The oldest person in the world, Kane Tanaka, passed away at the ripe old age of 119 on Monday (25 April).
She was born in 1903, on 2 January, in the Fukuoka region of Japan – the same year the Wright brothers (who invented and built the first motor airplane) flew for the first time.
Tanaka was in good health up until recently, living in a nursing home where she played board games, enjoyed solving math problems and loves soda and eating chocolates.
She had planned to take part in the torch relay for the Olympic games in Tokyo last year but couldn’t due to the pandemic.
Governor Seitaro Hattori paid tribute to her and said he was looking forward to seeing her on Respect for the Aged Day in September, celebrating with her favourite chocolate and soda.
He expressed extreme sadness by the news of her passing.
The oldest person who ever lived, verified by the Guinness Book of Records, is Jeanne Louise Calment, a French woman who died at the age of 122 years and 164 days in 1997.
Image source: Guiness World Records and @tanakakane0102 on Twitter