In a blend of corporate ritual and Buddhist tradition, employees from Japanese insecticide manufacturer Earth Corporation gathered to pray for the souls of millions of cockroaches, mites, and fleas killed during product development. The solemn, hour-long ceremony, reported by Asahi Broadcasting Television, represents a 40-year-old company practice that seeks meaning in the paradox of ending life to protect it.
On December 23, approximately 100 employees convened at Myodoji Temple in Hyogo prefecture for an event that might seem unfathomable to outsiders. Before a Buddhist altar adorned with photographs of experimental insects, staff took turns offering incense while monks chanted sutras. For a company whose very business is pest control, this act of reverence for its test subjects is a profound expression of a corporate philosophy centered on coexistence.
The ritual, which began in the mid-1980s, is rooted in the Buddhist beliefs prevalent in Japan, where followers number in the tens of millions. It addresses a core tenet: the recognition of all life, however small. Tomohiro Kobori, head of the research and development department at Earth Corporation, explained the purpose to media. “This is a valuable opportunity for us to reflect on insects and express our gratitude,” he stated, as covered by Asahi Broadcasting Television.
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The scale of this gratitude is vast. The company’s research facilities reportedly house over a million cockroaches and more than 100 million fleas and other insects for testing. These insects, as the company emphasizes, had never harmed humans; their lives were given in the development of products designed to protect people from disease and discomfort.
For some employees, the ceremony was initially met with awkwardness or even disbelief. The concept of mourning the very creatures they work to eliminate seemed, to some, ironic or hilarious. However, the solemnity of the ritual—the chanting, the incense, the reflective sermons—often transforms that initial skepticism into a deeper understanding. Researchers begin to see their work in a different light.
Employee Mika Kawaguchi articulated this shift in perspective to Oricon News. “The bugs helped us develop products that save lives and assist those affected by insect-borne diseases,” she said. This sentiment reframes the relationship from one of simple extermination to one of indebted sacrifice. Another researcher, Takayuki Nagamatsu, told Nikkei Business, “For researchers working with experimental animals, mourning is a natural act. Even the smallest life is still a life.”
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This philosophical stance is baked into Earth Corporation’s identity. Founded in Osaka in 1892, the company has even rebranded its insecticides as “insect care products,” focusing messaging on protecting humans rather than merely killing pests. Their stated goal is “to live in harmony with life and achieve coexistence with the Earth.”
The memorial service, once a private corporate tradition, has sparked a vibrant public debate since gaining attention online. Social media reactions reveal a spectrum of thought, from admiration to criticism. One commenter respected the mindset, noting, “I hate bugs, but they are also part of life.” Another offered thanks on behalf of insecticide users, acknowledging that the killed insects may not see themselves as pests.
Yet, critics find the practice deeply contradictory. One netizen pointedly called it “ironic,” suggesting that for the insects, “having the culprits attend their funeral must be very unpleasant.” This tension lies at the heart of the ceremony—it doesn’t resolve the moral dilemma but consciously inhabits it, forcing a moment of pause and respect in an otherwise utilitarian process.
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In a world where efficiency often overrides ethics, Earth Corporation’s four-decade ritual is a striking anomaly. It is a tangible attempt to bridge the gap between commercial necessity and spiritual conscience, honoring the tiny, unseen lives that contribute to human safety. Whether viewed as sincere atonement or performative paradox, it undeniably challenges us to consider the cost of our comfort and the weight of every life taken, even that of a cockroach.
