Free association tests using the concept "death" were carried out at high schools and universities in 3 cultural areas. The results are: 1) Responses expressing feeling are less common in China. In the Asian cities feeling ‘fear’ ranks first among response words, as opposed to ‘sorrow’ in Germany. 2) Recalling words about ceremony is frequent in Germany, but not in Japan or China. 3) The cause of death, especially ‘suicide’, is frequent in Japan but less so in Germany. 4) Explanations about death are frequent in Germany, but less so in Japan. Cultural differences should be considered in death education
