Key points from article :
Japan has set a new record for longevity, with nearly 100,000 of its citizens now aged 100 or older. According to the health ministry, there are 99,763 centenarians as of September, marking the 55th consecutive year the number has risen. Women make up the vast majority—around 88%—and the country’s oldest living person is 114-year-old Shigeko Kagawa. The figures were released ahead of Japan’s Elderly Day on 15 September, when new centenarians receive official recognition from the prime minister.
Japan’s transformation into one of the world’s fastest-ageing societies is striking. In 1963, when the government first began its centenarian survey, only 153 people had reached 100. That number grew to 1,000 by 1981, 10,000 by 1998, and now nearly 100,000. The increase is largely credited to low rates of heart disease and cancer, healthier diets rich in fish and vegetables, low obesity—especially among women—and widespread public health campaigns such as reducing salt intake. Daily habits also play a role: many older Japanese remain physically active, walking frequently, using public transport, and even joining in Radio Taiso, a group exercise routine dating back to 1928.
However, researchers caution that centenarian numbers may be inflated worldwide due to poor record-keeping and missing documentation. A 2010 audit in Japan revealed that over 230,000 supposed centenarians had already died but remained listed on family registries, in some cases with deaths hidden to continue pension claims. Despite these anomalies, Japan’s consistent record-breaking longevity highlights how lifestyle, diet, and public health measures can combine to extend life expectancy far beyond global averages.
