In 2018, it was recorded that Japan had a life expectancy of 84.21 years.

In an international comparison of recent mortality statistics among G7 countries, Japan had the longest average life expectancy, primarily due to remarkably low mortality rates from ischemic heart disease and cancer (particularly breast and prostate).

This low mortality is mainly attributable to a low rate of obesity, low consumption of red meat, and high consumption of fish and plant foods such as soybeans and tea.

Papers in the medical journal The Lancet4 credited the Japanese government’s investment in public health in the 1950s and 1960s with creating a health- and hygiene-conscious culture in the country.

This ranged from childhood vaccination programmes and the introduction of universal health insurance, to campaigns to reduce salt consumption, and the use of medication to reduce blood pressure.

Another factor might be the lifestyle that Japan’s older population enjoy. Retirees in Japan stay active, and many older people continue working by choice rather than economic necessity.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41430-020-0677-5

https://observatoireprevention.org/en/2021/03/09/why-do-the-japanese-have-the-highest-life-expectancy-in-the-world/

https://www.aetnainternational.com/en/about-us/explore/living-abroad/culture-lifestyle/the-real-secrets-behind-japans-high-life-expectancy.html