Japan's Tomiko Itooka, World's Oldest Person, Dies at 116 in Ashiya

Jan 4, 2025, 09:56 AM

Tomiko Itooka, the world's oldest person, has died at the age of 116 in Ashiya, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. Born on May 23, 1908, in Osaka as the eldest of three siblings, Itooka was recognized by Guinness World Records in September last year as the world's oldest living person after the death of Maria Branyas Morera from Spain. She passed away on December 29, 2024, due to natural causes in a nursing home in Ashiya. Throughout her life, Itooka managed her husband's textile factory during World War II and climbed Mount Ontake twice. She credited bananas and Calpis for her longevity and lived independently until she was over 100 years old. She is survived by her four children and five grandchildren.