Japan has set a remarkable new milestone: almost 100,000 people in the country are now aged 100 or older. The health ministry announced that as of September, there were 99,763 centenarians, with women making up a striking 88% of the total.

This is the 55th consecutive year that Japan has broken its own record. Back in 1963, when the government began keeping track, there were only 153 centenarians. That figure rose to 1,000 by 1981, 10,000 by 1998, and has continued to climb ever since.

Japan is known for having the longest life expectancy in the world, thanks to a combination of factors: diets rich in fish and vegetables but low in red meat, very low obesity rates, strong public health campaigns to reduce salt intake, and a culture of staying active well into later life. Daily group exercise routines, known as Radio Taiso, have been part of the culture since the 1920s and remain widely practiced.

The country’s oldest person is 114-year-old Shigeko Kagawa, while the oldest man is 111-year-old Kiyotaka Mizuno. On September 15, Japan celebrates “Elderly Day,” when new centenarians are honored with a silver cup and a letter from the prime minister.

While some researchers caution that data errors in global centenarian records can occur, the trend in Japan is undeniable: more and more people are reaching extraordinary ages. It’s a reminder that lifestyle, diet, and community play a profound role in shaping healthy, long lives.