Overview
- Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare counted 107,677 people aged 100 or older as of Sept. 1, 2026, an increase of 7,914 from the prior year and the 56th straight annual rise.
- Women make up the vast majority of centenarians, with 94,298 women and 13,379 men recorded by the ministry.
- Researchers and officials point to low obesity, diets high in fish and fermented foods, widespread health screening and universal health insurance as key drivers of longer lives in Japan.
- The growing number of very old people is increasing demand for long-term care, raising pension and medical costs, and worsening labor shortages that could deepen as the population falls toward projections near 87 million by 2070.
- The centenarian milestone continues a long-term trend tracked since 1963 when 153 people were 100 or older and underscores the human side of demographic change as families, caregivers and local services face heavier burdens.