Following the death of 117-year-old Maria Branyas Morera, Tomiko Itooka, who was born on May 23, 1908, was named the oldest living person in the world at 116 years old. The Gerontology Research Group and Guinness World Records have both confirmed her age. Tomiko lived with her daughters until she was 110 years old, at which point she went into a nursing home in Ashiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan.
Even though she has hearing loss, Tomiko can communicate well and shows her carers her appreciation frequently. She drinks Calpis every day and likes bananas. She was raised in Osaka, participated in volleyball as a student, and went on to oversee her husband’s textile factory office during World War II. She is currently the mother of many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, having had four children.
Following her husband’s passing in 1979, Tomiko became an enthusiastic hiker and even summited Mt. Ontake twice. She often climbed Mt. Nijo. At the age of 100, she was able to climb the Ashiya shrine steps without the use of a walking stick, having performed the Saigoku Kannon pilgrimage twice.
As of December 2023, Tomiko is the oldest living person in Japan and the 24th oldest person in history.
