Japan's aging population approaches the significant milestone of 100,000 centenarians.
Japan is witnessing a significant increase in the number of centenarians, with the total reaching 99,763 as of September 1, 2025, according to data published by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare.
The rise in centenarians has been steady, with a fifty-fifth annual increase recorded. This growth is particularly notable among women, who account for 88.0% of the centenarian population in Japan.
Western Japan tends to have higher ratios of centenarians than the east of the country. Tottori, for instance, boasts a ratio of 144.6 centenarians per 100,000 people, making it one of the prefectures with the highest ratio. The prefecture with the highest ratio, however, is Okinawa, with a staggering 168.7 centenarians per 100,000 inhabitants.
Kōchi follows closely behind Okinawa, with a ratio of 157.2 centenarians per 100,000 people. Other prefectures with relatively high ratios include Shimane (168.7), Nagano (133.9), and Kagoshima (136.5).
On the other hand, Tokyo and Chiba have lower ratios. Tokyo has the lowest ratio among the listed prefectures at 57.5 centenarians per 100,000 people, while Chiba has a ratio of 57.3. Aichi and Saitama also have lower ratios, with 53.0 and 48.5 centenarians per 100,000 people, respectively.
Notable centenarians in Japan include Mizuno Kiyotaka, the oldest man in Japan at 111, living in Iwata, Shizuoka Prefecture, and Kagawa Shigeko, the oldest woman at 114, residing in Yamatokōriyama, Nara Prefecture. Esaki Reona, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1973, is among the new members of the centenarian club.
The increase in centenarians can be traced back to 1963, when there were only 153 Japanese centenarians nationwide. Since then, Japan has made remarkable strides in longevity, with the number of centenarians increasing by 4,644 from the previous year.
This growth is a testament to Japan's commitment to improving healthcare and living standards, and it serves as a beacon of hope for the future of aging populations worldwide.
