In a country where most people are Roman Catholic, Brazilians have traditionally buried their loved ones in the ground under the doctrine of resurrection of the body.

But since the Vatican ended a ban on cremation in 1963, more people are choosing cremation, and Sao Paulo, Brazil's largest city, is looking into Japan's high-quality cremation technology to help the trend become more widespread.

"Interest in cremation has been rising in Brazil in recent years," said Celso Jorge Caldeira, president of Sao Paulo Funeral Services, a public-private company that handles all funeral services in the city. "But the supply is not catching up with the demand."