Tomiko Itooka, the 116-year-old Japanese woman who had been recognized as the oldest living person in August 2024, passed away on December 29, 2024, as confirmed by Guinness World Records. Her death was officially acknowledged by Guinness World Records on the following Saturday.
Itooka was awarded the distinction of being the world’s oldest person in September 2023. According to Guinness World Records, she was born in Osaka on May 23, 1908. Reports indicate that she attended an all-girls high school where she actively participated in volleyball. At the onset of World War II, at the age of 32, she efficiently managed the administrative duties of her husband’s textile factory, as detailed by Guinness.
Her family shared with Guinness World Records that her exceptional longevity could be attributed to her vibrant and active lifestyle. Even in her 100s, she continued to engage in mountain climbing activities. Remarkably, she resided in her own home with her two daughters until she reached the age of 110.
Following Tomiko Itooka’s passing, the title of the oldest living person has now been succeeded by Inah Canabarro Lucas, who also recently turned 116 years old. Lucas was born on June 8, 1908, in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, just two weeks after Itooka’s birth.
In 2018, upon reaching her 110th birthday, Lucas received a special apostolic blessing from Pope Francis. Guinness World Records has highlighted that she is among a select group of only three individuals alive today who were born in the 1900s.
