She was the world's oldest person: Passed away at 116
Tomiko Itooka, who passed away in Japan at the age of 116, had been recognized by Guinness World Records as the oldest person in the world.
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Japanese national Tomiko Itooka, who held the title of the world's oldest person, has passed away at the age of 116 at a nursing home in the city of Ashiya, Hyogo Prefecture. Itooka had earned this title following the death of Spaniard Maria Branyas Morera at the age of 117 in August 2024.
Following Itooka's passing, it is believed that 116-year-old Brazilian nun Inah Canabarro Lucas is now the oldest person in the world.
Ashiya's young Mayor Ryosuke Takashima stated, “Ms. Itooka gave us courage and hope throughout her long life. We are grateful to her.”
BORN IN 1908
Born in 1908, six years before the First World War, Itooka witnessed two world wars, pandemics, and technological revolutions. Itooka, who managed a textile factory with her husband during the Second World War, continued to live independently until the final years of her life.
As of September, the number of people over the age of 100 in Japan has exceeded 95 thousand, with 88 percent of these individuals being women. Japan, where one-third of its 124 million population is aged 65 and over, draws attention with its elderly population.