The expected lifespan for Japanese women dropped from 86.30 years in 2010 to to 85.90 years in 2011.While some of the drop for Japanese women might have been due to the devastating earthquake, it appears that a rise in suicide and deaths from natural causes also contributed to the drop. Japanese men also experienced a drop in life expectancy and went from fourth to eighth on the global list.
The official life expectancy for women in Hong Kong last year was 86.70 years.
Japan has topped the women's rankings for a quarter of a century, with longevity attributed in part to a healthy traditional diet.
Note, by the way, the typical confusion in the BBC story about the difference between life expectancy and lifespan.
The increase in the life expectancy in Hong Kong shows where they are on the demographic transition. If they are having longer life expectancy that means they have made improvements in health care, hygiene, sanitation, food production and storage along with education. When death rates are low birth rates are normally low which would increase the standard of living within the country and also lead to population stability.
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