Japanese woman, world's recognized oldest person, dies at 116

studies show that the greatest influence to ultra aged people is poor record keeping.

the japanese government once actually tried to contact and verify all of the people counted as 100-years old or more.

more than half had been dead for more than 3 years.

...but the country is facing a worsening demographic crisis as its expanding elderly population leads to soaring medical and welfare costs, with a shrinking labor force to pay for it.

So stop spending money on military weapons you don't need and can not afford and put some money into taking care of your own elderly!

There is something unique about the diet and lifestyle of the Japanese. Tomiko would of course lived through the nuclear fall out and no doubt come in contact through contaminated food, water and atmosphere. Image if the Japanese were not subjected to the nuclear fall how much longer their lifespan would be ?

. . . that is quite a piece of cake [re: photo] . . .

Long life isn’t something you can celebrate if you’re bedridden with tubes attached all over your body.

It looks like she was well cared for and not bedridden. Even those are supported until their final breath.

Indeed, such supercentenarian do live quite well and healthy until more than 100.

What a shock...completely unexpected....she looked so well.

My neighbour is 93 and works every day in a very large veggie garden...often get veggies from her.

Pretty amazing woman...shames me...

GuruMick : That garden is what keeps her alive and active. It a source of socialising, a source of reward, source of satisfaction and source of waking up to and she probably doing it as a loss financial. Costing more than the return or breaking even or little profit. So getting those vegies is indeed nothing to be ashamed of.

Rest in Peace. A life well lived.

The oldest man AND woman on earth are now Brazilian.

John-SanToday  07:06 am JST

There is something unique about the diet and lifestyle of the Japanese. Tomiko would of course lived through the nuclear fall out and no doubt come in contact through contaminated food, water and atmosphere. Image if the Japanese were not subjected to the nuclear fall how much longer their lifespan would be ?

Indeed. Okinamwa is said to have the longest loved people in Japan, but they are the poorest and have the worst diet of all Japanese regions. Something fishy going on.

John-san -

There is something unique about the diet and lifestyle of the Japanese. Tomiko would of course lived through the nuclear fall out and no doubt come in contact through contaminated food, water and atmosphere. Image if the Japanese were not subjected to the nuclear fall how much longer their lifespan would be ?

Some interesting points.

Yes - the Traditional diet of Japanese has unique aspects - as does the traditional diet of most countries. Also most countries have unique lifestyles.

But if we were to focus on such then a different image appears.

Since data collecting began over 150 years ago, Japan's longevity rate was always low, even though people consumed a Traditional diet. A short period from 1920 to 1940 saw it rise from 39 years to 49 years.

For comparison US longevity in 1920 was about 68 years and Japan's was 39 years - a discrepancy of almost 30 years!

Of course it dropped due to the war and it only passed 50 years for the first time in about 1948. This was when the citizens of Japan were living in dire post war conditions.

In fact by the end of the occupation longevity had reached an historical high reaching about 60 years of age.

So points to ponder are - Japanese people did not live long when living traditional lives eating traditional foods in comparison to some other developed nations.

- Japanese people who did survive the deprivations of War-Post War increased longevity rapidly, rising from 42 years in 1945 to 62 years in 1955, an incredible leap in 10 years. - Japanese people during the period of "economic miracle - 60s, 70s, 80s" - where lifestyles changed, food changed with a huge increase in alcohol and "western diet" and tobacco usage, working hours were long and pollution levels were high, saw the longevity rate break the 80 years mark about 30 years ago, surpassing most countries in the world.

Then Japan's wonderful longevity rate must be impacted by far more than simply saying "unique diet and lifestyle".

Modern medicine incl technology, health care systems, govt support and education must have played a role.

Unfortunately aspects of the modern diet/lifestyle will see a decrease in "healthy longevity" despite the huge gains in the medical welfare scene.

Cancer & Heart diseases are increasing even amongst younger people.

