Tomiko Itooka, world’s oldest person, dies at 116 – The Tribune

Tomiko Itooka, a Japanese woman recognised as the world’s oldest person by the Guinness World Records, passed away on December 29 at a care home in Ashiya, Hyogo Prefecture, central Japan. She was 116 years old, confirmed an official from the city of Ashiya on Saturday.

Yoshitsugu Nagata, an official in charge of elderly policies, said Itooka’s death was confirmed at the care facility. Born on May 23, 1908, in Osaka, Itooka was known for her fondness for bananas and Calpis, a yogurt-flavoured Japanese drink. She became the world’s oldest person last year after the passing of 117-year-old Maria Branyas, according to the Gerontology Research Group.