The vast majority of Japan’s centenarians are women.
ADVERTISEMENT
Japan has hit a record high in the number of people aged 100 or older, according to new data.
It’s the 55th year in a row that Japan, renowned for its longevity, has reached this milestone. As of 1 September, the country had 99,763 centenarians, up 4,644 from the previous year, Japanese media reported.
The vast majority – about 88 per cent – of them are women.
Japan’s oldest woman is 114-year-old Kagawa Shigeko, and its oldest man is 111-year-old Mizuno Kiyotaka, national media said.
The government began recording the number of centenarians in 1963, when only 153 people were registered as being 100 or older.
The new figures come as no surprise. According to the United Nations, which uses a different data source, people are more likely to live to 100 in Japan than anywhere else in the world apart from Hong Kong.
Health experts believe Japan’s life expectancy is so long – 84.5 years, on average – due to a combination of lifestyle factors and its strong health system.
Japan has so many seniors that every year, its prime minister presents a congratulatory letter and gift to people turning 100 that year.
The health ministry says the recognition aims to “express gratitude for their many years of contribution to the development of society, and to deepen the public’s interest and understanding of welfare for the elderly”.
More than 52,000 people are eligible for the award this year. It will be presented at a commemorative event next week.
The celebration comes as Japan grapples with the health challenges of an ageing and declining population. The number of births last year fell for the 16th straight year.
