Japan passes 100,000 centenarians, mostly women
More than 100,000 people in Japan are now aged 100 or older
Tuesday, 15 September 2026
Warm-up
- How old is the oldest person you have met?
- What foods in your country are considered healthy?
- How do people in your town keep active?
Vocabulary
- centenarian
- A person who is 100 years old or more.
- ministry
- A government department that manages a public service, like health.
- ageing
- Becoming older; used for people or a whole population.
- cuisine
- A country’s style of cooking and typical foods.
- lifestyle
- The usual way a person lives, including daily habits.
- fertility
- The number of babies born in a population.
- replace
- To take the place of something that is gone.
- shrink
- To become smaller in size or number.
Reading
Japan now has 107,677 centenarians, the health ministry says, and about 88% are women. The oldest woman is Kishimoto Fuyo, 114, from Kyoto City, and the oldest man is Kato Hikaru, 112, from Kumamoto. Health Minister Kenichiro Ueno says he is pleased many people live long lives, but he also warns that the ageing population is a challenge.
Experts link long life to Japan’s cuisine and lifestyle. People often eat fish, rice and vegetables, and many older people walk and stretch every day. However, the population is shrinking.
To replace itself, a country has to average 2.1 births per woman, but Japan’s fertility rate was 1.14 last year. The total population could fall to 87 million by 2070, down from 128 million in 2008, and around 30% of residents are already over 65. This means services have to support more older people, and businesses are creating new products for them.
Comprehension
- How many centenarians does Japan have now?
- What percentage of Japan’s centenarians are women?
- Who is the oldest woman named in the report, and how old is she?
- What daily habits do experts say help people live longer?
- What was Japan’s fertility rate last year?
Grammar focus
Have to
Use 'have to' to say something is necessary. Form: have/has + to + verb (e.g. has to, have to).
- To replace itself, a country **has to average** 2.1 births per woman.
- This means **services have to support** more older people.
Grammar exercise
Complete each sentence with the correct form of the verb in brackets.
- Rural towns (have) ___ to attract younger families to stay.
- The health ministry (have) ___ to plan for more elderly patients this year.
- Older people (have) ___ to visit clinics for regular check-ups.
- Local shops (have) ___ to offer discounts for older customers.
- By 2070, families (have) ___ to find new ways to care for older relatives.
Discussion
- Is the population in your country also getting older? Why or why not?
- What foods in your country might help people live longer?
- How should cities change when there are more older people?
- Would you like to live to 100? Why or why not?
Vocabulary, reading, and exercises with instant feedback