Japan has a problem with an aging population as a key player. However, when we talk about the large number of elderly people (compared to young people), we often overlook a fact that should not be ignored: These people are not just old or elderly, but centenarians. In fact, the country has recently come to the fore again due to the large number of people with three digits on their IDs. Is there a secret to this?

News. The number of centenarians in Japan reached a record high for the 54th consecutive year, at 95,119 as of Sunday, according to the Ministry of Health. The figure from the basic residence registration system was up 2,980 from the previous year. And that’s not all. Women accounted for 83,958, or about 88% of the total.

For context, there were 153 centenarians in 1963, when Japan began recording statistics. This number exceeded 1,000 in 1981, 10,000 in 1998, 50,000 in 2012, and 90,000 in 2022. The number of centenarians per 100,000 people in the population was calculated as 76.49.

Where are they located? Among the country’s 47 prefectures, the highest rate was recorded in Shimane at 159.54, marking the 12th consecutive year that the prefecture has topped the rankings. They were followed by Kochi with 154.20 and Kagoshima with 130.73. Meanwhile, the lowest rate was recorded in Saitama at 45.81, followed by Aichi with 48.80 and Chiba with 52.60.

The “oldest” person. In this case, we have to talk about a woman. Tomiko Itooka, 116, from Ashiya, Hyogo Prefecture, and the oldest man is Kiyotaka Mizuno, 110, from Iwata, Shizuoka Prefecture. Also, the number of people who will turn 100 in the 2024 fiscal year, which is March of next year, is 47,888.

Everyone will receive a congratulatory letter and a silver trophy.

Super old people. A few days ago, the Times ran a story about Yoshimitsu Miyauchi. He runs for 40 minutes every day, does push-ups and stretches. After breakfast, work in the fields for a few hours. This training and effort regimen led him to a new world record in his category in the 800 meters last week, a milestone he hopes to add to this month in the 1,500 meters. Miyauchi is 100 years old.

The media used Miyauchi’s story to talk about a new elite in the country. While most centenarians are frail, as their age suggests, a breed of super-agers have emerged in Japan who not only survive but also leapfrog and succeed in the arts, business, and even sports. The media tells the stories of many who, like Miyauchi, have led unexpectedly active and triumphant lives.

With an average life expectancy of 81 years for men and 87 years for women, Japan is clearly the oldest country in the world. Six of the 20 oldest people in history, all women, were Japanese, as was the world’s oldest man. This inevitably brings us to the question: How do they do it?

First secret. The longevity figures in Japan have not gone unnoticed by science. In fact, a study published in The Lancet provided the first key. In essence, if there are so many centenarians in the country, it is because most of them live far removed from what is happening in “modern” society. According to the researchers’ studies, the improvements in longevity in Japan are mainly related to lifestyle, prevention of risk factors (reducing alcohol or tobacco consumption, cardiovascular accidents) and control of infectious diseases.

Moreover, they stress that life expectancy in Japan is significantly longer in rural areas, in small communities where the pace of life is less stressful than in the metropolis. The Times also cites universal, high-quality healthcare as important factors in this regard. Even when Miyauchi was diagnosed with bowel cancer six years ago, he was quickly diagnosed and treated, the elderly athlete said, “even though I had to miss the Kagoshima marathon.”

Second secret: Meiwaku. As we have said before, this term refers to the fear that retirees in the country will become a physical, emotional or financial burden on their families. Therefore, in order to avoid becoming meiwaku, many elderly people in Japan are constantly encouraged to continue doing physical exercise or mentally stimulating activities.

According to official figures from the Japan Aging Association, 70% of people aged 60 to 69 and 50% of those aged over 70 are employed or involved in volunteer activities, physical exercise or social hobbies.

The third secret: healthy eating. We felt that the traditional Japanese diet, rich in fish and lightly cooked vegetables and low in fat, had something to do with it. Here we go back to science. A 2017 study analyzed the Japanese diet and concluded that their diet could reduce the population’s mortality rate, especially from cardiovascular causes, by up to 15%. Those who ate vegetables, fruits, and fresh fish most often were more likely to live longer.

In fact, eating low-calorie foods is one of the best-kept secrets of Okinawa, which is home to the world’s largest number of centenarians: there are 68 centenarians for every 100,000 inhabitants.

The last “secret”. I don’t think so, but in Miyauchi’s case, it clearly shows that he couldn’t have reached this stage of his life without feeling an overwhelming desire to continue here, or at least to live without the suffering that comes with aging and its inevitable end.

“All people grow old and all die,” he tells the Times. “One day I will too. The important thing is how to get through each day well.” While he “waits,” Adam focuses on what’s important: He goes into the championships in Kyoto this month hoping to break another world record in a category achieved only 40 years ago in the 100-meter race.

Image | Adam Jones, Dudeinspace

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