일본 기업의 장례문화 일고찰

Abstract

For the purposes of this article, a comprehensive research on Company funeral, which is a funeral that held by the corporations in Japan. This research approaches Company funeral ethnographically in an attempt to understand the controversial relations between the individuals and the third parties who tries to intervene his or her funeral practices. Drawing upon fieldwork research with funeral companies and corporations attempting to engage individual funeral, I look at why and how these thirds parties attempt to intervene with the personal and individual ritual, I argue that the death of CEO or president for the corporation is a potential risk which can be managed by organizing Company funeral. By follows on the developing processes that the CEO’s obituary notice by the media that creates the market anxiety which are frequently related with the negative perspective on the future management of corporation. As evidenced by the market anxieties surrounding future management of corporation and leadership of successor, these concerns are usually reflected on the stock chart which show that impact after the obituary notice. I explore the two different Company funeral practices that conducted by the two different corporations. Specifically, I examine how the corporation frames the funeral practice within a management against risk that triggered by the death of the former CEOs. The corporation hospitality towards the mourners are differed amongst the importance of its relationship, although the politicians, stockholders, and VIPs from the partners were assisted by the staffs at all times, but the subcontractors were alienated and isolated from the hospitalities. I also draw attention to the context of the eulogies that read by the representative of two groups. The two groups were attempting to confirm the partnership that became uncertain after the death of former CEO. The partnership between the corporations is possessed by the CEO’s relationship with the other corporations CEOs. Due to its exclusive relationships, the death of the CEO was perceived as a risk to the relationship that caused the market anxiety. The intervention of corporation in the individual funeral, was an intended for reconfirmation of the relationship between the partner corporations.