On September 18, 2023, Japan celebrated Respect for the Aged Day (Keirō no Hi). As the name suggests, this Japanese national holiday is dedicated to honoring the country’s elderly population and is observed annually in September. During this time, the Japanese government releases information such as the number of centenarians living in Japan, who are the oldest residents in each city, and most notably, who are the oldest living individuals in the nation. On this holiday, people return to their homes to visit and pay respects to their elders, and it is not uncommon for some of the centenarians to receive visits from town mayors and other officials. Individuals who reach their 100th birthday in the same year, including Japanese nationals living abroad and foreign nationals with permanent residency in Japan, will receive a congratulatory letter from the Prime Minister.
This year, it was reported that the number of centenarians living in Japan reached an all-time record of 92,139, marking an increase of 1,613 from the previous year. The total number of female centenarians was 81,589 (88,5% of the total centenarian population), whereas the number of male centenarians was 10,550. According to the Japan Times, there were an average 73.74 centenarians per 100,000 people in Japan.
The oldest living resident in Japan was reported to be Mrs. Fusa Tatsumi of Kashiwara, Osaka Prefecture, born on April 25, 1907, currently aged 116. The oldest living man in the country was reported to be Mr. Gisaburō Sonobe of Tateyama, Chiba Prefecture, born on November 6, 1911, currently aged 111.
On this occasion, LongeviQuest sent flowers to Mrs. Tatsumi, the country’s oldest living resident, to extend congratulations on her remarkable longevity.
Mrs. Fusa Tatsumi, the country’s oldest living resident, pictured with flowers sent by LongeviQuest.
