An insecticide company in Japan has attracted attention online by holding a memorial service for the insects it killed during product testing.
On December 23, around 100 employees from Earth Corporation gathered at Myodoji Temple in Hyogo prefecture, southern Japan, to honour the insects during a special ritual.
The annual tradition has been observed by the company for more than 40 years, Asahi Broadcasting Television reported.
Founded in Osaka in 1892, the Earth Corporation is Japan’s leading manufacturer of insecticides.
Japanese media reports said that the company’s research facility houses more than a million cockroaches plus more than 100 million fleas and other insects for testing purposes.
During the ritual, photographs of several experimental insects, including mosquitoes, cockroaches and mites, are placed in front of a Buddhist altar.
Employees take turns offering incense and praying for the peaceful rest of the insects that contributed to product development.
Tomohiro Kobori, head of the research and development department, told the media: “This is a valuable opportunity for us to reflect on insects and express our gratitude.”
The memorial, which lasts about an hour, included a monk chanting sutras and delivering a sermon. Previous sermon themes have reportedly included “Six Roots Purification”.
In Buddhism, the six roots refer to the six sense organs. Overcoming the delusions of these senses is believed to lead to a better life.
Buddhism is one of Japan’s major religions, with around 84.7 million followers according to 2013 statistics.
Some believers argue that in a people-centred world, creatures are often killed out of fear, regardless of whether they pose a threat, driven by human consciousness.
The bug memorial service at Earth Corporation began in the mid-1980s, though the initiator has not been revealed.
The insects raised and tested by the company had never caused harm to humans.
Some employees found the ritual “awkward” and “hilarious” at first.
However, eventually they were moved by the solemn atmosphere and began to grasp its deeper significance.
Mika Kawaguchi, an employee, once said the memorial changed how researchers relate to insects.
She told Oricon News: “The bugs helped us develop products that save lives and assist those affected by insect-borne diseases.”
Another, Takayuki Nagamatsu, told Nikkei Business: “For researchers working with experimental animals, mourning is a natural act. Even the smallest life is still a life.”
Earth Corporation’s philosophy, as outlined on its website, is “to live in harmony with life and achieve coexistence with the Earth”.
The company has rebranded its insect killer as “insect care products”, focusing on protecting people from insects and the diseases they carry rather than killing them.
The memorial service sparked a debate on social media.
One online observer said: “I respect this mindset. I hate bugs, but they are also part of life.”
Another wrote: “The insects killed by insecticides may not see themselves as pests. Therefore, I would like to thank the memorial service on behalf of those who use insect killers.”
“Humans kill animals to live comfortably, but we must remember we are taking lives,” said a third.
However, not everyone agrees.
One netizen said: “I still find this ironic. For insects, having the culprits attend their funeral must be very unpleasant.” -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
