Tokyo, September 8, 2026: Japan’s experience with an exceptionally old population is offering an important lesson for countries preparing for a future in which people are living longer.

Rather than viewing old age only through the lens of retirement, healthcare and dependency, Japan provides numerous examples of older people remaining physically active, socially engaged and determined to pursue new goals well into their later years.

Japan entered the ranks of the world’s most aged societies decades ago. By 2020, people aged 65 and above represented more than a quarter of the country’s population, creating challenges that many other nations are now beginning to face.

Staying Active Can Change the Experience of Ageing

One of the strongest messages from Japan’s older population is that physical activity does not necessarily have to end with advancing age.

Mieko Nagaoka became a competitive swimmer after reaching her 80s. She eventually competed at an extraordinary age and continued participating in Masters events into her 100s.

Her story is not presented as a standard that every older person should attempt to copy. Instead, it illustrates a broader point: physical ability can continue developing later in life, and regular movement can help people maintain independence.

Health researchers cited in the original report have emphasized that simple activities such as walking, stretching, swimming or exercising at a community centre can provide physical and social benefits.

Strength Does Not Automatically Disappear With Age

For many years, ageing was commonly associated with an unavoidable decline in muscle strength.

Research has increasingly challenged the idea that older adults are incapable of building strength. Appropriate resistance and physical training can help preserve or improve muscular capacity even later in life.

That matters because stronger muscles can support mobility and independence, making everyday activities easier and potentially reducing some of the consequences of physical frailty.

The lesson is therefore not that older people need extreme exercise programmes. Consistent, appropriate movement may be far more realistic and useful.

Purpose Can Be Just as Important as Exercise

Japan’s examples also suggest that healthy ageing involves more than physical fitness.

Some older people continue working, volunteering, participating in hobbies or contributing to community activities long after traditional retirement age. Such involvement can provide structure, social contact and a sense that their experience remains valuable.

The original BBC report noted that a substantial proportion of Japanese people in their 60s and 70s were still working or involved in volunteering, community activities and hobbies.

Having something to look forward to may therefore be an important part of maintaining wellbeing as people grow older.

Community Can Protect Against Isolation

Another important element is social connection.

Japanese communities have developed numerous activities in which older people participate alongside their peers. These can include sports, traditional arts, music, crafts and other hobbies.

Such activities provide opportunities for exercise and mental stimulation while also creating regular social interaction.

Researchers quoted in the BBC report suggested that older residents themselves often help organise community programmes, demonstrating that seniors can be active participants in creating the support networks they need.

Age Does Not Have to Define Identity

Japan has also produced older public figures whose achievements challenge conventional ideas about what people are capable of doing later in life.

Alpinist Yuichiro Miura, for example, repeatedly demonstrated an appetite for ambitious challenges. Other older Japanese people have attracted attention through running, surfing, swimming and creative pursuits.

Photographer Kimiko Nishimoto became another striking example. She developed a distinctive style of humorous self-portraits and built a large online following, showing that creativity and experimentation need not disappear with age.

These examples can help shift the perception of older people from being passive recipients of care to individuals who continue creating, competing, learning and contributing.

Independence Is Highly Valued

Japanese culture also contains an idea known as meiwaku, broadly associated with the desire not to become a burden or nuisance to others.

The BBC report explored how this cultural attitude can contribute to older people’s determination to remain independent for as long as possible.

However, independence should not mean refusing necessary assistance. Healthy ageing also requires communities and families to make support available when people genuinely need it.

The more useful lesson may be to give older people opportunities to remain capable and involved rather than assuming that ageing automatically means dependence.

The World Is Moving Toward Older Populations

Japan’s experience matters because demographic ageing is no longer unique to one country.

The number of older people is increasing across Europe and parts of Asia, while other countries are also preparing for substantial growth in their elderly populations. The United Nations has projected a major increase in the number of people aged 80 and above worldwide.

That shift will affect healthcare systems, pension programmes, workplaces, housing and family structures.

But it also creates an opportunity to rethink what later life should look like.

A Different Definition of Growing Older

Japan’s experience does not provide a single formula for living to an advanced age. Genetics, healthcare, environment, income and individual circumstances all influence longevity.

Nor does remaining active guarantee freedom from disease or disability.

The broader lesson is about quality of life. Regular movement, meaningful activities, social relationships, continued learning and opportunities to contribute can help make later life more active and fulfilling.

As populations around the world become older, societies may need to stop asking only how to care for elderly people and start asking how to help them remain active members of their communities.

Japan’s super-ageing society suggests that growing older does not necessarily mean becoming less engaged with life. For many people, later decades can still contain competition, creativity, friendship, learning and entirely new ambitions.