Japan centenarians at record high

       The number of Japanese people hitting the landmark age of 100 has reached record levels.  There are now 36,276 centenarians in the country - a rise of 4,000 on last year's figure, a report by the Health and Welfare Ministry found. Women make up the vast majority of those who are living past 100. Japan has one of the world's longest life expectancies, but there are concerns about the burden this is placing on society. According to the latest figures, almost 20,000 people were set to turn 100 this year alone - receiving a congratulatory silver cup and letter from the prime minister. While the number of Japan's centenarians has been rising for the last 40 years, the figures have accelerated in the past decade. UN projections suggest there will be nearly one million people over 100 years of age in Japan in 2050. Of the country's current centenarians, a staggering 86% are women.