Tag Archives: Japan

Japanese longevity continues to grow

Posted on by

image

Tokyo: Japanese people are living longer than ever, with the average life expectancy now 86.05 years for women and 79.29 years for men, the country’s health ministry has revealed.

The life expectancy of Japanese women increased by almost 22 days in 2008 from the previous year, while men added another 37 days, the ministry said.

The longevity of the Japanese is attributed in part to a healthy traditional diet including fish and vegetables and an active lifestyle.

But longevity is causing economic problems for Japan, which has one of the world’s lowest birth rates, leaving a shrinking working population to support a mass of retirees.

World’s oldest man reaches 113

Posted on by

image

Tokyo: The world’s oldest man, Tomoji Tanabe, turned 113 today and declared that he wanted to live for at least another five years.

Mr Tanabe, who was born September 18, 1895, celebrated his milestone in his hometown of Miyakonojo, on Japan’s southern island of Kyushu.

He wants to live for “another five years or so”, and cited healthy diet, an abstinence of alcohol, and a drink of milk every afternoon as the major factors behind his longevity.

“I am happy,” he said. “I eat a lot,” he said, but added that he strictly avoided alcohol, cigarettes and snacks.

Mr Tanabe received birthday gifts, flowers and US$1,000 cash from the mayor of Miyakonojo – a present awarded to the oldest man in the village, let alone the world.

Mr Tanabe lives with one of his sons and daughter-in-law, and has over 100 descendants including eight children, 25 grandchildren, 52 great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren.

The world’s oldest person is 115-year-old American Edna Parker, who was born on April 20, 1893, and lives in a nursing home in Indiana.

Japan has one of the world’s longest life expectancies, nearly 86 years for women and 79 years for men, which is often attributed to the country’s healthy diet rich in fish and rice.

The number of Japanese living past 100 has more than doubled in the last six years, reaching a record high of 36,000 people this year. Japan’s centenarian population is expected to reach nearly 1 million — the world’s largest — by 2050, according to UN projections.

Japan has most centenarians

Posted on by

Tokyo: The number of Japanese living beyond 100 has more than doubled over the past six years to a record high of more than 36,000 this year, with women in the majority.

By the end of this September, Japan will have 36,276 people aged 100 years or older, surpassing last year’s 32,295. Women account for 86 percent of the total, according to figures from the Health and Welfare Ministry.

Each new centenarian will receive a letter from the prime minister and a silver cup.

Japan has one of the world’s longest life expectancies – nearly 86 years for women and 79 years for men.

The number of centenarians has been on the rise for nearly 40 years, and accelerating its pace after surpassing 10,000 in 1998, the ministry said.

Japan’s centenarian population is expected to reach nearly 1 million – the world’s largest – by 2050, according to UN projections.

A 113-year-old woman from the southern island of Okinawa, where the elderly have the highest longevity, is the country’s oldest.

Although she requires assistance to carry out her daily activities, she enjoys going outside in a wheelchair with a nurse, the ministry said.

Japan’s oldest man, Tomoji Tanabe, 112, from the southern area of Miyazaki, says he follows a rigorous health regime. He rises early, reads newspapers every morning and drinks milk in the afternoon, and keeps a diary every evening.

Okinawa has the highest concentration of centenarians, with 838, or 61 for every 100,000 people. That is far above a nationwide average of just over 28 per 100,000.

The ratio for Tokyo is about 25 in 100,000, and that for the US is about 10 per 100,000. As of the end of last year, China, with a population of 1.3 billion, had 18,000 centenarians.