Want to live a long life? Take a cue from the Japanese. The life span of men and women in Japan is well above the global average. When it comes to Japanese men and their life spans, the prefecture that has the longest longevity for men is Shiga. Consider that the global average lifespan for men is about 70, whereas in Shiga it’s close to 82.
There are several potential reasons men in Shiga live longer: there is a low number of male smokers, for one. Also, many of the men here play sports, and the prefecture has a strong culture of volunteering, reports asia.nikkei.com. These factors contribute to ikigai, that is, is a sense of purpose, which helps the locals age well.
Another potential reason? The slow pace of life, which the prefecture’s governor has dubbed “Shiga rhythm.” With the aging population here, the administration here are taking action, given that people are also having fewer children, resulting in a large elderly population. With this disproportionate elderly population, in Shiga they’re preparing for the future by working to keep older adults in Shiga active and independent—since a healthy aging population means less demand for the services they’d require if they were in poor health.
For more reasons behind the longevity of the people of Shiga, you can read the full article at asia.nikkei.com.
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