TOKYO – According to the Guinness Book of Records, Japanese woman Tomiko Itooka became the oldest living person in the world at the age of 116, following the death of 117-year-old Maria Branyas.

Her age and birth date – May 23, 1908 – were confirmed by the Gerontology Research Group, which verifies records of people estimated to be 110 years old or older and placed her at the top of its World Supercentenarian Rankings list.

Itooka lives in a nursing home in Ashiya, a city in Hyogo Prefecture, which also confirmed her birth date. She was given the title of world’s oldest person after Branyas’ family announced the 117-year-old’s death on Tuesday. Guinness confirmed Itooka’s new status on Thursday.

When she was told that she was now the oldest person, she replied, “Thank you,” a phrase she often uses to address the caregivers in her home.

Itooka celebrated her birthday three months ago and received flowers, a cake and a card from the mayor. Every morning she drinks a popular yogurt-flavored drink called Calpis. Her favorite food is bananas.

Itooka was born in Osaka and played volleyball in high school. She married at 20 and had two daughters and two sons, according to Guinness.

Itooka managed the office of her husband’s textile factory during World War II. After her husband’s death in 1979, she lived alone in Nara before entering a nursing home. She climbed the 3,067-meter-high Mount Ontake twice and continued to enjoy long hikes even after her 100th birthday.

___

Yuri Kageyama is on X: https://x.com/yurikageyama