More than 100,000 people in Japan are now aged 100 or older

What the report says

Japan’s centenarian population has passed 100,000 for the first time, according to figures released by the country’s health ministry and reported by BBC World News. The latest count puts the number of people aged 100 or older at 107,677, the highest total in the world. Women account for 88% of those aged 100-plus.

The article says the oldest woman is 114-year-old Kishimoto Fuyo of Kyoto City, while the oldest man is 112-year-old Kato Hikaru of Kumamoto. Health Minister Kenichiro Ueno welcomed the milestone, saying it reflected longer, healthier lives, while also warning that Japan faces mounting pressure to sustain its social security system as the population ages and shrinks.

BBC World News also cites experts who link Japanese longevity to diet and daily habits, including a food culture centered on fish, vegetables and rice, along with regular walking and other forms of low-intensity activity. At the same time, the country is dealing with a record-low fertility rate and a long-term population decline, with older residents already making up a large share of the public.

The figures were released ahead of Japan’s annual Respect for the Aged holiday. The BBC notes that Japan has reported very high centenarian totals for years, though past studies have questioned some global longevity statistics and a 2010 audit found many listed centenarians could not be accounted for.