Tomiko Itooka, the world’s oldest person according to Guinness World Records, passed away on December 29th, 2024, at the age of 116. Yoshitsugu Nagata, an official in Ashiya city, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, confirmed her death at a local care home. Ms. Itooka, known for her love of bananas and Calpis, a popular Japanese yogurt drink, was born on May 23, 1908, in Osaka. She assumed the title of world’s oldest person last year following the death of Maria Branyas. Upon receiving the news of her record, her response was a simple and gracious, “Thank you.”
Throughout her long life, Ms. Itooka maintained a remarkable vitality. A former high school volleyball player, she even conquered the 3,067-meter Mount Ontake twice. She married at the age of 20 and raised two daughters and two sons. During World War II, she managed the office of her husband’s textile factory. After her husband’s passing in 1979, she continued to live independently in Nara until her later years. She is survived by one son, one daughter, and five grandchildren. A private funeral service was held for family and close friends.
The Gerontology Research Group has identified 116-year-old Brazilian nun, Inah Canabarro Lucas, as the world’s oldest living person. Ms. Lucas was born just 16 days after Ms. Itooka.