Tomiko Itooka, the world’s oldest living person as of August 2024, passed away on December 29, 2024, Guinness World Records confirmed on Saturday. She was 116 years old.
Born on May 23, 1908, in Osaka, Japan, Itooka attended an all-girls high school and played volleyball.
During World War II, she managed her husband’s textile factory.
Known for her active lifestyle, she continued mountain climbing well into her 100s and lived with her two daughters until the age of 110.
Itooka was officially recognized as the world’s oldest person in September 2023. Her family credited her longevity to her vibrant and active way of life.
The title now passes to Inah Canabarro Lucas of Brazil, also 116, born just two weeks after Itooka on June 8, 1908.
Lucas is among only three living individuals born in the 1900s, according to Guinness World Records.