Tomiko Itooka. Photo provided by LongeviQuest.

News Release

JAPAN — The world’s oldest living person was climbing mountains at 100 years-old.

Tomiko Itooka was born in Osaka City, Japan on May 23, 1908 as the second of three siblings. She was married at the age of 20 and raised two daughter and two sons. During the war, she ran the Japanese office of her husband’s textile factory and raised her children alone.

After he husband died in 1979, she lived alone in her husband’s hometown of Nara Prefecture. During this time, she frequently enjoyed climbing mountains such as Mt. Nijo and Mt. Ontake. Even at the age of 100, she climbed the long stone steps of Ashiya Shrine without a cane.

In addition to being world’s oldest living person, Tomiko Itooka is also the 24th oldest person in recorded history. She became the oldest living person in Japan on December 12, 2023 following the death of 116-year-old Fusa Tatsumi.

LongeviQuest representatives, including Japan Research President Yumi Yamamoto, met Itooka at her 116th birthday party in May.

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