In Japan, a rising death rate and lack of crematoria have led to a boom in an unlikely industry--the one that deals with the deceased.

According to Reuters' Tim Kelly, businessmen have tried to capitalize on everything from coffins to flowers.

One even opened a corpse hotel. Called Lastel, the hotel houses up to 18 bodies at a time in refrigerated coffins at a cost of $157 per day. And it's finding customers, especially since the average wait time for a crematorium in the city is four days.

Many newcomers to the funeral industry previously worked for the wedding industry, an easy transition since, unlike in the US, there are no requirements for opening a funeral home, Kelly writes.

In 2010, the death rate in Japan was .95%, versus .84% in the US, according to Reuters.

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