 Until 1972, most deaths were dealt with by families, funeral homes, or nōkanshi. As of 2014, about 80 % of deaths occur in hospitals, and preparation of the bodies is frequently done by hospital staff; in such cases, the family often does not see the body until the funeral. A 1998 survey found that 29.5 % of the Japanese population believed in an afterlife, and a further 40 % wanted to believe; belief was highest among the young. Belief in the existence of a soul (54 %) and a connection between the worlds of the living and the dead (64.9 %) was likewise common.
