Japan's island of long life

Japan's island of long life

Japanese live longer than any other nationals -- and the highest life expectancy is in Okinawa. There is no secret formula, writes Stephen Carr, just a mix of good diet and a healthy attitude.

WHEN it comes to life expectancy, Japan is something of a contradiction -- the Japanese are the longest living people in the world, yet they are dying early of overwork.

Japanese is the only language that has a word -- karoshi -- for dying from working too hard. The Labour Ministry says 90 people worked themselves to death in 1998, though unofficial estimates put the figure far higher.

The Japan Times says at least 10000 people are believed to literally wear themselves out to the point of fatal collapse every year.

At the same time, Japanese who do reach old age do so in greater numbers than anyone else.

The average Japanese can expect to live to 79,9 years -- more than anywhere else in the world, says a 1998 World Health Organisation survey.

In the southernmost island chain, Okinawa, the figure is even higher -- 80,6 years. And Okinawan women live even longer -- 85,08 years compared to the 83,2 average for other Japanese women.

"Japanese as a whole are the longest-lived people in the world," says Bradley Willcox, co-author of the book The Okinawa Programme, released in mid-2001. "The Okinawans happen to be the longest-lived of the longest-lived."

Many Okinawans live well beyond the average. For every 100000 people, 30 have passed their 100th birthday, one of the highest rates in the world.

Theories on why people in one part of the country live longer than the rest have often rested in folklore. But the trend has attracted scientific interest too.

An Okinawa International Conference on Longevity, set to be held on the island on November 12 to 13, is expected to attract 250 gerontologists, nutritionists and longevity research specialists from around the world to examine the issue in detail.

Dr Guy Beckman, a Finnish university professor who has been researching Japanese longevity for 10 years, says there are four major factors in the high rate of longevity among Okinawans:

* Good climate -- very warm and sunny;

* Very good food habits -- lots of fish, vegetables, and pork without the fat;

* Excellent working conditions -- employees are cared for and job satisfaction is very high;

* Cultural background -- very good social networks and excellent support from family members and relatives.

The generally accepted reason for Okinawan longevity is the absence of karoshi. The islanders are known for their carefree and relaxed attitude to life.

http://www.dispatch.co.za/2001/10/16/editoria/LP.HTM

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