The world's oldest living person, Japan's Kae Tanaka, celebrated her 119th birthday on Sunday reported the Japan Times.
According to the report, Tanaka, was born a year before the Russo-Japanese War began, on 2 January 1903 and has lived during Japan's Meiji, Taisho, Showa, Heisei and current Reiwa eras, and is hoping to live until 120 as an immediate goal.
Tanaka was recognized by Guinness World Records in March 2019 as the world's oldest living person at 116 years old and also achieved an all-time Japanese age record when she became 117 years and 261 days old.
(It should be noted that the oldest living Greeks were Katerina Karnarou born 25 Jul 1905 and passed on 29 Oct 2020 at 115 years, and Gregory Pandazes born 15 Jan 1873 and passed on 22 Dec 1983 at 110 years of age.)
Residing in a nursing home in Fukuoka prefecture, Tanaka interacts with staff through gestures and often challenges herself by solving number puzzles. She likes chocolate and carbonated drinks.
When the centenarian was sent flowers on Respect for the Aged Day last September by Fukuoka Governor Seitaro Hattori, she expressed her happiness by making a peace sign.
Tanaka, the seventh of nine siblings, married when she was 19 years old. She supported her family by running a noodle shop when her husband and eldest son went to fight in the Second Sino-Japanese War that started in 1937.
"I would like to personally congratulate her soon," Tanaka's 62-year-old grandson, Eiji, said. "I hope she remains healthy and has fun everyday as she grows older."
