Japan Multi-Death Society 2026: 31 Years After Hanshin-Awaji and the New Market Shift

Ten days to wait for a final goodbye. Japan's demographic crisis has reached a grim new milestone as the nation marks 31 years since the Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake.

The Reality of Japan Multi-Death Society 2026

According to NHK reports on January 17, 2026, memorial services across the Kansai region weren't just about looking back at the 1995 disaster. They highlighted a modern catastrophe: a shortage of crematoriums. In what's now termed a 'multi-death society,' families in urban areas are facing waits of over 10 days for funeral services, forcing bodies to be kept in long-term cold storage.

Market Volatility Beyond S&P 500

This demographic pressure is rippling through financial markets. While Japanese stocks have seen record highs, investors are beginning to pivot. Market data suggests a shift away from standard S&P 500 and All-Country index funds. As Nikkei analysts point out, the extreme concentration in global tech is driving capital toward alternative assets that can weather domestic structural changes.

Recruit Holdings CEO Hisayuki Idekoba recently emphasized that emotional intelligence remains a vital energy for corporations. He noted that as society ages, the value of human connection and community resilience—lessons learned from 1.17—will be the ultimate competitive advantage.