4th January 2025 – (Ashiya) Tomiko Itooka, recognised as the world’s oldest person, has passed away at the age of 116, as announced by the city of Ashiya on 4th January. Itooka, who had four children and five grandchildren, died on 29th December at a nursing home where she had lived since 2019, according to the city’s mayor.
Born on 23rd May, 1908, in Osaka—just four months before the launch of the Ford Model T in the United States—Itooka became the world’s oldest living person following the death of Spain’s Maria Branyas Morera in August 2024 at the age of 117.
Mayor Ryosuke Takashima, 27, expressed gratitude for Itooka’s life, stating, “Ms. Itooka gave us courage and hope through her long life. We thank her for it.”
A member of a three-sibling household, Itooka lived through significant historical events, including wars, pandemics, and technological advances. In her youth, she played volleyball, and in her later years, she enjoyed bananas and Calpis, a popular Japanese soft drink.
While Japan is known for its longevity, it is facing a demographic crisis, with an increasing elderly population leading to rising medical and welfare costs. As of September, over 95,000 individuals aged 100 or older were recorded in Japan, with women making up 88 percent of that demographic. Nearly a third of the country’s 124 million residents are now aged 65 or older.
