Are Crematoriums Only the First Step? Former Japanese Security Official Warns China May Target Care and Medical Facilities

Crematoriums may be only one part of a broader concern in Japan over foreign involvement in infrastructure tied closely to daily life. Companies under a group led by an entrepreneur born in China currently operate most crematoriums across Tokyo’s 23 wards.

Former Public Security Intelligence Agency official Enkaku Katsumaru warned that welfare and care facilities, as well as medical institutions, could be next. These facilities are difficult for residents to avoid and hold information such as names, addresses, family relationships and health conditions.

Katsumaru described infrastructure control as a long-term form of influence. He pointed to services including water, electricity, transport, communications and payment systems. In his view, ownership or control can create dependence, allowing fees or access conditions to become leverage in later negotiations.

He said crematoriums fit this pattern because cremation is unavoidable after death and local choices are limited. The same logic, he argued, applies to elder-care facilities, nursing homes and hospitals, which are closely connected to local communities and involve land, rights and large amounts of personal data. Katsumaru compared the approach with China’s past use of pandas, rare earths and trade restrictions to increase bargaining power, and called for Japan to broaden its security focus beyond islands and water sources to include care and medical facilities.

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Welfare and care facilities and medical institutions