World’s oldest person dies at 117 in Japan

Channel News Asia

TOKYO: The world’s oldest person, Misao Okawa, died in Japan on Wednesday (Apr 1), a month after celebrating her 117th birthday.

The nursing home where she lived in Osaka said she breathed her last around 7am (10pm GMT Tuesday).

On the occasion of her birthday early last month, Okawa, a mother of three, grandmother of four and great-grandmother of six, was one of only a handful of people still alive who had been born in the 19th century.  

Her birth on March 5, 1898 predated the Wright brothers’ first powered human flight by five years, she was already a teenager when World War I broke out and in her 70s by the time of the first moon landing.

When she turned 114, she was officially recognised by Guinness World Records as the oldest woman in the globe.

Japan, known for the longevity of its people, is home to the world’s oldest man – Sakari Momoi, who celebrated his 112th birthday in February.

In 2013, life expectancy for women in Japan was 86.61, the longest in the world followed by Hong Kong women, according to the health ministry.

For men it was 80.21, the fourth longest, after men in Hong Kong, Iceland and Switzerland.

The world’s oldest person is now believed to be American Gertrude Weaver, who is reportedly 116 years old.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/world-s-oldest-person/1760710.html

7 thoughts on “World’s oldest person dies at 117 in Japan

  1. If you got 117 years out of this racket it’s time to get the hell out. If she’s consuming food that could be going to a hungry baby, someone should have held a pillow over her face a decade ago.

    1. I take it that you support the Obamacare death panels as well? Saying someone has lived too long is pretty sick. Hungry babies? Maybe some women should keep an aspirin held between their knees and not let it hit the ground, then there would be less hungry babies.

    2. Hi Jolly Roger,…

      Ok,.. I’ll play along,… at what age should she have been smothered to death??

      100?,…

      90?,…

      80?,…

      How about 55??

      What about right after her effective child bearing years were over,… lets say about 45????,…

      Just out of curiosity,… how old are you?

      Just wondering.

      JD – US Marines – Isn’t that kind of thinking that leads to eugenics and open pit massacres??

      .

    3. AND THE BABY! they are both useless eaters. lol

      I am only kidding and do not endorse the killing of useless eaters.

      I am all for euthanasia. I just think it should start with public “officials”.

  2. When I read Jolly Roger comment I admittedly thought of Bill Gates: End-of-Life Care vs. Saving Teachers’ Jobs video. Bill Gates shame on you. All life is worth living no matter how dam old you are.

  3. Hi FF,

    Exactly!.

    It was NOT old age that killed her,.. it was the radiation from Fukishima!!!

    Although, I have to admit,… I have seen 2,000 year old mummies that look better than her!

    JD – US Marines – Well,.. you can’t say she didn’t have a good run!

    .

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