Japan's centenarian population tops 80,000 for first time - and 88 per cent of them are women
The number of centenarians in Japan has topped 80,000 for the first time, according to new figures, casting a spotlight on the growing challenges posed by the country’s rapidly ageing society.
The total number of citizens aged 100-plus across Japan has risen steadily for 50 consecutive years, and hit 80,540 this month, 9,176 higher than the same time in 2019.
The majority of Japanese centenarians were women, who accounted for 88 per cent of the total, according to figures released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare ahead of next week’s annual Respect for the Aged Day.
Japan’s super-ageing society is likely to feature high on the agenda of new prime minister Yoshihide Suga – aged 71 – with the nation’s shrinking workforce and dwindling birth rate placing growing strains on its health and welfare services.
The rate of centenarians in Japan has been on an upward trajectory for decades, with a new record set every year since 1971, when there were just 339 people aged 100 and over in Japan.
The new figures also echo a wider global trend, with the United Nations announcing earlier this year that the number of centenarians around the world hit 573,000, a figure predicted to rise to 3.7 million by 2050.
While the highest number of centenarians can be found in the United States, Japan has long been home to the world’s highest rate of centenarians, with a record six people aged 100 or over among every 10,000 residents.
Life expectancy in Japan also remains one of the highest in the world, with the average woman living to 88 and the average man until 81, according to government figures.
The reasons behind Japan’s famed longevity have long been the subject of scientific research, with many experts attributing it to a myriad of factors, ranging from healthy diets rich in rice and vegetables to community involvement.
Some research also cites the Japanese government’s investment in public health as early as the 1950s, including universal health insurance, as a foundation for a society that is hygiene-conscious and inclined to embrace healthy living.
Japan’s most celebrated centenarian is Kane Tanaka, aged 117, who lives in a nursing home in Fukuoka, southwestern Japan and is currently the nation’s oldest woman. She has described in the past a love of board games, solving arithmetic problems, sweet bean buns and milky coffee.
Japanese centenarians each traditionally receive a gift of a commemorative silver sake cup from the government and a letter of congratulations from the prime minister on Respect for the Aged Day, which is a national holiday.
However, the strain of soaring centenarian rates has already taken its toll on the government, with officials forced to replace the sterling silver cup with a cheaper silver-plated version to reduce expenses four years ago.
