Japan becomes world record holder for life expectancy.

A record for the number of elderly people has been set in Japan. According to local Ministry of Health data, the number of long-livers in the country exceeded 95 thousand, with almost 90% of them being women.

As of September 1, the number of long-livers in Japan stood at 95,119, which is 2,980 more than last year. Of these, 83,958 are women and 11,161 are men. The publication notes that these figures further emphasize the demographic crisis the country faces as its population ages and shrinks.

Furthermore, Japan recorded a record number of people aged 65 and older – 36.25 million people, accounting for 29.3% of the total population. The country leads this indicator among 200 states and regions with a population of over 100 thousand people.

According to officials, the increase in the number of elderly people leads to higher healthcare and social service costs, as well as a decrease in the number of working citizens. To address this problem, the government plans to raise the retirement age.

According to Gerontology Research Group data, the world's oldest person, Tomiko Itooka, resides in Japan. She was born on May 23, 1908, and is now 116 years old. Itooka lives in a nursing home in Hyogo Prefecture. The previous record holder, Maria Branyas Morera, passed away last month in Spain at the age of 117.