Number of centenarians in Japan hits new high of 47,756

Number of centenarians in Japan hits new high of 47,756 Whatta' scary headline!

More than 20% of Japan’s population of 128 million are aged 65 or over, one of the highest proportions in the world. Whatta' scary fact!

However, the official added that the latest number could include centenarians who are still unaccounted for after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, where the bulk of those who died were elderly.

"The figure is up more than 3,300 on last year." if you take into account 3.11 the figure may be down not up. Anyway, It's data from Japan known for unlimited flaws.

So even taking into account all the fictitious centenarians they used to have on their books (I assume they have removed the 154 year old from Shikoku?) the numbers have still gone up for the 41st year running?

Sorry but I find these numbers about as convincing as the UK school exam results.

i wonder how many of them are actually breathing. as stated above there were many on the books and people were probably collecting their monies.

Nicky, those old numbers were kept by local governments only, not by Japanese government. So they were never part of any official statistics released by J government. This pretty much follows all the reports that say Japan is one of the longest living coutries in the world so no surprise in this article really.

Same comment as above really. Wonder how many of these centenarians are actually alive. Some sceptics might say it manipulates the figures slightly if you include people who have already died in your figures.

Hope the officials concerned checked relatives backpacks, cupboards and suitcases!

i am very glad for them, this makes me feel happy. there's hope for us humans that we may live longer lives.

They were all in front of me at a food store yesterday. Crazy.

some14some

"The figure is up more than 3,300 on last year." if you take into account 3.11 the figure may be down not up.

That is assuming no 99-year-old outside of the Tohoku area had a birthday in the last year (and is still breathing).

Must be playing havoc with the countries pension schemes

Great to be alive now but 90?? 100?? Just burdens on many families and on this economy but great time to be in the funeral biz right??

does this include people around 150

47,756 minus the few thousand that have been dead for thirty years while their families have been collecting their pensions, of course.

half of which have been dead for twenty years.

japan used to be so proud of the fact that they had the longest longevity in the world. but with the elderly population surging to record numbers, the huge drain on limited finances is surely a cause for reflection on this achievement.

Yeah but, how many of those are ALIVE AND BREATHING?

@Hide ok, thanks, thats interesting to know. But where do the central government get their data from, if not the local governments?

My mother-in-law is almost 70 and she gives up her seat on the bus every day for "older people".

Society is changing.

In 1963, Japan had only 153 centenarians. And now 47,756! WOW! Is this real?

assuming good stories teller or walking history book

But what's their quality of life ? sexually active? mentally acute ? taste buds functional ? Or are they sit sit /lie there waiting to die ?

sexually active?

is quality of life measured by sexually active? Men even sexually active after 45 are how to say ahem ahem, better not to say or to do you want to have sex with sexually active centenarian?

How many of them are alive?

How many of them are dead?

I am ninety years old and I say, "Don't get old - you are not going to like it!"

Marion - OK!

With one in five supported by the goverment, maybe the J-goverment has to raise the retirement age to 70. Maybe at 65, the benefit that they receive should be a reduce amount, and at 70-72 years old, they are entitled to full benefit. Japan cannot afford to keep same benefit like in the past.

I would happily work till 70. Hell, I would happily work till 90 if I can. I love keeping active and doing things. I dont ever want to retire.

I love keeping active and doing things.

So do I. If I could afford it I would retire tomorrow so that I would have time to do some of the things I want to do before I'm too old to do them. Working is not one of them!!

The greatest boon to all oldsters is the computer; I find that I can visit all over the world with this wonderful little box. We are walking history buffs who find they can write about things they have experienced and we are welcome in every discussion (blogging). Every oldster should buya computor and enjoy. We can still be useful....