For the first time, the number of individuals aged 100 and over in Japan has surpassed 100,000, according to an announcement made on Tuesday by the Ministry of Health. This milestone occurs in a country where the birth rate fell to a historic low last year.
Japan, with a median age of 49.9 years, has the second oldest population globally, following Monaco, as reported by the World Bank.
The latest government study, released ahead of the annual “Respect for the Aged Day” celebration next week, shows that there were 107,677 centenarians as of September 1.
This is the first occasion since records began in 1963 that the centenarian count has exceeded 100,000. The ministry noted that approximately 90% of those aged 100 or older are women.
The centenarian population has reached a record high for the 56th consecutive year.
Furthermore, data published in June indicated that Japan’s birth rate fell again last year, reaching a new historical low and highlighting the demographic crisis facing the world’s fourth-largest economy.
This demographic situation gives rise to numerous challenges, including a labor force shortage, increased social security costs, and a shrinking tax base.
