FUKUOKA, Japan — Kane Tanaka, who was born the same year that the Wright Brothers achieved their first powered flight, turned 118 on Jan. 2.
Born on Jan. 2, 1903, she was recognized as the oldest living person by Guinness World Records in March 2019 at the age of 116 and set the all-time Japanese age record in October 2019 at 117 years, 261 days.
Tanaka lives at a nursing home in Fukuoka, where she celebrated her birthday with other residents.
In 2019, Tanaka was presented the official certificate by Kaoru Ishikawa, the official adjudicator and the head of Japan Records Management Team of Guinness World Records. She was surrounded by her family and the mayor of Fukuoka city.
She took the title after Chiyo Miyako (born May 2, 1901) passed away on July 22, 2018.
Tanaka was born to Kumakichi and Kuma Ota as the seventh of eight children. She got married on Jan. 6, 1922, with Hideo Tanaka, had four children with him and also adopted one girl from her sister.
At the nursing home, she wakes up at 6 a.m. and goes to bed around 9 p.m., enjoys studying mathematics and playing Othello.
She was again declared the oldest living person on Feb. 12, 2020, at 117 years, 41 days.
According to Guinness World Records, the oldest person ever to have lived was Jeanne Louise Calment of France, who reached the age of 122 years and 164 days. The oldest man who ever lived was Jiroemon Kimura of Japan, who was born on April 19, 1897 and passed away at 116 years, 54 days on June 12, 2013.
With the advent of better healthcare and considering the aging population of most of the world we will be seeing more of these, it is quite quirky that women are consistently beating the men in game of living a longer life!