The variety of folks in Japan aged 100 or older has hit a file excessive of greater than 95,000 – virtually 90% of them girls, in keeping with authorities information.
The figures spotlight the slow-burning demographic disaster gripping the world’s fourth-biggest economic system as its inhabitants ages and shrinks.
As of Sept. 1, Japan had 95,119 centenarians, up 2,980 year-on-year, with 83,958 girls and 11,161 males, the Health Ministry stated in an announcement.
On Sunday, separate authorities information confirmed that the variety of over-65s has hit a file excessive of 36.25 million, accounting for 29.3% of Japan’s inhabitants.
The proportion places Japan on the high of an inventory of 200 international locations and areas with a inhabitants of over 100,000 folks, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications stated.
Japan is presently house to the world’s oldest dwelling particular person, Tomiko Itooka, who was born on May 23, 1908, and is 116 years previous, in keeping with the U.S.-based Gerontology Research Group.
The earlier record-holder, Maria Branyas Morera, died final month in Spain at 117.
Itooka lives in a nursing house in Ashiya, Hyogo Prefecture in western Japan, the ministry stated. Japan’s growing older disaster worsens with 95,119 centenarians, almost 90% girls, driving up medical prices and shrinking the workforce.
She typically says “thank you” to the nursing house workers and expresses nostalgia about her hometown, the ministry stated.
“I have no idea at all about what’s the secret of my long life,” Japan’s oldest man, Kiyotaka Mizuno, who’s 110, advised native media.
Mizuno, who lives in Iwata, Shizuoka Prefecture in central Japan, together with his household, will get up at 6:30 a.m. each morning and eats three meals every day – with out being choosy about his meals.
His passion is listening to dwell sports activities, together with sumo wrestling, the ministry stated.
Japan is going through a steadily worsening inhabitants disaster, as its increasing aged inhabitants results in hovering medical and welfare prices, with a shrinking labor power to pay for it.
According to the final authorities information, the nation’s general inhabitants is 124 million, after declining by 595,000 within the earlier.
The authorities has tried to gradual the decline and growing older of its inhabitants with out significant success whereas steadily extending the retirement age – with 65 turning into the rule for all employers from fiscal 2025.
Source: www.dailysabah.com