Japan has set a new record with over 95,000 centenarians, according to government data released Tuesday. This milestone underscores the ongoing demographic challenges facing the world’s fourth-largest economy, which is grappling with an aging and shrinking population.
As of September 1, Japan had 95,119 people aged 100 or older, marking an increase of 2,980 from the previous year. Of these centenarians, 83,958 are women and 11,161 are men, the Health Ministry reported.
Additionally, government statistics released on Sunday revealed that the number of people aged 65 and older has reached an unprecedented 36.25 million, representing 29.3 percent of Japan’s total population. This percentage places Japan at the top of a global list of 200 countries and regions with populations exceeding 100,000, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.
Currently, Japan is home to the world’s oldest living person, Tomiko Itooka, who was born on May 23, 1908, and is 116 years old, as reported by the US-based Gerontology Research Group. Itooka resides in a nursing home in Ashiya, Hyogo Prefecture, and is known for expressing gratitude to her caregivers and reminiscing about her hometown.
The previous record-holder, Maria Branyas Morera, passed away last month in Spain at the age of 117.
Japan’s oldest man, Kiyotaka Mizuno, aged 110, lives in Iwata, Shizuoka Prefecture. He maintains a simple routine of rising at 6:30 am and eating three meals a day, and he enjoys listening to live sports broadcasts, including sumo wrestling.
Japan faces a growing demographic crisis as its aging population drives up medical and welfare costs, while a shrinking workforce struggles to support these expenses. The nation’s overall population stands at 124 million, having declined by 595,000 over the past year, according to previous government data.
In response, the Japanese government has attempted to address these demographic challenges by extending the retirement age, with a new rule set to make 65 the mandatory retirement age for all employers starting in fiscal 2025. However, these measures have yet to produce significant results.
