MORE THAN 100,000 CENTENARIANS IN JAPAN

TOKYO, SEPTEMBER 15 /SRNA/ - The number of centenarians in Japan has surpassed 100,000 for the first time, the Japanese Ministry of Health said today.

According to ministry data, 107,677 people aged 100 and over now live in Japan, an increase of 7,914 from last year.

"We are pleased that so many people are living longer and remaining active thanks to advances in medical technology," Health Minister Kenichiro Ueno said.

The number of centenarians in Japan has risen steadily over the past 56 years, the German news agency DPA reported.

When data collection began in 1963, there were only 153 centenarians in Japan, and 25 years later, that number had surpassed 10,000.

According to the latest survey, around 88 percent of centenarians are women. Japan has one of the highest life expectancies in the world, with women living to around 87 and men to around 81.

At the same time, Japan's population is declining at a record pace due to a low birth rate and low levels of immigration.

The number of Japanese citizens fell below 120 million at the beginning of the year for the first time in 42 years. In just one year, Japan’s population declined by 917,000.