TOKYO. Sept 8: A record 13.036 Japanese will be at least 100 years old as of the end of this month, the government said today, reports AP.

The number of people 100 or over will increase by 1.690 from last year's 11.346. the previous record for centenarians, the Health and Welfare Ministry said. Women make up 10.878, or 83.4 per cent of the total.

The annual report on centenarians is released each year before the September 15 Respect for the Aged Day. a national holiday in Japan.

For the second straight year. 113-year-old Kamato Hongo remains the oldest living Japanese. Hongo lives with her 76-year-old daughter In Kagoshima. 985 kilometres, southwest of Tokyo on the southern Island of Kyushu.

The average life expectancy In Japan is 83.99 years for women an 77.1 years for men. the highest In the world for both sexes, according to a recent Health and Welfare Ministry report. The k Japanese have held that honour since 1986.

Japanese tend to live long partly because of a healthy diet and high quality medical care.