Japan has surpassed the 100,000 mark for the first time, with at least 100,000 people aged 100 or older

Japan has surpassed the 100,000 mark for the first time, with at least 100,000 people aged 100 or older, according to data released Tuesday, September 15, by the Ministry of Health. As of September 1, 107,677 centenarians were registered in the country, at a time when the population is aging rapidly and the birth rate has reached a new historic low.

The number of centenarians has increased for the 56th consecutive year, reaching a record level since these statistics were first collected in 1963. Approximately 90% of people aged 100 or older are women.

With a median age of 49.9, Japan has the second-oldest population in the world, after Monaco, according to World Bank data. The announcement was made ahead of Respect for the Aged Day, celebrated annually.

Meanwhile, data released in June indicated another decline in the birth rate. The demographic crisis is putting pressure on the labor market by deepening the shortage of workers and increasing the costs of the social welfare system, while the tax base is shrinking.