Full Breakdown
Japan’s Centenarian Population Tops 100,000 for the First Time
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Milestone Achievement
Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare reported that the number of people aged 100 or older reached 107,677 as of September 1, the first time the count has exceeded 100,000 since records began in 1963. The increase of 7,914 over the previous year marks the 56th consecutive annual rise.
Historical Context
When data collection started in 1963, Japan counted 153 centenarians. The figure grew to 1,000 in 1981, 10,000 in 1998, and 50,000 in 2012, reflecting a steady upward trend.
Demographic Details
- Women: 94,298 (? 88 % of centenarians)
- Men: 13,379
- Oldest individuals: Fuyo Kishimoto, 114, Kyoto; Hikaru Kato, 112, Kumamoto.
- Centenarians per 100,000 population: 87.51.
- Regional concentration: Shimane Prefecture leads with 186.65 per 100,000, followed by Kochi (169.52) and Tottori (152.48).
Why It Matters
The surge in centenarians adds pressure to Japan’s social security system. About one-third of residents—roughly 40 million people—receive public pensions, while a shrinking workforce must fund rising pension, healthcare and elder-care costs.
- Budget request: The health ministry seeks ¥33.7 trillion (? S$277 billion) for pensions and medical care, about 25 % of the total ¥143 trillion budget request.
- Workforce needs: The government projects a need for 2.4 million healthcare workers for elderly care in 2026, up from 2.1 million in 2024.
- Foreign labor: Skilled-worker visa holders in elder-care rose to about 66,000 in 2025, with plans to expand the quota to 160,700.
Japan recorded 671,000 births and 1.59 million deaths in 2025, pushing the total population below 120 million for the first time in 42 years.
Official Statements & Responses
Health Minister Kenichiro Ueno highlighted longer, active lives while stressing the need for a sustainable social security system:
> “I am glad that thanks to advances in medical technology, many people are living long, healthy, and active lives. As aging is set to progress further, making the social security system sustainable is of utmost importance.”
The ministry noted that many centenarians remain engaged in work or community activities.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ slightly on the proportion of female centenarians—some cite 87.6 %, others ? 88 %—both attributed to the Health, Labour and Welfare Ministry. No definitive projection exists for when the centenarian count might plateau.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We are pleased that many people are living longer and remaining active thanks to advances in medical technology,” — Health Minister Kenichiro Ueno
What’s Next
The government will expand the skilled-worker visa programme to admit up to 160,700 foreign care workers and address rising pension and medical costs in the upcoming fiscal budget, with reforms aimed at long-term fiscal sustainability.