116-year-old Japanese woman confirmed as world's oldest living person: Guinness World Records

Despite being hard of hearing, Tomiko Itooka remains able to communicate clearly with those around her. (Image: Gerontology Research Group)

Tomiko Itooka, a 116-year-old resident of Ashiya, Japan, has been officially recognised as the world’s oldest living person following the death of 117-year-old Maria Branyas Morera. The Gerontology Research Group, which validates the ages of those believed to be over 110, confirmed Itooka’s age and birthdate, placing her at the top of its World Supercentenarian Rankings List. This was subsequently confirmed by Guinness World Records.

Itooka, who was born on 23 May 1908 in Osaka, has lived in a nursing home in Ashiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, since 2019. Prior to this, she resided with her two daughters until the age of 110. When informed of her new status as the world's oldest living person, Itooka simply responded with "Thank you," a sentiment she frequently expresses to her caregivers.

Itooka celebrated her 116th birthday three months ago, where she received flowers, a card from the city’s mayor, and a cake, although she admitted to not being particularly fond of the latter. Despite being hard of hearing, she remains able to communicate clearly with those around her.

Born as the second of three siblings, Itooka attended an all-girls high school in Osaka, where she actively participated in volleyball. She married at the age of 20 and had four children—two daughters and two sons. During World War II, she managed the office of her husband’s textile factory. After her husband’s death in 1979, she lived alone in Nara Prefecture, where she continued to pursue her love for hiking and completed several significant pilgrimages.

Itooka is known for her passion for long walks, a practice her family believes has contributed to her longevity. She climbed Mount Ontake, which stands at over 3,000 metres, twice and even continued hiking well into her later years. Notably, she completed the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage twice in her eighties and was able to climb the stone steps of Ashiya Shrine without assistance at the age of 100.

Currently ranked as the 24th oldest person in recorded history, Itooka has been the oldest living person in Japan and Asia since December 2023, following the passing of Fusa Tatsumi. The title of the oldest person ever authenticated remains with Jeanne Calment of France, who lived to 122 years and 164 days.