Islands of centenarians: why life expectancy is so high in Japan

Marlies Gruber, 21.03.2024

People around the world are getting older. Japan has the highest proportion of centenarians in the world - and it is gradually increasing. What is different there and what factors promote a long and healthy life?

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Tomiko Itooka is 115 years old. This makes her the oldest person in Japan at the moment, putting her in second place in the global rankings behind Spain's Maria Branyas, who is one year ahead of her. Because women live longer on average than men, they also dominate the list of people who have lived the longest or have ever lived.

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