RismadarVoice Reporters
September 19, 2026
Japan now has a record 107,677 people aged 100 or older, marking another milestone in longevity as the country struggles with a rapidly ageing population, falling birth rates and growing labour shortages.
Figures from Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare showed the number of centenarians increased by 7,914 in 2025, representing the 56th consecutive annual rise.
Women account for nearly 88 per cent of Japan’s centenarian population.
Health Minister Kenichiro Ueno welcomed the increase in people living longer and healthier lives, pointing to improvements in medical care, healthier lifestyles and dietary habits.
However, the longevity milestone comes alongside a major demographic challenge. Almost three in every 10 people in Japan are now aged 65 or older, with that proportion projected to approach 40 per cent by 2070.
Japan’s population peaked at about 128 million in 2008 and is projected to fall to approximately 87 million by 2070 if current demographic trends continue.
BIRTH RATE REMAINS LOW
Japan’s total fertility rate fell to a record 1.14 children per woman in 2025, far below the roughly 2.1 births per woman generally associated with maintaining a stable population in the absence of migration.
Government figures also showed that more than 800,000 people were aged 95 or older last year, while only about 700,000 babies were born.
The imbalance means fewer working-age people are available to support a growing elderly population through taxes and social-security contributions.
Japan has introduced measures including child allowances, subsidised childcare and parental leave programmes in an effort to encourage families to have more children, but the long-term decline has continued.
LABOUR SHORTAGES DEEPEN
The shrinking workforce is creating shortages in sectors including construction, agriculture, transport, healthcare and elderly care.
Rural communities face additional pressure as younger residents relocate to major cities, leaving some areas with ageing populations, fewer workers and declining public services.
Japan has increasingly turned to foreign workers to ease shortages, although foreign nationals still account for only about three per cent of the country’s population.
Researchers attribute Japan’s high life expectancy to several factors, including broad healthcare access, relatively low obesity levels, physical activity and dietary patterns traditionally rich in fish and vegetables.
Japan is not alone in confronting an ageing population. Several European countries, including Italy, Portugal, Greece and Germany, also have comparatively high median ages.
The demographic shift is becoming a wider global challenge as people live longer while birth rates decline in many countries, forcing governments to reconsider pension systems, healthcare financing, labour policies and long-term social care.
