Average Life Expectancy of Japanese people

Trend of life expectancy in Japan

Until recently, Japan had the highest life-expectancy rate for both men and women in the world. Japanese women still hold the number-one position.

The average life expectancy of the Japanese male, as of 2010, was 79 years and that of the female was 86.
The expectancy rates grew rapidly in Japan from the 30's to the 60's and continue to grow steadily today. (In 1935, they were only 46.92 for males and 46.63 for females)
(cf. the average life expectancy rate of people in the world was 66 for men and 70 in 2010. Iceland and Hong Kong are other countries/areas with high life expectancy rates.)

It is said, however, the expectancy rates may stop growing in the near future because of the changing diets of young Japanese, which contain more fat and salt.

One of the reasons for the longer life expectancy in Japan is that our infant mortality rate has been sharply reduced in recent years:(now it is less than 6 deaths among 1000 live births of under 1 years old)
And another reason is that the rapidly decrease in adult diseases. For example, tuberculosis was one of the major causes of death. But now it is almost overcome. And health care becomes much better.