Japan sets record of nearly 100k people aged over 100
5 hours ago
- #Centenarians
- #Aging Society
- #Japan
- Japan has a record high of nearly 100,000 people aged 100 or older, with women making up 88% of centenarians.
- The country has the world's longest life expectancy and is one of the fastest aging societies, with a healthier diet but low birth rate.
- The oldest person in Japan is 114-year-old Shigeko Kagawa, and the oldest man is 111-year-old Kiyotaka Mizuno.
- Health Minister Takamaro Fukoka congratulated centenarians and acknowledged their contributions to society.
- Japan's Elderly Day on 15 September celebrates new centenarians with letters and silver cups from the prime minister.
- Japan's centenarian population has grown from 153 in 1963 to nearly 100,000 in recent years.
- Higher life expectancy is linked to fewer deaths from heart disease and common cancers, with low obesity rates due to diets rich in fish and vegetables.
- Japanese women have a higher life expectancy than men, partly due to lower obesity rates.
- Public health campaigns have successfully reduced salt consumption in Japan.
- Japanese elderly remain active, engaging in daily exercises like Radio Taiso and using public transport more than their Western counterparts.
- Studies question the accuracy of global centenarian numbers, citing data errors and missing records.
- A 2010 audit in Japan found over 230,000 centenarians unaccounted for, some deceased for decades, possibly due to pension fraud.