the secret of the country with more than 90,000 centenarians

At 100 years old, a Japanese centenarian continues to practice a martial art. Like many Japanese centenarians, his secret would be sport, which he has been practicing every week for 80 years. “When I come, I feel alive”, says Toshiyuki Kubo, master of Kobudo. In Japan, there are 92,138 centenarians, 90% of whom are women. In fifty years, their number has multiplied by 300 and older people remain active for a very long time. Tomoko Horino, 100 years old, continues her work as a beautician.

A demographic decline

In Tokyo, Eiko Hiruma is the oldest female pharmacist in Japan. She still works there once a week. She owes her longevity to her Japanese diet. At her house, no fatty foods or sugar, but vegetables, rice and a little tea. At the same time, the Japanese are no longer having children. “If this trend of population decline continues, according to some demographers, there will be no more inhabitants here by the year 3,000”explains Arnauld Miguet, France Télévisions Asia.