Japan counts more than 100,000 centenarians for the first time

Japan now has more than 100,000 people age 100 or older for the first time on record, a milestone that highlights the country’s rapidly aging society and the mounting strain on its social support systems. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare said the centenarian population reached 107,677 as of Sept. 1, 2026, surpassing the 100,000 mark for the first time since the government began keeping the statistics in 1963.

The figure was released ahead of Respect for the Aged Day, when Japan traditionally honors older residents. Women accounted for the large majority of centenarians, continuing a long-running demographic pattern in the country. The total was up 7,914 from the previous year, reflecting both longer lifespans and the scale of Japan’s demographic shift.

Japan has been grappling for years with one of the world’s oldest populations. A low birth rate and a shrinking workforce have left policymakers trying to balance rising healthcare and pension costs with a declining number of younger taxpayers and caregivers. The latest centenarian count adds another visible marker of that trend.

A longer-lived society, and a growing policy challenge

The milestone is notable not only for its size but also for what it suggests about longevity in Japan. Centenarians have become increasingly common in the country over the past several decades, and the latest count extends a record that has climbed year after year. The health ministry said the number of people turning 100 in fiscal 2026 is also expected to remain high, underscoring the continued growth of the oldest age group.

Officials and researchers have linked the trend to improvements in medical care, public health and living standards, even as Japan faces persistent concerns about how to sustain services for an older population. The country’s aging profile has made it a closely watched example for other nations that are also moving toward older median ages, though Japan’s demographic shift has been especially pronounced.

For now, the new tally offers a stark snapshot of a country where living to 100 is becoming less extraordinary than it once was. It also leaves unresolved a larger question: how Japan will adapt its healthcare, labor and welfare systems to a society that is growing older faster than it is growing younger.