Tomiko Itooka
World's oldest verified living person (born 1908)
Kenji Itooka
(m. 1928; died 1979)Tomiko Itooka (糸岡富子, Itooka Tomiko, born 23 May 1908) is a Japanese supercentenarian who has been the world's oldest living person since the death of Maria Branyas of Spain on 19 August 2024.[1][2][3] Earlier, she became Japan's oldest living person after Fusa Tatsumi died on 12 December 2023.[4]
Early life
Tomiko Itooka was born in Osaka on 23 May 1908.[4]
Career
During the Second World War, she took over her husband's textile factory which was located in South Korea, although she remained in Japan.[3]
Personal life
She married Kenji Itooka in 1928. She had two daughters and two sons; the first child was born in 1929.
After her husband died in 1979, she lived alone until 1989. During these ten years, she frequently climbed Mount Nijō, summited Mount Ontake twice, and also participated in the Osaka 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.[3]
In 1989, she moved in with her two daughters. In 2019, she moved to a nursing home in Ashiya, Hyōgo, at age 110. She was at the time still able to move independently (as recently as age 116), but mainly uses a wheelchair.[5]
See also
- List of Japanese supercentenarians
- List of oldest living people
- Oldest people
- List of the verified oldest people
References
- ^ "World's oldest person dies at 117 after surviving three wars and two global pandemics". SBS News. Archived from the original on 21 August 2024. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
- ^ Guy, Jack (20 August 2024). "World's oldest person, Maria Branyas Morera, dies aged 117". CNN.com. Archived from the original on 20 August 2024. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
- ^ a b c Atwal, Sanj (21 August 2024). "116-year-old Japanese woman confirmed as world's oldest living person". Guinness World Records. Archived from the original on 21 August 2024. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
- ^ a b "115-yr-old woman in western Japan becomes country's oldest person". Kyodo News. Archived from the original on 24 August 2024. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
- ^ "116-year-old Japanese in line to be named world's oldest living person". Kyodo News. Archived from the original on 21 August 2024. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
