Overview

• Official data set the number of people aged 100 or older at 99,763 as of September 1, up by more than 4,600 from a year earlier, with about 88% being women.
• This year, more than 52,000 newly minted 100-year-olds are set to receive a congratulatory letter and a silver cup from the prime minister as part of the national celebration.
• Japan’s overall population fell by nearly 920,000 over the past year, intensifying pressure on health spending and the workforce even as longevity rises.
• Government leaders have floated family-focused policies, including free childcare and more flexible working hours, to counter the demographic slide.
• Researchers highlight lifestyle patterns among centenarians and report that genetics explain roughly 15% of lifespan, while animal studies on calorie restriction and estimates of a 120–150 year human ceiling remain uncertain for people.