Japan has officially recorded that more than 95,000 Japanese are aged 100 and above.
They reached a record high of 95,119 centenarians, with women making up almost 90% of this demographic, according to recent government data.
Japan is home to the world’s oldest living person, Tomiko Itooka, who is 116 years old.
The country’s oldest man, Kiyotaka Mizuno, aged 110, shared that his secret to longevity is unknown, but his daily routine consists of waking up at 6:30 am, eating three meals a day, and enjoying live sports.
This surge in centenarians highlights the country’s ongoing demographic crisis, characterized by an aging and shrinking population.
As of September 1, the number of individuals aged 100 or older increased by 2,980 year-on-year, with 83,958 being women and 11,161 men.
Meanwhile, the number of people over 65 has also hit a record high of 36.25 million, accounting for 29.3% of Japan’s population.
This proportion is the highest among 200 countries and regions with a population of over 100,000 people.
The demographic crisis in Japan is worsened by soaring medical and welfare costs, coupled with a shrinking labor force.
The country’s overall population has declined by 595,000, standing at 124 million.
To combat this, the government has attempted to extend the retirement age, with 65 becoming the standard for all employers from fiscal 2025.
 Japan’s population is projected to decline to 63 million by 2100. The proportion of people aged over 65 is expected to rise to 41.2% by 2100.  Various sectors, including healthcare and education, face acute labor shortages
.
.Experts suggest that Japan needs to focus on economic strengthening through increased labor productivity and greater acceptance of foreign workers to mitigate the demographic crisis.
