Japan now has 107,677 centenarians, a record high and an increase of 7,914 from 2025 — this marks the 56th consecutive annual rise in the number of people aged 100 or older. Women make up nearly 88 percent of the total, the government reported.

Japan’s Ageing Population and Shifting Demographics

Japan is home to one of the world’s oldest populations, with nearly 30 percent of its residents currently aged 65 or older, though that proportion is expected to climb to nearly 40 percent by 2070, according to projections.

Over 800,000 people in Japan were aged 95 or older in 2025, while the number of births remained at an all-time low, with only 700,000 babies born that year.

Preliminary census data show that the population in 45 of Japan’s 47 prefectures declined between 2020 and 2025, but Only Tokyo and Okinawa recorded population increases. Japan’s population peaked at about 128 million in 2008 and is projected to fall to 87 million by 2070, a decline of roughly 30 percent.

Factors Behind Longevity in Japan

Researchers point to a combination of diet, physical activity, and healthcare as key factors in Japan’s high number of centenarians, but the traditional Japanese diet includes large amounts of fish, vegetables, and rice, with lower levels of saturated fat compared to many Western countries. Obesity rates are also significantly lower in Japan.

Daily routines also play a role, with many people, including older individuals, walking, cycling, and using public transport regularly — Group exercise is widely practiced, contributing to an active lifestyle.

Japan’s universal health insurance system provides broad access to treatment and medicines at relatively low costs; this helps ensure that people have consistent access to healthcare, which can contribute to longer life expectancy.

Challenges of an Ageing Society

While living longer is a significant achievement, Japan’s low birth rate is creating major demographic and economic challenges; the country’s fertility rate fell to a record low of 1.14 in 2025. A rate of 2.1 is generally considered necessary to maintain a stable population without immigration.

As the population ages, fewer working-age people are supporting a growing number of elderly individuals who require pensions, healthcare, and social care; this imbalance is placing increasing pressure on public finances and younger workers, who must contribute more to sustain the system.

Japan has introduced incentives such as child allowances, subsidised childcare, and parental leave programs to encourage people to have children. However, these measures have not reversed the long-term decline in birth rates.

Many Japanese are marrying later or not at all, and young adults are increasingly concerned about job insecurity, stagnant wages, and demanding work hours. These factors make it harder to start and raise a family.

Women’s increased participation in the workforce has not been matched by equal sharing of childcare and household responsibilities, making it difficult for many women to balance work and family life.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has identified population decline and the falling birthrate as major national challenges. Japanese officials have warned that the trend threatens the country’s economic and social foundations.

A shrinking working-age population means fewer people are paying income taxes and social-security contributions, while spending on pensions, healthcare, and elderly care continues to rise. This imbalance is placing mounting pressure on public finances and on younger workers who support the system through taxes.

Labour shortages are also affecting industries such as construction, agriculture, transport, healthcare, and social care. Rural areas face a particularly severe challenge as younger residents move to cities, leaving ageing communities with fewer workers and declining public services.

Immigration could help offset these shortages, and Japan’s foreign population has increased in recent years. Foreign nationals still account for only about 3 percent of the population, however, and proposals to accept more migrants remain politically contentious.

Japan is not the only country facing an ageing population. The World Health Organization said global life expectancy reached 73.3 years in 2024, an increase of 8.4 years since 1995. The number of people aged 60 or older is projected to rise from 1.1 billion in 2023 to 1.4 billion by 2030.

Japan’s median age was 49 in 2023, according to the United Nations’ World Population Prospects. Other countries with high median ages include Italy (47.5), Portugal (46.2), Greece (45.7), and Germany (45.1).