World's oldest person dies at 119 in Japan

The world's oldest person died at the age of 119 in the city of Fukuoka in southwestern Japan on April 19, the local government said Monday.

Born on Jan. 2, 1903, Kane Tanaka lived in several Japanese imperial eras -- Meiji, Taisho, Showa, Heisei and Reiwa.

At the age of 116, she was recognized by the Guinness World Records as the oldest person in the world in March 2019, and then became the oldest person ever on record in Japan after turning 117 years, 261 days old in September 2020.

Tanaka was the seventh of nine siblings and married when she was 19. She used to make a living by running a noodle shop and then switched to a rice cake store.

Tanaka ascribed her longevity to "eating delicious food and learning." Her favorite treats included soda and chocolate.

She spent her later years in a nursing home in Fukuoka, where she enjoyed playing the board game Reversi, among other activities.

Japan's oldest person is now Fusa Tatsumi, a 115-year-old woman living in Kashiwara, Osaka Prefecture, according to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.