World’s oldest person, Japan’s Kane Tanaka, dies at 119
Tokyo, Apr 25 (EFE).- The world’s oldest person, Japan’s Kane Tanaka, has died at 119 years of age, authorities of Japan’s Fukuoka prefecture confirmed to EFE on Monday.
Born on Jan. 2, 1903 in the old village of Wajiro, which is now part of the city of Fukuoka on the southern island of Kyushu, Tanaka died in a hospital in the city on Apr. 19 at the age of 119 years and 108 days.
Tanaka lived through five different Japanese eras (Meiji, Taisho, Showa, Heisei and today’s Reiwa) and had set herself a goal of turning 120 next year, according to her family.
She was recognized by the Gerontology Research Group and the Guinness World Record as the oldest woman and the oldest person in the world in 2019.
At the age of 19 she married, and the family got ahead running udon noodle restaurants.
Tanaka had been living in a nursing home for the past few years, and her presence was common in media articles and television programs on the occasion of her birthday or the national celebration of the Day of Respect for the Elderly.
Her favorite food was chocolate and she liked carbonated drinks, as was often seen in the photos and videos of her published in local media.
Tanaka as supposed to take part in the Olympic torch relay of last summer’s Tokyo Games, but she ultimately opted out due to concern over the spread of Covid-19.
After her death, the oldest living person became French nun Lucile Randon, better known as Sister Andre, who is now 118 years and 74 days old.
The oldest Japanese woman is now Fusa Tatsumi, who turned 115 on Monday. She is also the fifth oldest person in the world on record. EFE
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