Society Japan’s 100-year-olds show no sign of slowing down

Japan is home to roughly 100,000 centenarians — more than any other country in both total and per capita terms. Yet this remarkable longevity also poses a challenge for a nation where the population is rapidly ageing and the birthrate has fallen to record lows, leaving fewer young people to support an increasing number of retirees.

For some, however, turning one hundred is less a burden of age than another step in a long and active life. Five centenarians spoke about what kept them going — good food, accessible health care, regular movement, and the steady support of family. But for each of them, there was something more fundamental at the heart of their vitality: their continued devotion to work.

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