Wow, Sanae Takaichi is all set to become Japan's first female prime minister! Let me confess: Japan, the world's fourth-largest economy, has always fascinated me, right from the time I've been reading History books. And that is why it caught my attention when I read that the country's number of centenarians have hit a record high of nearly 100,000, with 88% being women!
When I was growing up, there used to be a Japanese serial aired on Doordarshan called "Oshin." A gateway to Japanese culture and life. This Japanese serial opened up a new world for me.
[READ: Why Japanese fiction is quickly becoming my favourite]
[Image: Tomáš MalÃk @ Unsplash]
Watching this Japanese serial, I savoured the famed Japanese Tea Ceremony, where every movement filled itself with grace and poise and taught me that something as simple as preparing tea can be done with intention and gentle energy, while focusing on taste as well.
Years later, I read about the Japanese practice of Kintsugi—which involves repairing broken pottery with lacquer or mixed with gold—so that it transforms the breakage into a unique part of the object's identity and history, blending together resilience and beauty in mending rather than discarding what is damaged.
These little things urged me to read up on Japanese practices and I began to gather a deep appreciation for the Japanese way of life and culture.
[READ: Inside a Japanese Kitchen & A Taste of Japan: A Treat For The Soul]
Clearly, this demographic milestone can be attributed to its mindful way of living and eating, which Indians can take cues from.
But it turns out that the Japanese are now grappling with an unspoken emergency.
The cost of caring for centenarians puts considerable strain on its fast shrinking labour force despite the country's best efforts to tackle the demographic crisis.
News reports in Japan have quoted Shigeko Kagawa, Japan's oldest resident who is 114 years old, as having mentioned 'walking extensively' as the source of her health. She continued her medical practice actively past her 80th birthday, thereby establishing the importance of staying active as the key to enduring health.
As Margaret Thatcher observed, "Any woman who understands the problems of running a home will be nearer to understanding the problems of running a country!"
Good cue for Sanae Takaichi as Japan's first female PM-to-be!
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