Longevity
  • Longevity Village, Sunchang
  • Infrastructure for the longevity
  • Longevity Policy
  • Global Longevity Networks

Global Longevity Network

Health and Longevity R&D Center

(1) Country Information

  • Country: La Repubblica Italiana, The Italian Republic
  • Capital: Rome
  • Area: 301,336 ㎢
  • Population: 58,140,000 (2006.12)
    • Population density: 194 persons/㎢
    • Life expectancy: 78.06 years (Male: 74.8, female: 81.8)
  • Race/Language: Italian/Italian
    • Ethic minority (French, Austrian and Slovene in the north / Albanian and Greek in the south)
    • Ethnic languages (German in Trentino-Alto Adige / French in Valle d'Aosta / Slovene in Trieste-Gorizia)
  • Religion: Catholic (98%), others (2%)
  • GDP: EUR 1.4177 trillion (as of 2005)
    - GDP per capita: EUR 24,250
  • Currency: EURO
  • Climate: Mediterranean climate (annual mean temperature: 15.6 ℃)
  • Number of overseas compatriots: 5,600 persons (As of Dec. 2006)

(2) City Information: Sardinia

  • Area: 24,000'4 (Ten times larger than Jeju-do)
  • Population: 1.6 million (age 100 or older: 222 as of 1999)
    ※ Population age 100 or older per 100,000: Sardinia: 13.9, Sunchang: 28.9
  • Local special product: Red wine (ex: VERNACCIA DI ORISTANO)
  • Local characteristics
    • Higher percentage of males over 100 years old (1:2) (1:5 in Western Europe)
    • The only region in Italy where males lives longer than females on average
    • Two times higher than western Europe in terms of population 100 years or older per 100,000
    • The secret of longevity
      • A decent amount of wine, mild work and regular exercise
      • Fresh air, rural life, groundwater, warm climate and close to relatives
      • Moderate living, daily habits and attitude

  • Cagliari Government Bldg. - Port City in the Bay of Cagliari / the Largest City in Sardinia

  • Sardinian Longevity Village - Longevity Policy between Sunchang-gun and Cagliari Compared and Discussed

  • Living to 100 and Beyond" Couple (Male: 102, Female: 100)

  • A Founder (age 104) of Wine Factory

  • Genetic Tree of Longevity

  • Sardinia Bread - Effective in Diabetes / 400 Types of Products in Production

[Sunchang-Gun delegation visit : 2008.3.4 ~ 2008.3.10]

japan

(1) Country Information

Japan is pronounced either 'Nihon' or 'Nippon' in Japanese. It faces Sakhalin (Russia) and Kunashiri Island with La Perouse Strait (or Soya Strait) in the north and Nemuro Strait in the northeast. In the south, the Ryukyu Islands (or Nansei Islands) reach down to Taiwan!/s coast. In the west, the country confronts the maritime province of Siberia (Russia) and Korea with Donghae (East Sea) and the Straits of Korea in between. The Tsushima Island located in the middle of the Straits of Korea is about 50 km away from Busan. In the east, Ogasawara Islands border the Pacific Ocean.

Even though Japan was nearly destroyed in World War II, the country rapidly recovered, empowered by US support and the Korean War. Now, the country has the world's second largest economy.

Four large islands and thousands of smaller ones make up Japan. The four major islands include Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu and Shikoku. The country is divided into 47 administrative units of equal legal status; 43 prefectures, 1 metropolis, 1 district, and 2 special districts.

  • Location: Northeast Asia
  • Capital: Tokyo
  • Population: 127,288,419 (As of July 2008)
  • Area: 377,835 ㎢
  • Climate: humid continental climate, temperate humid climate
  • Major cities: Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Kyoto, Yokohama
  • Race: Majority - the Yamato Race, Minority - Ryukyu, Ainu, Uilta, Nivkh
  • Language: Japanese
  • Religion: Shintoism, Buddhism, Christianity

(2) City Information: Okinawa

  • Location: Southernmost in the Japanese archipelago (made of 161 islands)
    • 44 inhabited islands, 117 deserted islands
    • N 26˚ 12', E 127˚ 40' (Office site: Naha)
  • Area: 2,267.88km (East-West: 1,000km, North-South: 400km)
  • Climate: Subtropical climate, high temperature and humidity, a lot of typhoons
    • Annual mean temperature: 22℃, annual rainfall: over 2,000mm
  • Topography: Level land around elevated coral reef, mountains formed during the Paleozoic era
  • Local special products: Sugar cane, pineapple, citrus fruits, foliage plants, chrysanthemums, pig, fowl, hemp, sweet potatoes, etc.
  • Population and Longevity Household: 1.376,000 / 523,000 household
    • The aged (65 or older): 16.52% (National average: 20.82%) - the lowest in Japan
    • Youth (age 0-14): 18.35% (the highest nationwide), the youngest local government in Japan
    • Population age 100 or older: 54.09 / 100,000 (the highest nationwide)
    • Life expectancy: Males - 78.64 (No. 26 nationwide), females - 86.88 (No. 1)
    • Death rate from three major diseases: The lowest in Japan, liver disease and diabetes have increased

  • Okinawa Food: Famous for pickled food due to a subtropical climate of high temperature and humidity (ex: Pickled cabbage, mugwort and hot pepper, seasoned anchovies)

  • A talk with a lieutenant governor Nakajato Jenki.
    Proposed to attend to 'The World Longevity Scholars' Seminar' and develop a network between Sardinia (Italy), Okinawa (Japan) and the Longevity-Belt Council

  • 'Longevity Celebration' is given by age (ex: age 61, 73, 85, 88, 97)
    Taken as a blessing to family

  • Asato Nobuko (age 96)

[Sunchang-Gun delegation visit : 2008.5.18 ~ 2008.5.20]