Japan's attitudes toward death and bereavement, traditionally disparate from those of the West, are in the process of rapid transition. This article considers these social changes from the standpoints of (1) Japan's aging population; (2) changing attitudes toward suicide; (3) the Westernization of Japanese medicine; (4) Japanese decision-making and concepts of personhood; (5) evolution of funeral practices; (6) religious beliefs and death anxiety. Rapid social changes are making it more difficult for families to feel satisfied with the nature of their relatives' passing. It remains to be seen whether traditional Buddhist practices of bereavement counseling can be expanded and applied to meet the needs of the secularizing population.