TOKYO — A 116-year-old Japanese woman, Tomiko Itooka, is set to be recognized as the world’s oldest person by Guinness World Records following the recent death of a 117-year-old Spanish woman, Maria Branyas Morera, earlier this week.
Itooka, who was born on May 23, 1908, resides in the city of Ashiya in western Japan, according to the US-based Gerontology Research Group. She is now next in line to receive the title after Morera passed away in a nursing home in Spain.
A former mountaineer, Itooka has led an active life. In her 70s, she climbed Japan’s 3,067-meter (10,062-foot) Mount Ontake twice, notably doing so in sneakers instead of traditional hiking boots, much to the surprise of her guide. Even at the age of 100, she walked up the long stone steps of Ashiya Shrine without the aid of a cane, showcasing her remarkable physical endurance.
Born in a year marked by significant events, such as the first long-distance radio message sent from the Eiffel Tower and the Wright Brothers’ first public flights in Europe and America, Itooka’s life spans over a century of extraordinary global changes.
Tomiko Itooka’s upcoming recognition as the world’s oldest person underscores Japan’s reputation for longevity and the increasing number of centenarians in the country.