Figures from Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare show that for the first time this year, the number of centuries has risen to over 80,000 – the 50th consecutive annual increase and the largest increase to date.
As of Tuesday, 80,450 people aged 100 and over – 9,176 more than last year – were equivalent to one in 1,565 people.
Statistics show that women in Japan are more likely to live a century or more than men, making up 88% of all centuries.
Japan has a rapidly aging population and the average life expectancy across the country is at record highs.
The average age of women is 87.45 and that of men is 81.41, according to government figures released in July.
In 1963, Japan began to record the number of centuries.
At that time there were only 153 people in the country aged 100 or over. But in 1988 it rose to 10,000.
The secret of longevity
She now lives in a nursing home, where she usually wakes up at 6am and enjoys playing the tactical board game Othello.
Tanaka said eating good food and practicing math has been his secret for a long time.
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