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The world’s oldest person, a 119-year-old woman from Japan named Kane Tanaka, has died.
Her death was announced by the Japanese public broadcaster NHK.
Ms Tanaka was born on January 2, 1903 - the year of the Wright Brothers' first controlled flight of their motor-driven aeroplane.
She was confirmed by Guinness World Records in 2019 as the oldest living person.
Tanaka died of old age at a hospital in Fukuoka city, western Japan, on Tuesday April 19.
During her life, she had been partial to chocolate and fizzy drinks, NHK said.
Japan has a dwindling and rapidly ageing population. As of last September, the country had 86,510 centenarians, and nine out of every 10 were women.
Despite Tanaka’s age, she typically woke up at 6am and was still learning, often studying subjects like maths during her afternoons. She also loved playing the classic board game Othello and had become an expert at the game, often beating nursing home staff.
Tanaka was confirmed as the oldest person alive on January 30, 2019, (when she was 116 years 28 days) with her loved ones and the mayor present for the occasion.
She was the seventh child of Kumakichi and Kuma Ota, had married Hideo Tanaka on January 6, 1922, four days after turning 19.
Read more: World's oldest person Kane Tanaka dies aged 119 after sharing tips for long life
Her death was announced by the Japanese public broadcaster NHK.
Ms Tanaka was born on January 2, 1903 - the year of the Wright Brothers' first controlled flight of their motor-driven aeroplane.
She was confirmed by Guinness World Records in 2019 as the oldest living person.
Tanaka died of old age at a hospital in Fukuoka city, western Japan, on Tuesday April 19.
During her life, she had been partial to chocolate and fizzy drinks, NHK said.
Japan has a dwindling and rapidly ageing population. As of last September, the country had 86,510 centenarians, and nine out of every 10 were women.
Despite Tanaka’s age, she typically woke up at 6am and was still learning, often studying subjects like maths during her afternoons. She also loved playing the classic board game Othello and had become an expert at the game, often beating nursing home staff.
Tanaka was confirmed as the oldest person alive on January 30, 2019, (when she was 116 years 28 days) with her loved ones and the mayor present for the occasion.
She was the seventh child of Kumakichi and Kuma Ota, had married Hideo Tanaka on January 6, 1922, four days after turning 19.
Read more: World's oldest person Kane Tanaka dies aged 119 after sharing tips for long life
I'm always fascinated by these old-timers though. Incredible to live so long!