Japan has officially turned down new proposals to build Muslim cemeteries, sparking outrage and concern among minority communities struggling to find proper burial space.
During a welfare committee session, Japanese lawmaker Mio Sugita caused controversy after reportedly telling advocates that if they insist on traditional burials, they should “go back to your own country and bury them there.”
The remark — widely shared online — comes amid growing tensions over land use, religion, and cultural identity in Japan.
Japan’s Shinto-Buddhist funeral tradition relies on 99% cremation, and severe land scarcity leaves almost no space for burial sites. Currently, there are only 10 Muslim cemeteries in the country, many facing strong local opposition due to fears about groundwater contamination and limited land.
Officials from the Welfare Ministry clarified that cemetery approvals are managed locally, and no national policy changes are planned. Consequently, many Muslim families are being told to either accept cremation — against their religious beliefs — or repatriate bodies to their home countries.
