Japanese men, women enjoy record life expectancies

Jul 21 (NHK) - Japan's health ministry says the average life expectancies for men and women hit record highs in 2017.

The ministry says for Japanese men it was 81.09 years, an increase of 0.11 from the previous year. For women, it was 87.26 years, an increase of 0.13.

The numbers for both Japanese men and women have increased for 6 years in a row.

Japanese women are 2nd in the world for longevity, after women in Hong Kong.

Japanese men have the 3rd longest lifespan, one rank lower than the previous year. The top two places are occupied by men in Hong Kong and Switzerland.

The health ministry attributes the longevity of Japanese to increasing health consciousness and the advancement of medical technology. It says the average life expectancy in Japan will likely continue to increase.

Source: ANNnewsCH

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