Kane Tanaka

The woman who held the record as the oldest living person has died at age 119, according to Guinness World Records.

Tanaka had survived colorectal cancer and was living in a rest home. “I was able to come this far with the support of many people. The woman who held the record as the oldest living person has died at age 119, according to Guinness World Records.

The world's oldest person, Japanese woman Kane Tanaka, born in 1903, has passed away in Japan aged 119 and 107 days.

The title of oldest-ever living person remains with Jeanne Calment, who lived to the age of 122 and 164 days, and who died in August 1997. Tanaka survived cancer more than once — at 45, she underwent pancreatic cancer surgery. In January, Junko said of her great-grandmother: “I might be biased because I’m related to her but I think it’s kind of amazing — I wanted to share that with the world and for people to feel inspired and to feel her joy.” At 103, she had colorectal cancer surgery. Japan has the most elderly population in the world, with one in every 1,565 people over 100 years old and 88 per cent of them being women. According to a statement released by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, Tanaka passed away on the 19th April, making her the second oldest verified person in history, having lived 119 years and 107 days.

A Japanese woman recognised as the world's oldest person dies, aged 119, according to Japan's public broadcaster.

Before Ms Tanaka, the previous oldest living person was another Japanese woman, Chiyo Miyako, who died in July 2018 at the age of 117. Ms Tanaka was the seventh of eight children in her family. Ms Tanaka was recognised by Guinness World Records in 2019 as the world's oldest living person.

Japan's Kane Tanaka has twice survived cancer, lived through two global pandemics and two world wars.

Tanaka was known to have a sweet tooth. Immediately after she received a box of chocolates at the official Guinness World Records ceremony in 2019, she opened the box and started eating. Tanaka was confirmed as the oldest living person by the Gerontology Research Group and Guinness World Records in 2019, at the age of 116 years and 66 days. Her favourite food was chocolate and she liked carbonated drinks, as was often seen in the photos and videos of her published in local media. Tanaka died in a hospital in the city on April 19 at the age of 119 years and 108 days. Tanaka had been living in a nursing home for the past few years, and her presence was common in media articles and TV programs on her birthday or the national Day of Respect for the Elderly.