In 1963 Japan counted 153 people aged 100 or older. By 1981 there were 1,000, and by 1998, 10,000. Now the health ministry says the figure has passed 100,000 for the first time, at 107,677, the highest number in any country. Of those, 88% are women.
The oldest woman is Kishimoto Fuyo, 114, from Kyoto City. The oldest man is Kato Hikaru, 112, from Kumamoto. The figures were released ahead of the annual “Respect for the Aged” holiday, when the government honours those turning 100 with a personal letter and a traditional sake cup.
Health Minister Kenichiro Ueno said he was “delighted that so many people are living long, healthy and active lives,” crediting progress in medicine and technology. He also warned about keeping the social security system sustainable.
Diet, walking and gadgets
Experts credit a healthy diet and an active lifestyle. Japanese cooking leans on fish, vegetables and rice, with less saturated fat than many Western diets. Older people walk, take public transport, cycle and stretch as part of daily life. Companies now sell products aimed at them, including a powered exoskeleton to help move various parts of the body and eyewear that adjusts its focus automatically.
One caution applies. Earlier studies have questioned the accuracy of global centenarian counts, pointing to data errors, unreliable public records and missing birth certificates. Past miscounting was blamed on patchy record-keeping and suspicions that some families hid the deaths of elderly relatives to keep claiming pensions.
The shrinking side
Replacing a population takes 2.1 births per woman. Last year Japan’s fertility rate fell to a record low of 1.14. The National Institute of Population and Social Security Research projects the population will drop to 87 million by 2070, a 30% decline from its 2008 peak of 128 million. People aged 65 and over make up around 30% of residents now and are expected to reach nearly 40%.
Authorities have called it an “existential crisis.” Prime Minister Sanae Takichi described the decline as a “quiet emergency.” In 2025 the population fell in all but two of the 47 prefectures, and the pace is quickening.
Government programmes and subsidies meant to persuade young people to have children do not appear to be lifting birth rates. Experts cite lower marriage rates, more women in the workforce and higher child-raising costs. Immigration has risen in past years, but foreigners make up only around 3% of the population, and opposition to accepting more has grown.
