JAPAN: Men in Nagano, Women in Okinawa Live Longest

TOKYO (The Japan Times - Kyodo News), December 18, 2007: Nagano Prefecture continues to hold the title of longest average life span for men, while Okinawa held on to the top spot for women, according to the government's ninth survey of its kind. The health ministry survey, covering data for 2005, shows that the average life span for men in Nagano Prefecture was 79.84 years, maintaining its No. 1 ranking since 1990 among the nation's 47 prefectures. It was Nagano's fourth straight top finish in the survey carried out every five years. The average life span for women in Okinawa Prefecture was 86.88 years, holding off other prefectures for the seventh straight time since 1975. Shiga Prefecture came in second for male longevity with an average of 79.60, followed by Kanagawa Prefecture, Fukui Prefecture and Tokyo. Shimane Prefecture was second for female longevity with an average of 86.57, followed by Kumamoto, Okayama and Nagano prefectures. The average life span was longer in all 47 prefectures than in the previous survey conducted in 2000. Men and women in Aomori Prefecture continued to be ranked at the bottom of the list, with men placing last for the seventh straight time with an average of 76.27 and women placing last for the second straight time with an average of 84.80. (C) The Japan Times