- विज्ञापन -
Tokyo: Japanese media reported on Saturday that Tomiko Itooka, recognized as the world’s oldest person, has died at the age of 116 due to natural causes.
Itooka passed away earlier this week at a nursing home in Ashiya, located in western Japan, according to the city government in Hyogo Prefecture, as reported by Kyodo News.
Born on May 23, 1908, in Osaka, Itooka was the eldest of three siblings. She enjoyed her favorite lactic acid beverages at the nursing home and often expressed gratitude to the staff, as noted by the Japanese daily ‘The Mainichi’.
Ashiya Mayor Ryosuke Takashima expressed condolences, stating, “Through her long life, she gave us great courage and hope.”
Itooka became the oldest living person in Japan in December 2023, following the death of Fusa Tatsumi, another 116-year-old from Kashiwara, Osaka Prefecture. Tatsumi, born on April 25, 1907, had spent most of her final days in bed at a nursing home.
Tatsumi had assumed the title of oldest living person in Japan in April 2022 after the passing of a 119-year-old woman from Fukuoka.
In September 2024, Itooka was officially recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest living person after the death of the previous record holder, Maria Branyas Morera, who was 117 and hailed from Olot, Catalonia, Spain. Morera was born on March 4, 1907.
Japan’s average life expectancy peaked in 2020, with women averaging 87.71 years and men 81.56 years. However, life expectancy saw a decline in 2021 and 2022 due to increased deaths from the coronavirus. In 2023, the average life expectancy rebounded for the first time in three years, with women averaging 87.14 years (up 0.05 from 2022) and men at 81.09 years (up 0.04), according to data released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in July 2024.
