Why Japan has close to 100,000 people over 100 years old
What is the secret to a long life? And does Japan have the answer?
If anyone is still looking for the fountain of youth, you might want to point them in Japan's direction.
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Their citizens might not be getting younger, but they have certainly mastered getting older.
Much, much older.
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According to BBC News, the country now has nearly 100,000 centenarians (people aged 100 or older), setting a new record for the 55th year in a row.
As of September, Japan’s health ministry reported 99,763 centenarians, with women making up a remarkable 88% of the total.
Shigeko Kagawa is the nation’s oldest person, at 114, and Kiyotaka Mizuno is the oldest man, at 111.
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In 1963, there were only 153 people over 100, but that number jumped to 10,000 by 1998.
Today, it stands at 99,763, and it keeps climbing every year.
Japan has even created its own special Elderly Day (15 September), on which new centenarians receive a congratulatory letter and a silver cup from the prime minister.
In 2025, over 52,000 new centenarians qualified for this honour.
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There is no special formula for reaching this age, but many suggest the key lies in the Japanese diet, their exercise routines and overall lifestyle choices.
Their diet includes lots of fish and vegetables, and is low in saturated fats.
Since 1928, they have also been broadcasting 'Radio Taiso', a daily three-minute group exercise program, nationwide.
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The low-impact exercise helps keep elderly people up and moving.
It is an incredible achievement, but there might be some uncertainty with the exact numbers.
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In 2010, an audit uncovered over 230,000 names listed as 100+ years old that were either dead or missing.
This is often the case in pension fraud.
This doesn't change the fact that most Japanese citizens are living their best lives well into their 100s.
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