Japan’s Kane Tanaka, who at the age of 119 was recognized as the world’s longest-living person today, died Monday in a hospital in Fukuoka Prefecture where she lived.
Kane Tanaka’s life is extraordinary, as she lived through virtually the entire history of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century. Tanaka saw World War I at the age of 11, witnessed the start of World War II at the age of 36, the fall of the Soviet Union at the age of 88, and, in the last few months, witnessed a major global event such as the covid-19 pandemic.
The world’s oldest person
Born on January 2, 1903, in the former village of Wajiro, now part of the city of Fukuoka, Kane Tanaka died in a Fukuoka hospital on January 19 at the age of 119 years and 108 days. Tanaka lived in five different eras of Japan (Meiji, Taisho, Showa, Heisei, and the current Reiwa) and had set herself the goal of turning 120 next year, according to her family. The Japanese woman married at the age of 19 and the family made a living by running udon noodle restaurants.
Tanaka had been living in a nursing home for several years and was a regular feature in Japanese articles and television programs on the occasion of her birthday or the national celebration of Respect for the Elderly Day (held every third Monday in September). Her favorite food was chocolate and enjoyed carbonated beverages, as was often seen in photographs and videos reported in the local media.
In addition, Kane Tanaka applied to participate in the Olympic torch relay leg of the Tokyo Games last summer, but, ultimately opted not to do so due to the covid-19 pandemic.
Tanaka was recognized as of 2019 by the Gerontology Research Group and the Guinness World Record as the world’s oldest woman and person. After her death, the oldest living person becomes French nun Lucile Randon, better known as Sister André, who is now 118 years and 74 days old. The oldest living Japanese is now Fusa Tatsumi, who turned 115 today, and is also the fifth oldest person in the world on record.
Story originally published in Cultura Colectiva News
