Japan records 107,677 centenarians — 56th consecutive annual rise — as demographic crisis deepens

Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare reported that the country now has 107,677 people aged 100 or older, an increase of 7,914 from 2025 and a 56th straight year of record highs, while the number of people aged 95 or above exceeded 800,000 against only 700,000 births recorded in 2024. Japan's population peaked at approximately 128 million in 2008, and the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research projects it will fall to 87 million by 2070 — a 30 percent decline. Researchers attribute exceptional longevity to Japan's universal health insurance system, traditional diets high in fish, vegetables, and rice, and active daily routines including walking, cycling, and group exercise.