Japan now has more than 100,000 people aged 100 and older

International

CENTENARIANS now number more than 100,000 in Japan for the first time, marking a new longevity milestone as the country grapples with a rapidly aging and shrinking population.

The health ministry said Japan is now home to 107,677 people aged 100 or older, the highest number recorded in the country. Women account for 88% of the total.

The oldest woman is Kishimoto Fuyo, a 114-year-old from Kyoto City, while the oldest man is Kato Hikaru, a 112-year-old from Kumamoto.

According to a BBC report, Health Minister Kenichiro Ueno said he was “delighted that so many people are living long, healthy and active lives”, citing advances in medicine and technology.

But Kenichiri also warned of the challenge of maintaining a sustainable social security system as the number of elderly people rises.

People aged 65 and older already make up around 30% of Japan’s population and are expected to account for nearly 40% by 2070. Meanwhile, the country’s total fertility rate fell to a record low of 1.14 last year.

Japan’s population is projected to fall to 87 million by 2070, according to the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research, a decline of about 30% from its 2008 peak of 128 million.

In 2025, the population fell in 45 of Japan’s 47 prefectures. Authorities have described the demographic trend as an “existential crisis”, while Prime Minister Sanae Takichi has called it a “quiet emergency”.

Government programmes and subsidies aimed at encouraging people to have more children have yet to reverse the decline. Experts cite factors including lower marriage rates, more women joining the workforce and the rising cost of raising children.

Immigration has increased in recent years, but foreigners account for only around 3% of the population.

Japan’s longevity has been linked to factors including diet and physical activity. Traditional meals tend to feature fish, vegetables and rice, while older people commonly remain active through walking, cycling, using public transport and stretching.

The growing elderly population has also created demand for products such as powered exoskeletons and eyewear that automatically adjusts its focus. Sales of adult nappies have exceeded those for babies for more than a decade.

Japan’s centenarian count has risen sharply since the government began its survey in 1963, when there were 153 people aged 100 or older. The figure reached 1,000 in 1981 and 10,000 in 1998.

The latest figures were released ahead of the annual “Respect for the Aged” holiday, when the government honours people turning 100 with a letter and traditional sake cup.

But questions remain over the accuracy of historical centenarian data. A 2010 government audit found more than 230,000 people listed as aged 100 or older who could not be accounted for, some of whom had died decades earlier.

Authorities attributed the discrepancies to patchy record-keeping, while some families were suspected of concealing deaths to continue receiving pensions.(MyTVCebu)