Culture
World's oldest person dies in Japan at 119
Kane Tanaka died at the age of 119 in a hospital in the Japanese city of Fukuoka
April 25, 2022 9:16am
Updated: April 25, 2022 2:08pm
The Japanese woman who was confirmed as the world's oldest person died at the age of 119, according to a statement released Monday by Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare.
Kane Tanaka was born on January 2, 1903, in the former village of Wajiro, now part of the city of Fukuoka. She died in a hospital in the same city on April 19 at 119 years and 108 days old.
Tanaka lived in five different eras in Japan, Meiji, Taisho, Showa, Heisei, and the current Reiwa. She also had a dream of living to 120, her family said according to Telemundo 51.
Guinness World Records said in a statement that it was saddened to learn of Tanaka's passing, assuring that news of her death had been confirmed by Senior Gerontology Consultant Robert Young, who also helped confirm her record as the oldest living person and the oldest living female person in 2019.
We're sad to report that Kane Tanaka has passed away at the age of 119.
— Guinness World Records (@GWR) April 25, 2022
Kane was the oldest living person in the world.
In a tweet earlier this month, Tanaka's family said she had recently fallen ill. "I have been repeatedly hospitalized and discharged."
【近況報告】
— 田中カ子 (@tanakakane0102) April 13, 2022
カ子さんの体調を心配して下さるコメント、ありがとうございます🙇♀️
実は、最近体調を崩すことが増え、入退院を繰り返しています。
そのような中でも、コーラやオロナミンC、チョコを食べたいと言って食べているようです😂🥤🍫
今は少しでも体調が良くなる事をただただ願っています😢🙏 pic.twitter.com/mEeXlc3pT1
Kane Tanaka's life
The Japanese woman married a rice store owner at 19, with whom she had four children. She worked in the family store until she was 103 years old. She has five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Tanaka had been living in a nursing home for several years and was a regular presence on Japanese television programs during her birthday or the national celebration of Respect for the Elderly Day.
Her favorite food was chocolate, and he liked soft drinks, according to Telemundo.
After her death, the oldest living woman is the French nun Lucile Randon, better known as Sister André, who is 118 years old.
The oldest Japanese woman is now Fusa Tatsumi, who is 115 years old; she is also the fifth oldest person in the world on record.
