A Japanese company specializing in pesticide manufacturing has sparked a wide reaction on social media after organizing an official memorial service for insects that died during testing of its products. This is an annual tradition the company has followed for over four decades. According to Japanese media, about 100 employees of "Earth Corporation" participated in the ceremony, held at the "Myodoji" temple in Hyogo Prefecture, southern Japan. There, the insects used in research experiments were honored through Buddhist rituals, according to "South China Morning Post". This tradition dates back to the mid-1980s, although it is unknown who initiated it within the company. The company has renamed its products from "pesticides" to "insect care products," emphasizing that its goal is to protect people from insects and the diseases they carry, not to kill them per se. The memorial services have sparked a wide debate on social media, where some users expressed respect for this philosophy, while others found it strange and contradictory. "Earth Corporation", founded in Osaka in 1892, is Japan's leading company in the field of pesticide manufacturing. Media reports indicate that the company's research facilities house over a million cockroaches, along with over 100 million fleas and other insects bred specifically for scientific testing. During the ceremonies, photographs of several experimental insects, including mosquitoes, cockroaches, and moths, were placed before a Buddhist altar. Employees took turns burning incense and praying, expressing gratitude to the insects that, according to the company, contributed to the development of its products. The ceremony lasted about an hour. Reports confirm that the insects bred in the company's facilities have never caused any harm to humans. Employees stated that they initially found the ceremonies "strange" or even "ridiculous," but were later moved by the solemn atmosphere and came to understand their deeper meaning over time. Mika Kawaguchi, a company employee, had previously stated that the memorial services changed researchers' perspective on insects, adding: "These creatures helped us develop products that contribute to saving lives, especially in the fight against insect-borne diseases." Meanwhile, researcher Takayuki Nagamatsu told "Nikkei Business": "For researchers who work with laboratory animals, mourning is natural. Even the smallest form of life is still life." "Earth Corporation" adheres to a philosophy of "living in harmony with life and achieving coexistence with the Earth," as stated on its official website.
