Japan’s ageing population breaks record with nearly 100,000 centenarians
The number of people aged 100 or older in Japan has hit a new record, with 99,763 centenarians counted as of September 1, the health ministry said Friday. Nearly 90 percent are women.
The tally, which is 4,644 higher than last year, marks the 55th consecutive annual record for the country. While the achievement emphasises Japan’s longevity, it also marks a demographic crisis as the population rapidly ages.
Japan’s population shrank by more than 900,000 people in 2024, the steepest decline on record, fueling concerns over the sustainability of the workforce and the mounting costs of medical care and pensions, the Telegraph reports.
Outgoing Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has described the situation as a “quiet emergency”, promising to expand free daycare, encourage flexible working hours, and promote policies to support families. Authorities are also turning to care robots and incentives for foreign workers to ease the pressure on Japan’s strained social systems.
South Korea, on the other hand, has more than 10 million people aged over 65, while Italy is also grappling with a shrinking birth rate and a swelling pensioner population.
Japan’s oldest living person is Shigeko Kagawa, a 114-year-old former doctor in the Nara region. She attributed her vitality to walking long distances during house calls in her younger years, which she said gave her “strong legs, the source of my current vitality.”
Globally, however, the record for the world’s oldest person is currently held by Britain’s Ethel Caterham, who turned 116 in August.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
