TOKYO: Japan’s population of people aged 100 and above has exceeded 100,000 for the first time, highlighting the country’s rapidly ageing population and deepening demographic challenges, according to data released by the health ministry on Tuesday.
The latest government survey, published ahead of Japan’s annual Respect for the Aged Day holiday, found that the number of centenarians stood at 107,677 as of September 1, marking the first time the figure has crossed the 100,000 threshold since records began in 1963.
Women accounted for around 90 per cent of the centenarian population, the ministry said. The number of people aged 100 or older has reached a record high for 56 consecutive years, underscoring the dramatic demographic shift taking place in one of the world’s oldest societies.
Number of centenarians in Japan tops 100,000 for 1st time, up for 56th year https://t.co/JuZssZwzgj
— Nikkei Asia (@NikkeiAsia) September 15, 2026
Japan has a median age of 49.9 years, making it the world’s second-oldest population after Monaco, according to World Bank data. The rise in the number of elderly people comes as Japan continues to struggle with a prolonged decline in births.
READ ALSO: Japan’s Population Falls below 120 Million for First Time in 40 Years
Government data released in June showed that the country’s fertility rate fell again last year to a new record low, intensifying concerns over the sustainability of its population and workforce. Japan’s demographic crisis is already contributing to labour shortages, while increasing the financial burden on its social security system and reducing the country’s tax base.
Rapidly ageing population, low fertility
The combination of a rapidly ageing population and persistently low fertility is expected to place further pressure on Japan’s economy, public finances and social welfare system in the years ahead.
According to figures released in July by Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Japan’s population of Japanese nationals has dropped below 120 million for the first time in more than four decades, underscoring the country’s worsening demographic challenges driven by persistently low birth rates and a rapidly ageing society.
The number of Japanese citizens residing in the country stood at 119.74 million as of January 1, 2026, marking a 0.76 per cent decline compared with the previous year. The latest survey, which has tracked population trends since 1968, shows that the number of Japanese residents has now fallen for the 17th consecutive year since reaching its peak in 2009. It is also the first time in 42 years that the population has slipped below the 120-million mark.
