48,000 Japan centenarians

QUICKLY greying Japan said it has a record 47,756 people aged 100 or older — most of them women.

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare said yesterday it was an increase of 3,307 from last year and four times more than 12 years ago.

Some 87.1% are women. The oldest is 114-year-old Chiyono Hasegawa, who was born on November 20, 1896.

The oldest man is 114-year-old Jirouemon Kimura, whose birthday is April 19, 1897.