The number of centenarians in Japan has surpassed 100 thousand
The Gerontology Research Group (GRG) is delighted to anounce that the number of centenarians (aged 100+) in Japan, reached 107,677 on 15 September 2026, officially surpassing the 100 thousand mark, according to statistics from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW).
On 15 September 2026, ahead of Respect for the Aged Day (this year on 21 September), the MHLW announced that the number of people aged 100 or over nationwide had reached 107,677. This marks the 56th consecutive year of increase, and the first time the number has exceeded 100 thousand.
Of the total, 94,298 were women, accounting for 87.6%, while men accounted for 13,379. At a press conference after the cabinet meeting that day, Minister of the MHLW Kenichiro Ueno (上野賢一郎) stated, “As the population continues to age, it is important to make the social security system sustainable.”
According to the MHLW, the number of people aged 100 or over as of 15 September 2026, which is designated as “Respect for the Aged Day” under the Elderly Welfare Act, was compiled based on the Basic Resident Register as of the 1st of the month.
The increase from last year was 7,914 people, with 1,400 men and 6,514 women. The number of people who will turn 100 years old in fiscal year 2026 is 54,294 (an increase of 1,984 from the previous year).
The oldest woman is Fuyo Kishimoto (岸本ふよ) from Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, born on 20 December 1911 (Meiji 44), making her 114 years old. The oldest man is Hikaru Katō from Kumamoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, born on 2 May 1914 (Taishō 3), making him 112 years old.
The number of centenarians per 100,000 people was 87.51. By prefecture, Shimane had the highest number for the 14th consecutive year at 186.65, followed by Kochi at 169.52 and Tottori at 152.48. Saitama had the lowest number at 51.27.
Ueno cited advances in medical technology and improvements in diet as factors contributing to the increase in the number of centenarians, saying, “I am pleased that so many people are able to stay healthy and active for a long time.”
The number of people aged 100 or over was 153 in 1963, when the survey began, and has been steadily increasing every year since then, reaching 310 in 1970. After surpassing 1,000 in 1981, it exceeded 10,000 in 1998 and surpassed 50,000 in 2012.
In 2025, the average life expectancy for Japanese people was 87.33 years for women and 81.35 years for men.
We wish all Japanese centenarians and supercentenarians continued health and happiness!