Japan’s demographic crunch now has a milestone that seemed inevitable: For the first time, it now has more than 100,000 people who are at least 100 years old, reports CNN. Government data released Tuesday put the number of centenarians at 107,677 as of September, up nearly 8,000 from a year earlier and rising for the 56th straight year. Women make up the overwhelming share—about 88%—with 94,298 hitting triple digits.
Japan, where scientists credit diet, health care, and concepts like “ikigai” for its longevity, has an average life expectancy of 84, compared with 79 in the US. But the graying population is straining the world’s No. 4 economy, even as the overall population continues to shrink at a rapid pace. The nation’s fertility rate has dropped to a record low 1.14, well below the 2.1 needed to maintain the current population, notes the AP. Japan’s population was 126 million in 2020, and it’s forecast to be 87 million by 2070. The US has a comparable number of centenarians but a population roughly three times larger.
AloJapan.com