Japan records over 107,000 people aged 100+

Japan’s population of people aged 100 and above has crossed the 100,000 mark for the first time, highlighting the country’s rapidly ageing population.

According to figures released by Japan’s health ministry, the country now has 107,677 centenarians. Women account for about 88% of the total. The oldest woman is 114-year-old Kishimoto Fuyo from Kyoto, while the oldest man is 112-year-old Kato Hikaru from Kumamoto.

Health Minister Kenichiro Ueno welcomed the figures, saying the growing number of elderly people reflected longer, healthier and more active lives. He also acknowledged the pressure the ageing population is placing on Japan’s social security system.

Japan has recorded a steady rise in life expectancy over several decades. Experts associate the trend with factors including diet and lifestyle. Traditional Japanese meals often include fish, vegetables and rice, while many older people remain physically active through walking, cycling, stretching and using public transport.

However, the rise in longevity is taking place alongside a severe decline in births. Japan’s fertility rate fell to a record low of 1.14 last year, well below the replacement level of around 2.1 births per woman.

The country’s population is projected to fall to about 87 million by 2070, down roughly 30% from its peak of 128 million in 2008. People aged 65 and above already account for around 30% of the population, with their share expected to approach 40% by 2070.

The government has introduced various programmes and financial incentives to encourage young people to have children, but birth rates have continued to decline. Experts cite factors such as falling marriage rates, the rising cost of raising children and changing patterns of employment.

Japan has also seen increased immigration, although foreign nationals still represent only around 3% of the population.

When the government began officially tracking centenarians in 1963, only 153 people aged 100 or older were recorded. The number reached 1,000 in 1981 and passed 10,000 in 1998.

The latest figures were released ahead of Japan’s annual Respect for the Aged Day, when authorities honour people reaching the age of 100.

The country’s centenarian statistics have previously faced questions over record accuracy. A 2010 government review of family registries found more than 230,000 people listed as being at least 100 years old could not be accounted for, with some having died many years earlier.