 Until 1972 , most deaths were dealt with by families , funeral homes , or nōkanshi . As of 2014 , about 80 % of deaths occur in hospitals , and preparation of the bodies is frequently done by hospital staff ; in such cases , the family often does not see the body until the funeral . A 1998 survey found that 29 @.@ 5 % of the Japanese population believed in an afterlife , and a further 40 % wanted to believe ; belief was highest among the young . Belief in the existence of a soul ( 54 % ) and a connection between the worlds of the living and the dead ( 64 @.@ 9 % ) was likewise common . 
