Japan Centenarians Reach Record 99,763, 88% Women

Japan's population of centenarians has reached a record high of 99,763 as of September 1, marking the 55th consecutive year of growth, according to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. Women make up about 88% of the total, with 87,784 women and 11,979 men aged 100 or older. The oldest person in Japan is Shigeko Kagawa, a 114-year-old woman, while the oldest man is Kiyotaka Mizuno, aged 111. The number of centenarians has steadily increased from just 153 in 1963, surpassing milestones of 1,000 in 1981, 10,000 in 1998, and 50,000 in 2012. The highest concentration of centenarians per 100,000 residents is in Shimane Prefecture, which has led this ranking for 13 years. Average life expectancy in Japan in 2024 was 87.13 years for women and 81.09 years for men.