel "relieved" if there was a funeral home they could continue to consult with after the funeral. Next, we asked if they would feel relieved if there was a funeral home they could continue to consult with after the funeral. As a result, 36.4% said "strongly agree" and 41.5% said "somewhat agree," totaling 77.9% who gave affirmative responses. On the other hand, only 19.5% said "not very much" and 2.6% said "not at all." Here are some of the reasons why they felt "relieved": ・"There are so many things I don't understand, so it would be helpful if I could just consult with the funeral home staff." (30s, female) ・"It's a time when I'm mentally exhausted, so after-care would be very much appreciated." (40s, female) ・"It would be helpful if they could support me when I have trouble with post-funeral procedures." (40s, male) ・"In a mentally depressed state..."