Japan’s centenarian population tops 100,000
Japan’s population aged 100 and over has surpassed 100,000 for the first time, reaching a record 107,677 as of September, government figures showed.
The data, released by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare ahead of Respect for the Aged Day on Sept. 15, marks the 56th consecutive year of growth in the country’s centenarian population.
The number increased by 7,914 from last year, highlighting Japan’s rapidly aging population.
Women account for nearly nine in 10 centenarians
Women continue to make up the overwhelming majority of people aged 100 and over.
The latest figures show 94,298 women among the country’s centenarians, compared with 13,379 men.
Japan’s oldest recorded woman is 114-year-old Kishimoto Fuyo, while the oldest recorded man is 112-year-old Kato Hikaru.
Centenarian population has risen for decades
Japan began keeping official records of people aged 100 and over in 1963, when the total stood at just 153.
The number passed 1,000 in 1981, reached 10,000 in 1998 and exceeded 50,000 in 2012. It has now more than doubled over the following 14 years.
The rise comes as Japan continues to face broader demographic challenges, including a declining overall population and a growing share of elderly residents.
Women continue to live longer
Government figures show that average life expectancy in Japan remains significantly higher for women than for men.
Women have an average life expectancy of 87.3 years, compared with 81.3 years for men.
The latest centenarian figures were released as Japan marked Respect for the Aged Day, an annual national observance that highlights the country’s rapidly changing age structure.
Source:turkiyetoday
