World's Oldest Person Kane Tanaka Dies At 119, French Nun Takes Her Place

The world's oldest person from the Japanese city of Fukuoka died at the age of 119 on April 19, close short of turning 120.  She spent her later years in a Fukuoka nursing home and died of old age at a hospital in her hometown in southern Japan where she spent all her life, city officials said.

With Tanaka's death, the world's oldest person now is Lucile Randon, a nun from France, who is 118 years and 73 days, as per the Gerontology Research Group, which tracks super-centenarians globally. While Japan's oldest person is now Fusa Tatsumi, a 115-year-old woman living in Osaka prefecture, reports said.

-Kane Tanaka was born on January 2 in 1903, the same year Wright Brothers -- Wilbur and Orville Wright made the world's first successful flight of powered aircraft.

- According to reports, Tanaka whose life spanned many moons, witnessed several Japanese imperial eras including Meiji, Taisho, Showa, Heisei, and Reiwa.

-She was recognised by Guinness World Records as the world's oldest person in March 2019 at the age of 116.

-Tanaka also became the oldest person ever on record in Japan after turning 117 years and 261 days old in September 2020.

-The seventh of nine siblings, Tanaka married when she was 19 and later ran a noodle shop when her husband Hideo.

-Tanaka attributed her longevity to eating delicious food, which includes soda and chocolate, which she loved.

-She was also fond of calligraphy, liked to solve arithmetic problems, and enjoyed playing the board game Reversi, among other activities.