More Than 100,000 People in Japan Are 100 or Older
Thursday, September 17, 2026163 words3 minutes397 reads
Japan has passed a new milestone: 107,677 people are aged 100 or more, according to its health ministry. It is the world’s highest total. Women represent 88% of these centenarians. Japan’s oldest woman is 114-year-old Kishimoto Fuyo in Kyoto City, while its oldest man is 112-year-old Kato Hikaru in Kumamoto.
Officials welcomed the news as evidence of longer, healthier lives. Experts link longevity to a diet rich in fish, vegetables, and rice, with less saturated fat than many Western diets. Regular walking, cycling, stretching, and public transport may also keep older people active.
The milestone comes with a demographic challenge. Japan’s fertility rate fell to 1.14 last year, below the 2.1 births per woman needed to replace the population. People aged 65 and over already make up about 30% of residents.
The government must fund social security as the population falls. Earlier studies and a 2010 registry audit also showed that records of centenarians can contain errors, so high totals need careful checking.
