Tokyo, July 26 (DPA) Japanese women held the world's longest life expectancy for the 25th year in row in 2009, with their average life-span hitting a record high of 86.44 years, the government said Monday.

Japanese men's life expectancy also posted a record high of 79.59 years, but they dropped to fifth in the world from fourth in 2008, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare said in a report.

The extension was attributed to improved treatment of major causes of death among Japanese - cancer, strokes, pneumonia and cardiac disorders.

'If an influenza epidemic does not break out, the life expectancy (of Japanese people) is likely to extend further,' a ministry official was quoted by Kyodo News as saying.

In the men's list, Qatar topped the men's list at 81.0 years, followed by Hong Kong at 79.8 years, and Iceland and Switzerland at 79.7 years.

As for women, Japan was followed by Hong Kong at 86.1 years, and France at 84.5 years.