Tomiko Itooka, the world’s oldest living person, has passed away at the age of 116. Born on May 23, 1908, in Osaka, Japan, Itooka had previously held the record after Maria Branyas’ death last year. She was known for her love of bananas and Japanese yoghurt-flavoured drink Calpis.
Itooka’s life was marked by her passion for volleyball, mountain climbing, and hiking. At 97, she became the oldest person to climb Mount Ontake, a feat she repeated twice. The Gerontology Research Group reported that Itooka was born just six years before World War I and in the same year as the Ford Model T was launched.
Itooka’s life took a significant turn during World War II, when she managed her husband’s textile factory. After her husband’s death in 1979, she lived alone in Nara until her passing. She is survived by her son, daughter, five grandchildren, and her new record holder, 116-year-old Inah Canabarro Lucas from Brazil.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/04/worlds-oldest-person-tomiko-itooka-dies-in-japan-aged-116