Japanese average life expectancy at record high

NHK -- Jul 31

The average life expectancy reached a record high for both male and female Japanese people last year. It was more than five years longer than in 1989, the year the three-decade Japanese era of Heisei started.

Japan's health and welfare ministry says the average lifespan last year was 87.32 years for women and 81.25 years for men. Both marked a year-on-year increase for the seventh consecutive year.

In global comparison, the average lifespan for Japanese women ranked second behind Hong Kong for the fourth year in a row. The average lifespan for Japanese men ranked third behind Hong Kong and Switzerland for the second straight year.

Ministry officials attribute the jump in life expectancy over the past 30 years to medical advances and heightened health awareness during the Japanese era of Heisei.

They plan to work on policies that ensure a comfortable old age, as they expect people to live even longer in the future.

Jul 31 (ANNnewsCH) - 日本人の平均寿命が男女ともに過去最高を更新しました。 厚生労働省によりますと、2018年の日本人の平均寿命は男性が81.25歳、女性が87.32歳でいずれも過去最高を更新しました。平成の30年の間に男女ともに約6年、平均寿命が延びました。脳疾患、心臓疾患とがんで死亡する人の割合が減少傾向となっていることや国民の健康志向が高まっていることなどが影響しているとみられます。世界でみると、女性は香港に次いで2位、男性は香港とスイスに次いで3位でした。