Are These Japan’s Last Superagers? #Japan #Longevity #Aging

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 21:43:20 +0000

After nearly two years researching and writing Longevity and the Art of Community: Lessons from Japan, I thought I’d be ready to let it go. But this book isn’t letting me go.

One question keeps coming back. Early in my journey, my mentor and colleague in the International Academic Forum, Dr James McNally, a renowned gerontologist, said to me:

“You may be studying the last cohort of superagers in Japan.”

That stayed with me. So I went looking for the data—cross-referencing research with my own observations across the country.

He might be right.. And if he is, the implications are significant.

Not just for Japan. But for all of us.

I wrote a blog piece of what I have found so far. https://www.nevertoolateacademy.com/post/is-japan-producing-its-last-cohort-of-super-agers

I’m Lowell Sheppard, 71, sailor, author, and Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. I’m the Founder of the Never Too Late Academy and Special Advisor to the International Forum. Through Japan Solo, I’m exploring longevity, community, and what it means to live well at every stage of life.