Japan, one of the world’s most rapidly ageing societies, is witnessing a growing movement of senior citizens challenging traditional perceptions of old age through extraordinary athletic achievements, community engagement and digital influence.
From setting world records in swimming and sprinting to climbing mountains and embracing social media, these older people are demonstrating that age need not be a barrier to an active life.
Their experiences also offer valuable insights into how societies can respond to rising life expectancy and the challenges of an ageing population, reports BBC.
As more countries face similar demographic shifts, Japan’s approach to keeping older people physically active, socially connected and independent is drawing growing international attention.
Record-breaking centenarians
Among Japan’s most celebrated elderly athletes is Mieko Nagaoka, who took up swimming in her 80s to rehabilitate a knee injury sustained while practising Noh, a traditional form of Japanese theatre.
At 100, Nagaoka published a book titled ‘I’m 100 Years Old and the World’s Best Active Swimmer’. She later set a world record for her age group by swimming 1,500 metres in a 25-metre pool. By the age of 105, she had 18 world records to her name and was actively competing in Masters events.
In September 2019, Nagaoka announced her retirement ahead of her final competition at the Japan Masters in Fukuoka. Although she had to abandon her attempt to set a world record in the 50-metre backstroke in the 105–109 age category, she left the poolside smiling to widespread applause.
After a 25-year swimming career, Nagaoka moved to Yokohama to live with her 79-year-old son, Hiroyuki, who had helped her train. Speaking to The Asahi Shimbun, Hiroyuki said training together had brought them “blissful happiness”.
Track and field has also seen remarkable participation from centenarians.
Master sprinter Hidekichi Miyazaki, nicknamed “Golden Bolt” after Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt, attracted international attention at 105 by setting a world record in the 100-metre sprint for the 105-and-over age category. Before his death in 2019 at the age of 108, Miyazaki famously expressed dissatisfaction with his record-setting time, reflecting the competitive spirit of Japan’s active senior citizens.
Climbing peaks and riding waves
Extreme sports have also attracted older participants across Japan.
Yuichiro Miura, an alpinist and professional skier who was 86 at the time described, gained celebrity status after attempting speed riding — skiing down Mount Everest with a deceleration parachute — in his 40s. His expedition was documented in ‘The Man Who Skied Down Everest’, which won the Academy Award for Best Documentary in 1975.
Miura later became the oldest person to summit Mount Everest at the age of 70, breaking his own record at 75 and again at 80.
In early 2019, he attempted to climb and ski down Aconcagua, South America’s highest peak. However, at Plaza Colera, approximately 6,000 metres above sea level, his accompanying physician ordered him to stop because of the risk of altitude-induced heart failure.
Miura accepted the advice, returned to Japan and announced his intention to attempt another Everest summit at the age of 90.
Other octogenarians demonstrating remarkable physical vitality include 83-year-old marathon runner Michiharu Shimojo and 80-year-old Seichi Sano, who took up surfing “on a whim”.
Demographic shifts and economic realities
According to the United Nations’ ‘World Population Prospects: The 2019 Revision’, the global population aged 80 and above was projected to triple from 143 million to 426 million by 2050.
Japan has already become a “super-aged” society, with people aged 65 and above accounting for more than 28 per cent of its population.
Addressing a news conference on “Japanification” in 2018, former Bank of Japan chairman Masaaki Shirakawa stressed that structural adjustments to account for low fertility rates and population ageing should take precedence over conventional economic policy measures aimed at raising prices or gross domestic product (GDP).
As countries across Europe, along with South Korea, China and Singapore, face similar demographic trends, international attention is increasingly turning to Japan’s policy responses.
Experts say legislative, social and political reforms are needed to address declining labour productivity, rising pension costs and increasing healthcare expenditure while safeguarding the psychological well-being of older people.
The ‘no-meiwaku’ philosophy
A key cultural factor behind Japan’s active elderly population is the concept of meiwaku — a deeply ingrained aversion to becoming a burden or nuisance to family and society.
In old age, this philosophy can translate into a strong desire to maintain financial and mental independence.
Data from the Cabinet Office’s Annual Report on the Ageing Society show that 70 per cent of people aged 60–69 and approximately 50 per cent of those aged 70 and above remain employed or participate in volunteer work, community initiatives and personal hobbies.
To accommodate the demographic shift, 70 per cent of Japanese companies have raised their retirement age, contributing to sustained growth in senior employment rates over the past decade.
Beyond physical activities such as swimming, older Japanese people participate in cultural pursuits, including traditional calligraphy, flower arrangement, sewing, music and dance.
Exercise, social connections and healthy ageing
Research highlights a strong connection between physical activity and sustained cognitive performance among older people.
Yuko Oguma, an associate professor in health management research at the Keio Sports Medicine Research Center, said Japanese senior citizens demonstrated higher cognitive abilities than global averages.
“Light exercise, whether stretching, walking daily, working out at the local community centre, is effective — not only for cognitive functions but from a social aspect as well,” Oguma said.
“Compared to 10 years ago, the Japanese seniors are healthier, and have a higher quality of living… Recently, there has been evidence that muscles can continue to strengthen, even in old age, which is contrary to what we believed in.”
Oguma also highlighted the importance of peer-led community networks in promoting healthy ageing. Senior citizens organise local fitness and social programmes to maintain physical fitness and social inclusion.
Older people also participate in activities that bring generations together, including volunteering at school events, guiding tourists at the national zoo and helping other older adults improve their digital literacy.
Social media challenges longevity stereotypes
Social media has created another platform for older people to express themselves. One prominent example is Kimiko Nishimoto, a 90-year-old photographer known online as “Insta-gran”.
With more than 220,000 Instagram followers, Nishimoto began attending photography classes taught by her son. She later gained international attention for her humorous, self-deprecating self-portraits that poke fun at old age.
Nishimoto lives independently and shares her home with a robot companion named Pepper, which she dresses in ribbons for photography sessions.
While health experts often associate longevity with traditional dietary habits, Nishimoto openly admits to drinking bourbon and smoking cigarettes daily. Her lifestyle offers a contrasting perspective on ageing, highlighting the potential importance of personal enjoyment, mental drive and social connections in maintaining vitality later in life.
