Tokyo - Japan's Health Ministry said Friday that 40,399 of its citizens will be aged 100 years or older by mid-September, an increase of more than 10 per cent year-on-year. Jiroemon Kimura from Kyoto prefecture is one of them. At the ripe old age of 112, he is Japan's oldest man. The island's oldest woman is aged 114 and lives in Okinawa prefecture in southern Japan, which also has the most centenarians.
Kimura's recipe for a long life is deceptively simple: "To eat in a modest amount without likes or dislikes," he told the Kyodo news agency.
At 85 years, Japan has the world's highest average life expectancy. Scientists say one reason for Japan's longevity is the island nation's traditional low-fat cuisine, favouring fish, vegetables and rice.
The figures of the annual survey show the increase of centenarians has accelerated as it took only 2 years for the number of centenarians to grow from 30,000 to 40,000.
Previously it took four years for the number of 100-year-olds to grow by 10,000 to 30,000. In 1998, there were only 10,000 Japanese aged 100 years or older.
Experts regard the rising number of centenarians as another indication that Japan's society is greying at an accelerating pace.
Several factors contribute to the rising life expectancy, including groundbreaking progress in the field of gerontology and that Japan's seniors still live in one of the world's richest and safest countries.
And then there is the traditional Japanese diet, which contains a high proportion of fish and shellfish, including, but not exclusively, sushi and sashimi.
Eating almost four times as much fish as the average European also increases their intake of iodine - which strengthens the thyroid gland - as well as fatty acids and vitamin D, which help keep cancer at bay.
Green tea, which is ever-present in Japan, be it in the form of the hot or cold beverage or of foodstuffs ranging from cupcakes to ice cream, is rich in vitamins and antioxidants. It is also believed to help to prolong life and prevent cancer.
A diet rich in various vegetables adds to the mix which has kept Japan's seniors alive and active well into their 80s or 90s.
However, the situation looks quite different for the younger generation. According to official statistics many younger Japanese suffer from increased levels of body fat, or are in danger of being overweight.
Japan's government was so worried over more and people being affected by the metabolic syndrome, a combination of medical disorders like high blood pressure or cholesterol levels caused by excess pounds, that it urged the nation to lose weight.
Companies must now organize health checks for all staff covered by the companies' health insurance system, including measuring the waistlines of employees over 40.
In Japan, a man with a hip measurement greater than 85 centimetres and a woman measuring more than 90 centimetres around the hips are regarded as fat. Companies have to provide dietary and fitness guidance for staff deemed at risk for the metabolic syndrome.
Experts believe changes to the traditional lifestyle are at the root of the problem. "The Japanese people's daily routines have become very chaotic," health expert Masayo Kaneda said.
The vicious cycle begins in childhood. Many children attend cram schools after regular school hours and, like their parents, return home late. As a result they skip breakfast to catch a few winks of extra sleep.
With an increasing number of mothers working outside the home, there is less time for home-cooked meals. Instead there are reheated ready meals or a trip to the ever-growing number of fast-food outlets.
In view of these trends observers wonder how long Japan will remain the country with the world's highest life expectancy.
But the problem of the rapid aging of Japan's society may weigh even heavier as rising life expectancy combines with shrinking birth rates.
