Tomiko Itooka, 116, was honored as World’s Oldest Person at a ceremony at her residence home today. Mrs. Itooka, born in 1908, became World’s Oldest Person earlier this week after the death of 117-year-old María Branyas Morera of Spain. She is the first Japanese citizen to become World’s Oldest Person since April 2022, when Kane Tanaka passed away at age 119.
Les Ashiya, a comprehensive nursing home, granted special permission for Yumi Yamamoto, Japan’s Research President for LongeviQuest, to visit Mrs. Itooka, whom she has been interviewing for the past two years. Yamamoto had previously met Mrs. Itooka in person at her 116th birthday celebration in May. During the visit, Mrs. Itooka was presented with a new plaque recognizing her as the World’s Oldest Person, certified by LongeviQuest.
At the end of the visit, when Yamamoto said, “Thank you for today,” Mrs. Itooka replied, “Thank you very much, too.” She then waved goodbye to her as she left.
In addition to being world’s oldest living person, Tomiko Itooka is also the 23rd oldest person in recorded history. She became the oldest person in Japan on 12 December 2023 following the death of 116-year-old Fusa Tatsumi.
Tomiko Itooka was born in Osaka City, Japan on 23 May 1908 as the second of three siblings. She was married at the age of 20 and raised two daughter and two sons. During the war, she ran the Japanese office of her husband’s textile factory and raised her children alone. After he husband died in 1979, she lived alone in her husband’s hometown of Nara Prefecture. During this time, she frequently enjoyed climbing mountains such as Mt. Nijo and Mt. Ontake. Even at the age of 100, she climbed the long stone steps of Ashiya Shrine without a cane.
*** MORE PHOTOS: https://longeviquest.com/2024/08/worlds-oldest-person-tomiko-itooka-116-honored-at-her-residence/ ***
Photo Identification: Tomiko Itooka, with LongeviQuest representative Yumi Yamamoto, Atsushi Kishimoto, CEO of Nursing Home (left), and Dr. KÅ no.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON TOMIKO ITOOKA:
116th Birthday Party Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbH1sn10yXY
Biography: https://longeviquest.com/supercentenarian/tomiko-itooka/
Oldest Living People List: https://atlas.longeviquest.com/atlas/living
Oldest People Ever List: https://atlas.longeviquest.com/atlas/world
