Muslim burial dilemma in Japan sparks debate amid growing population

With Japan’s Muslim population now estimated at 350,000 the country faces increasing pressure to provide burial plots that align with Islamic customs in a nation where cremation is the norm. Islam is the fastest-growing religion in Japan.

Japan’s Kyodo News reports that Miyagi Prefecture’s Governor Yoshihiro Murai has acknowledged the issue, saying that he is considering a new cemetery after a Muslim resident told him that living in Japan “is very difficult” due to the lack of graves. Murai, pointing to the absence of burial cemeteries in the Tohoku region, stated, “Even if I am criticised, we have to do something about this.”

With an increasing number of Muslims living in Japan, there has been a growing demand for burial plots to conform with their religious beliefs in a country where cremation is the norm. @kyodo_english @kyodo_official @MuslimTaro @DahwaJapan @MwlJapan #Japanhttps://t.co/AbrkIoQnjF

— Ibrahim Hooper (@ibrahimhooper) January 31, 2025

Elsewhere, efforts to secure burial sites have met resistance. In Hiji, Oita Prefecture, a planned cemetery backed by the Beppu Muslim Association was halted indefinitely after newly-elected Mayor Tetsuya Abe refused to sell the designated land, citing concerns over groundwater contamination. The plan, approved initially by residents in 2023, had included agreements to limit burials and conduct annual water quality tests.

Japan’s legal framework does not prohibit ground burials, yet more than 99.9 per cent of cemeteries continue to perform cremations. Cremation is strictly forbidden for Muslims. While some local governments consider establishing burial sites, opposition remains strong. “I feel that the government should be more concerned about the lack of attention to multiculturalism,” said Murai.

Tahir Khan, a professor in Oita and representative of the Beppu Muslim Association, insists on the necessity of burial sites for Japan’s Muslim community. “We cannot give up on graves for the sake of the next generation,” he said.

Despite the government’s push to attract Muslim tourists and foreign labour, the lack of burial provisions for Muslims remains unresolved, prompting calls for national intervention to establish guidelines. With Islam’s rapid growth in Japan, the issue is expected to become even more pressing in the coming years.

READ: Discover Kobe Mosque, Japan