For the first time, Japan has more than 100,000 centenarians

Richard A. Brooks/AFP/Getty Images

Japan has been gripped by a declining population for decades, but one age group is adding new members and there are more of them than ever.

For the first time in Japan, the number of people aged 100 or older has surpassed more than 100,000 – a new record in the country known for longevity.

The population of centenarians rose again – for the 56th consecutive year – to 107,677 in September, up almost 8,000 from the previous year, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said Tuesday.

Most are women, accounting for 88% or 94,298 of the total, the ministry added.

Health Minister Kenichiro Ueno put a positive spin on the figures, telling reporters, “I am very pleased that so many people are remaining active and healthy for so long.”

Japan has consistently ranked one of the world’s longest-living countries, with an average life expectancy of 84 years old in 2024, according to the World Bank. In the US, the comparable figure was 79.

Scientists have attributed the country’s longevity to wholesome diets and an advanced healthcare system. Though Japan has a reputation for extreme working hours in the cities, some residents embrace the philosophy of “ikigai,” which encourages individuals to bring value and joy to life.

The country is now home to some of the world’s oldest people: Fuyo Kishimoto, a 114-year-old woman in Kyoto and Hikaru Kato, a 112-year-old man from Kumamoto, according to the ministry.

But the aging population is also putting increasing pressure on the world’s fourth biggest economy, raising the costs of elderly care and shrinking its work force.

Despite a generation that lives longer, Japan’s population of 123 million continues to fall as birth rates hit a record low.

The country has also opened doors for skilled and labor workers in recent years, though the government has recently tightened up visa requirements amid a rise in anti-foreigner sentiment.

Richard A. Brooks/法新社/盖蒂图片社

几十年来，日本一直饱受人口下降的困扰，但有一个年龄段的人口却在不断增长，而且比以往任何时候都多。

日本百岁及以上人口数量首次超过10万人，创下该国长寿国的新纪录。

日本厚生劳动省周二表示，百岁老人的数量连续第56年增长，9月份达到107677人，比上一年增加了近8000人。

该部补充说，其中大部分是女性，占总数的 88%，即 94,298 人。

厚生劳动大臣上野宪一郎对这些数据做出了积极的解读，他告诉记者：“我很高兴看到这么多人能够长时间保持活跃和健康的状态。”

根据世界银行的数据，日本一直位列全球最长寿国家之列，预计到2024年，日本的平均预期寿命将达到84岁。相比之下，美国的相应数字为79岁。

科学家认为日本人的长寿归功于健康的饮食和先进的医疗保健体系。虽然日本城市居民以工作时间过长而闻名，但一些居民仍然秉持“生き甲斐”（ikigai）的人生哲学，鼓励人们为生活创造价值和快乐。

据日本厚生劳动省称，日本现在拥有世界上一些最长寿的人：京都的 114 岁女性岸本芙蓉和熊本的 112 岁男性加藤光。

但人口老龄化也给世界第四大经济体带来了越来越大的压力，导致老年护理成本上升，劳动力萎缩。

尽管一代人的寿命延长了，但由于出生率创历史新低，日本1.23亿人口仍在持续下降。

近年来，该国也向技术工人和劳动力敞开了大门，但随着反外国人情绪的抬头，政府最近收紧了签证要求。