Japan’s reputation for longevity among its citizens is a point of controversy: In 2010, one man, believed to be 111, was found to have died some 30 years before; his body was discovered mummified in his bed. Investigators found at least 234,354 other Japanese centenarians were “missing.”

Centenarian

The number of Japanese centenarians was called into question in 2010, following a series of reports showing that hundreds of thousands of elderly people had gone “missing” in the country. The deaths of many centenarians had not been reported, casting doubt on the country’s reputation for having a large population of centenarians.

In July 2010, Sogen Kato, a centenarian listed as the oldest living male in Tokyo, registered to be aged 111, was found to have died some 30 years before; his body was found mummified in his bed, resulting in a police investigation into centenarians listed over the age of 105. Soon after the discovery, the Japanese Justice Ministry found that at least 234,354 other Japanese centenarians were “missing”, and… Continue Reading (3 minute read)