Mon 25 April 2022:
At the age of 119, a woman who was believed to be the world’s oldest died.
According to the nation’s main broadcaster, Kana Tanaka, a Japanese woman, died in hospital last week.
Guinness World Records verified her as the world’s oldest living person in 2019.
When another Japanese woman, Chiyo Miyako, died in 2018, Tanaka was elevated to legendary status.
Tanaka was in relatively good health until recently and lived at a nursing home, where she enjoyed board games, solving math problems, soda and chocolate.
In her younger years, Tanaka ran various businesses including a noodle shop and a rice cake store. She married Hideo Tanaka a century ago in 1922, giving birth to four children and adopting a fifth.
She had planned to use a wheelchair to take part in the torch relay for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, but the pandemic prevented her from doing so.
When the Guinness World Records recognized her as the oldest person alive in 2019, she was asked what moment was the happiest in her life. Her answer: “Now.”
Tanaka was already in her forties when the US dropped two atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
She witnessed the country’s transformation from war-torn global outcast to a major economic power and leader on the world stage.
KANE TANAKA, WORLD’S OLDEST LIVING PERSON CELEBRATES 118TH BIRTHDAY
Her daily routine was described at the time as including a 6:00 am wake-up and afternoons spent studying mathematics and practicing calligraphy.
“One of Kane’s favorite pastimes is a game of Othello and she’s become an expert at the classic board game, often beating rest-home staff,” Guinness said.
Local governor Seitaro Hattori hailed Tanaka’s life after she died on April 19.
“I was looking forward to seeing Kane-san on this year’s Respect for the Aged Day (a national holiday in September) and celebrating together with her favorite soda and chocolate,” he said in a statement on Monday.
“I am extremely saddened by the news.”
Japan has the world’s most elderly population, according to World Bank data, with around 28 percent aged 65 or over.
The oldest-ever living person verified by Guinness was Frenchwoman Jeanne Louise Calment, who died aged at 122 years and 164 days in 1997.
Japan has an ageing population and a high percentage of the world’s centenarians.
As of last September, the country had 86,510 centenarians, and nine out of every 10 were women.
SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES
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