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Japanese centenarians at record high
The number of Japanese people aged 100 or over has risen to 36,276, up nearly 4,000 on the previous year, in the latest sign of how rapidly the country's population is ageing, a government survey showed on Friday.
- Reuters
- Published: 22:59 September 12, 2008
Tokyo: The number of Japanese people aged 100 or over has risen to 36,276, up nearly 4,000 on the previous year, in the latest sign of how rapidly the country's population is ageing, a government survey showed on Friday.
That compares with only 153 people aged over 100 in 1963 and 10,000 in 1998, the Health and Welfare ministry said in a report issued ahead of Monday's Respect for the Aged day, a national holiday.
Nearly 20,000 people are set to turn 100 this year alone, qualifying them for a congratulatory gift of a silver cup from the prime minister, the ministry said.
But the ballooning numbers also illustrate the difficulty Japan's workforce may face in covering the country's burgeoning pension requirements.
The ministry gave examples of active people among the very elderly, including some who live independently and enjoy fishing, or grow and sell vegetables. About 86 per cent of those over 100 are women.
Healthy living
Tomoji Tanabe, 112, was recognised by Guinness World Records as the world's oldest man last year. He rises early to read the newspaper each morning and likes to drink milk.
Japan's oldest woman is 113 and lives on the southern island of Okinawa, the ministry said.
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