Japan has reached a record 99,763 centenarians as of September 1, with women accounting for roughly 88 percent, marking the 55th consecutive year the country has hit this milestone.
According to Japanese media, the number of people aged 100 or older increased by 4,644 from the previous year. Japan’s oldest woman is 114-year-old Kagawa Shigeko, and the oldest man is 111-year-old Mizuno Kiyotaka.
The government began tracking centenarians in 1963, when only 153 people were registered. Today, Japan consistently ranks among the countries with the highest likelihood of living to 100, second only to Hong Kong, according to the United Nations.
Health experts attribute Japan’s longevity, with an average life expectancy of 84.5 years, to lifestyle factors and a strong healthcare system. Each year, the Japanese prime minister sends a congratulatory letter and gift to those turning 100, honoring their contributions to society and promoting awareness of elderly welfare.
This year, more than 52,000 people are eligible for the award, which will be presented at a commemorative event next week. The celebration comes as Japan faces challenges related to an ageing population and declining birth rates, with the number of births falling for the 16th consecutive year.
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Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 8th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
A Japanese city near Mount Fuji has cancelled its annual cherry blossom festival, saying growing numbers of badly behaved tourists are disrupting daily life for residents.
“Having a good security relationship with the United States is of utmost importance for the Japanese as a whole,” said Professor Seijiro Takeshita of the University of Shizuoka, highlighting the strategic stakes ahead of Japan’s national election.
JD Vance arrived in Armenia on Monday (9 February), becoming the first sitting U.S. Vice President to visit the country, as Yerevan and Washington agreed to cooperate in the civil nuclear sector in a bid to deepen engagement in the South Caucasus.
The United States and Azerbaijan signed a strategic partnership in Baku on Tuesday (10 February) encompassing economic and security cooperation as Washington seeks to expand its influence in a region where Russia was once the main power broker.
Buckingham Palace said it is ready to support any police investigation into allegations that Prince Andrew shared confidential British trade documents with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as King Charles expressed “profound concern” over the latest revelations.
Chinese authorities have quietly signalled a shift in strategy, instructing some state-owned banks to rein in their purchases of U.S. government bonds.
U.S. military forces have seized a sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean after tracking the vessel from the Caribbean Sea, the Pentagon said on Monday.
Measles cases across Europe and Central Asia fell sharply in 2025 compared to the previous year but health officials have warned that the risk of fresh outbreaks remains unless vaccination gaps are urgently addressed.
A Florida university has become a new hotspot in a widening U.S. measles outbreak, with health officials confirming multiple infections and hospitalisations.
The World Health Organization has added the Nipah virus to its list of the world’s top 10 priority diseases, alongside COVID-19 and the Zika virus, warning that its epidemic potential highlights the global risk posed by fast-spreading outbreaks.
Belgian authorities are examining suspected cases of infants falling ill after consuming recalled Nestle baby formula, amid warnings that confirmed infections may be underestimated due to limited testing requirements.
Two Nipah infections involving health workers in India have triggered heightened screening across Southeast Asia as authorities move to prevent the high fatality virus from spreading beyond the country.
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