Japan’s centenarian population has surpassed 100,000 for the first time, marking a new milestone in the country’s ageing population.

According to the latest data from Japan’s Health Ministry, more than 107,000 people in the country are now aged 100 or older. This is reportedly the highest centenarian population recorded anywhere in the world.

Government data show that women account for around 88 percent of Japan’s centenarian population. The country’s oldest woman is 114-year-old Fuyo Kishimoto of Kyoto, while the oldest man is 112-year-old Hikaru Kato from Kumamoto.

Health Minister Kenichiro Ueno welcomed the figures, saying advances in healthcare and technology have enabled Japanese citizens to enjoy longer and more active lives. At the same time, he warned that the rapidly ageing population is creating major challenges for maintaining the country’s social security system.

Experts say healthy dietary habits and active lifestyles are among the key factors behind the longevity of Japanese people. Their traditional diet mainly consists of fish, vegetables and rice, which generally contains less saturated fat than diets common in Western countries.

Older people in Japan also remain active through regular walking, using public transportation, cycling and other daily physical activities.

However, behind the positive picture of longevity lies a serious demographic crisis. Japan’s population has been ageing steadily for years, with older people increasingly outnumbering children. One striking example is that adult diapers have been selling in greater numbers than baby diapers in the country for more than a decade.

To make daily life and mobility easier for older people, technology companies are introducing various innovative products, including powered exoskeletons that assist body movement and special glasses capable of automatically adjusting focus.

At the same time, Japan’s sharply declining birth rate has become a major national concern. While a fertility rate of around 2.1 children per woman is considered necessary to maintain a stable population, Japan’s rate fell to a historic low of 1.14 last year.

According to the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research, Japan’s population, which peaked at 128 million in 2008, could decline by around 30 percent to 87 million by 2070.

Currently, people aged 65 and above account for around 30 percent of Japan’s total population. That figure is projected to reach nearly 40 percent by 2070.

Japanese authorities have described the situation as an “existential crisis,” while Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has called it a “silent emergency.”

Population decline is accelerating across almost all administrative regions of the country. Despite various government subsidies and welfare programmes aimed at encouraging young people to have children, the birth rate has continued to fall.

Experts say several complex factors are contributing to the decline, including a falling marriage rate, increased participation of women in the workforce and the high cost of raising children.

Although the number of immigrants has increased slightly, foreign nationals account for only around three percent of Japan’s total population. There is also significant public opposition to substantially expanding immigration.

Japan’s first nationwide survey of centenarians was conducted in 1963, when only 153 people aged 100 or older were recorded across the country. The figure reached 1,000 in 1981 and surpassed 10,000 in 1998.

The Health Ministry regularly releases the figures ahead of Japan’s traditional Respect for the Aged Day. Citizens who reach the age of 100 are traditionally honoured with a personal letter from the prime minister and a traditional sake cup.

However, the survey has faced controversy in the past because of discrepancies in birth registrations and other official records. A government audit in 2010 found inconsistencies in the records of around 230,000 people. Many of them had reportedly died years earlier, but relatives had concealed their deaths to continue receiving pension and other benefits.

Source: BBC Bangla