- Japan's centenarian population has passed 100,000 for the first time, reaching a world-leading total of 107,677, according to figures from the health ministry.
- Women make up 88 per cent of the centenarian population, with 114-year-old Fuyo Kishimoto identified as the country's oldest living woman.
- Health Minister Kenichiro Ueno praised advancements in medicine and technology, but warned of the increasing strain on the country's social security system.
- The surge in elderly citizens occurs alongside a sharp overall demographic decline, with Japan's fertility rate falling to a record low of 1.14.
- Prime Minister Sanae Takichi has described the population drop as a "quiet emergency", as state subsidies have so far failed to encourage higher birth rates.
IN FULL
Number of people aged 100 or older in Japan passes 100,000 for first time