Health and Medicine
PUBLISHED
If you wanted to herd every centenarian in Japan in one place, you'd need to book a venue larger than International Stadium Yokohama, the country's biggest sports stadium.
For the first time in its history, Japan has more than 100,000 people aged over 100, according to the country's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.
The latest data from the ministry suggests Japan is home to 107,677 centenarians, up by 7,914 since 2025.
Back in 1963 there were just 153 Japanese centenarians, rising to 1,000 by 1981 and reaching 10,000 in 1998. In 2012, the number exceeded 50,000 for the first time, reports the ministry.
The overwhelming majority in the over-100 club are females; 13,379 are male (12.4 percent) and 94,298 are female (87.6 percent). It’s well-established that women have higher life expectancy than men, but that gap seems to widen further at the extremes of old age.
By comparison, the US has an estimated 101,000 centenarians as of 2024, but it's worth remembering the US population is roughly 2.7 times the size of Japan's.
Thanks for all the fish
So, what’s their secret? Japan is one of the world's longest-lived nations, with a life expectancy of 84.5, according to the World Health Organization.
Although it no longer has the highest life expectancy globally – Monaco, San Marino, and Hong Kong now top the charts – it has remained near the top of international rankings for decades.
Historically, Japan's longevity has been bolstered by exceptionally low rates of ischemic heart disease and cancer, particularly breast and prostate cancer, along with low rates of obesity.
Food is often cited as the key. Japanese culture has a distinctive diet rich in whole foods, grains, and vegetables, with moderate amounts of soy and animal products. Dairy consumption is minimal, and fish plays a particularly important role.
The diet is additionally sprinkled with seaweed, green tea, and fermented foods, all of which hold purported health benefits.
It isn’t without drawbacks, however. Traditional Japanese cuisine can be on the salty side and heavy in carbohydrates, while modern Japanese diets have become increasingly processed.
Nevertheless, there’s a decent body of evidence that a well-balanced Japanese diet is associated with delayed biological aging and general well-being.
So, lesson one: eat plenty of vegetables and fresh seafood, and swap the soda for green tea.
Paired with good food, Japan is relatively active for a post-industrial country. A recent survey found that nearly half of people in Japan aged 50 and over walk at least 30 minutes each day, while a further 17.5 percent walk for an hour or more.
Strong social bonds
Strong social relationships are another important factor. It’s well-established that loneliness is closely associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular problems, such as heart attack or stroke, and neurodegenerative disease.
Social isolation, especially in old age, can be a bigger risk factor than smoking and obesity.=
Generally speaking, Japanese society has very strong and enduring social bonds, plus traditionally tight-knit family structures, which prove to be very effective at warding off isolation in old age.
In Okinawa, there's a tradition known as moai: peer groups forged in childhood that provide continuous social and emotional support into old age. It's one of the reasons the island is considered one of the world's renowned longevity hotspots.
Last but not least, Japan has one of the top-ranked healthcare systems in the world, featuring universal health coverage, relatively easy access to medical care, and local community support programs.
Researchers have suggested the Japanese model holds plenty of lessons to teach other countries in the world that face an aging population (which is virtually all industrialized nations).
An uncertain future ahead
It's uncertain whether the good times will continue, though.
In recent years, some aspects of quality of life in Japan have been slipping. A 2026 study published in Scientific Reports showed that health-related quality of life declined in Japan between 2017 and 2024. It suffered a major blow during the COVID-19 pandemic and failed to bounce back.
Meanwhile, the once-mighty economy is dwindling, hampered by a weak yen and the highest public debt-to-GDP ratio in the developed world. Money might not be the source of health and happiness, but these economic woes aren't exactly an enriching force for society.
Today's centenarians are still riding the momentum of earlier, more affluent decades, so it's not clear whether babies born today will enjoy an equally long life.
