Posted on 09/26/2025 6:53:58 PM PDT by nickcarraway
The vast majority of Japan’s centenarians are women.
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.
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I wonder if they will complain.
The oldest person in our country just had a birthday 114 or 115.
To ALL: the donations are needed at our site. DONATE ONCE every 3 months-is that a big deal?
That’s nice .... but what Japan really needs is children.
Ouch! That’s gonna leave a mark!
Sounds fishy.
Was listening to a podcast a couple weeks ago about the replacement rate around the globe, even the Chicoms weren’t at the birth rate they need to be to sustain current levels. But by a significant margin Japan had the lowest birth rate on the planet, the host said matter-of-factly that their country is doomed.
The Japanese eat a relatively healthy diet. At least the older generations did. Minimal highly processed stuff, more fish and very little sugar.
They will when there is not enough “kids” in society to support the women who had no kids and those “kids” families
at the same time.
Unless we can really get robots to do the work of humans
The old system of have children, raise and nurture them,
and when you are old they will care for you.
Still applies.
Well at 57 and being strenuously active my entire life, not too sure I’d want to waddle or be wheeled around at 90, 100 or more. God has my date and i am but a vessel. I’m pretty healthy but my joints suck now, but the most rewarding thing about my entire life is the successes my children’ and my wife have achieved. That’s what would be great being older than dirt, and having all your faculties, is seeing your hard work create a lasting legacy.
God bless you all.
Ww2 eliminated the young men that would be turning 100 now.
You do you, Japanese, I guess, but kinda crazy that they give “awards” to be people just for living a long time. “You get a medal for not dying!”
Yes, I suspect that the kamikaze’s lifestyle in particular wasn’t conducive to longevity.
A far cry from PRC (Politically Repressive Canaduh), where, when you hit 80, and are a Christian or Jew, you are apt to get a letter from Comrade Crime Minister congratulating you on reaching that milestone. Also, is an invitation to avail yourself of free MAiD! After all, as you are no longer an economic contributor, you should make room for all the immigrants coming to Canaduh, who need the gubmint benefits, paid for by your tax dollars, more than you!
No, this is not reality right NOW, but I am SURE it’s coming!
Canadians should consider themselves lucky they don’t yet have a MAID mandate for targeted undesirable groups.
My MD say’s I’ll live to be 100.
I never eat processed food, salt, cheese, butter or other saturated fats. No beef or pork. Wild Alaskan salmon for dinner three times. a week. Take 1 prescription drug and many vitamins that my MD literally prescribes for me. Weigh 112, try to take a nice long walk every day. Need to get an excerciycle for winter.
Last week, friend took me to his home on a nearby lake where his kids, who live in Germany, were vacationing.. He’s 20 years younger than I am and they thought I was his age. .
I love my life and hope to keep living for many more years.
As of 1 September, the country had 99,763 centenarians, up 4,644 from the previous year,
Well, yeah...its a year later...
LOL
Cougars.
In anime.
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