By Zoe Papadakis From Newsmax

Japan has nearly 70,000 centenarians and most of them are women, the health ministry said Friday.

As of September, the nation’s centenarian population stood at 69,785, which is a new record high, and women accounted for 88.1 percent of the total, The Washington Post noted.

The number of male centenarians rose by 139 from last year, bringing the total to 8,331, while the number of female centenarians rose by 1,875 in a year, bringing the total to 61,454, according to The Japan Times.

Figures have been rising annually for 48 years, with researchers noting a massive jump in the past two decades.

In five years, Japan’s centenarian population could exceed 100,000 and, in a decade, numbers could rise above 170,000, The Japan Times noted.

Comparatively, recent data showed there were 72,197 centenarians in the U.S. as of 2014, marking a 44 percent rise in recent years, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found.

The report noted an increase of death rates among the U.S. centenarian population from 2000 through 2008, and then a decrease through 2014.

The Japan Times cites medical advance and awareness of health as the reasons why more people are living to 100 and beyond.

The world’s oldest man, Masazo Nonaka, who turned 113 recently, attributed his longevity to eating sweets, and occasionally taking a soak in a hot spring, although his family said it was due to a stress-free life.

A recent study published in International Psychogeriatrics, suggested things may not be as clear cut.

Researchers analyzed the mental and physical health of 29 elders in a village in Italy’s Cilento region and found those who lived the longest featured positive mind sets, close family bonds, strong religious connections and solid work ethics, Time noted.

Ultimately, study authors theorized these qualities gave the elderly a greater purpose in life.

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IMAGE: Image: Japan Centenarians: Nation Hits Record With About 70K People Over 100
World’s oldest living married couple Masao Matsumoto, 108, and Miyako Matsumoto, 100, pose for a photo with their great-grandchild and their care staff at a nursing house in Takamatsu, Kagawa prefecture, Japan, on Sept. 4, 2018. (Kwiyeon Ha/Reuters)

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