ASHIYA, Japan— Tomiko Itooka, recognized as the world’s oldest person, passed away peacefully on December 29, 2024, at the age of 116 in a care home in Ashiya, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan.
Itooka, born on May 23, 1908, in Osaka, was the eldest of three siblings in a family that operated a clothing store. During World War II, she managed her family’s textile business while raising her children, as her husband served in Korea. Widowed in 1979, she relocated to Ashiya and maintained an active lifestyle well into her later years, even climbing Mount Ontake twice in her 70s and completing the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage.
In September 2024, Guinness World Records officially recognized her as the world’s oldest living person, following the death of Maria Branyas at 117. Itooka credited her longevity to her active lifestyle and a diet including bananas and Calpis, a popular yogurt-flavored Japanese drink.
“She was a beacon of resilience and vitality, inspiring many with her long and active life,” a spokesperson from her care home stated.
Itooka is survived by her son, daughter, and five grandchildren.
Following her death, Inah Canabarro Lucas of Brazil, born just 16 days after Itooka, is now recognized as the world’s oldest living person.
Her passing marks the end of an extraordinary life that spanned three centuries, witnessing remarkable changes in the world.
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