What explains Japan’s longevity?
Dr Yukio Yamori, director of the Institute for World Health Development at Mukogawa Women’s University, Nishinomiya, Hyōgo, Japan has attributed much of this longevity to diet, in comments made to the Public Relations Office of the Government of Japan. He noted that Japanese women have the longest life expectancy in the world, averaging 87 years, while men rank among the top ten globally. Japan’s geography, he explained, plays a significant role: as an island nation with ready access to fresh fish, the population benefits from high omega-3 intake alongside magnesium and taurine from seafood. The country’s rice and soy-based diet is also low in cholesterol, contributing to Japan’s notably low rate of coronary heart disease.