I'm not sure if the current generation can produce equally large numbers of healthy centenarians.

Amazing. I'm always curious about the lifestyles of these people who live to a ripe old age. Did they live a clean life drinking green tea, eating fish and doing yoga, or did they smoke a few cigarettes everyday with a little rice wine?

RIP

Who is now the world’s oldest woman, please, JT?

Who is now the world’s oldest woman, please, JT?

A Brazilian woman, Inah Lucas, and a British woman is second.

16 day younger is Inah Lucus.

There is something unique about the diet and lifestyle of the Japanese. Tomiko would of course lived through the nuclear fall out and no doubt come in contact through contaminated food, water and atmosphere. Image if the Japanese were not subjected to the nuclear fall how much longer their lifespan would be ?

"Japanese" in general were not exposed to radiation to significant levels. For all you know most people of the time would have been exposed to more ionizing radiation if they ever took a flight or a chest X-ray. For all practical purposes this has not effect on longevity compared with well described factors like lifestyle or diet.

It's amazing, she would have been around when man made the first flights of a flying machine, the mass production of cars, and since then she would have seen air craft develop from a crude pile of sticks and a small engine, through to modern jet liners flying non stop over the globe carrying hundreds of people in a single trip, cars that were once only for the very rich people, now virtually every single person has had, or got one, then there is medical care, hospital treatment, diagnosis, and tablets, and machinery has come on in leaps and bounds, tv and radio, from crude transmitters, through to modern tv and radio, and onto digital 4, 5 k TV's I wonder if she has written any memoirs or has a dairy, it would be very interesting read, may you rest in piece for ever more.

Oldest guy I knowingly met was on a sunday morning social fish, he taught me how to cast. many chatting he only took one fish a day from the lake for (turned to local to check lingo ~90yrs), the local knew him. full veggie garden next to the lake, tended to by! outside life growing or harvesting your own foods to eat. is it a genetic thing? Total age not discussed. His family had lived by that lake for generations. Good volcanic (igneous) soils (loaded with essential mineralsveggies to belly).

Fite 2, Please liaise with PN on that one. Tomiko, the lady of the topic seems to have a recorded JH or SH school record, well done lady! Most of South America 'blue nations' no school no records.. but full respects to them anyway, done better than all of us!

stormcrowToday  11:18 am JST

Amazing. I'm always curious about the lifestyles of these people who live to a ripe old age. Did they live a clean life drinking green tea, eating fish and doing yoga, or did they smoke a few cigarettes everyday with a little rice wine?

RIP

5% liftesyle, 85% genes and 10% luck.

browny1Today  11:04 am JST

> Then Japan's wonderful longevity rate must be impacted by far more than simply saying "unique diet and lifestyle".

Yes, it's incomplete record-keeping. It's the same for the crime rate.

It is true that Japanese people often live long lives in relative good health.

it is also true that government tries to enhance a part myth that Japanese live longer than other people. I do also think that a third to half of those over 90 and still registered as alive have actually already passed away.

collecting pensions and government wanting to project Japan as the “ healthiest and best country” in the world the reasons.

Okinamwa is said to have the longest loved people in Japan, but they are the poorest and have the worst diet of all Japanese regions. Something fishy going on.

genetics.

Peter NeilToday  06:28 pm JST

Okinamwa is said to have the longest loved people in Japan, but they are the poorest and have the worst diet of all Japanese regions. Something fishy going on.

LOL

They also have the highest pension fraud and poorest record keeping.

robert maesToday  05:39 pm JST

It is true that Japanese people often live long lives in relative good health.

it is also true that government tries to enhance a part myth that Japanese live longer than other people. I do also think that a third to half of those over 90 and still registered as alive have actually already passed away.

collecting pensions and government wanting to project Japan as the “ healthiest and best country” in the world the reasons.

Shh, don't speak truths and facts that don't fit the common narrative—they don't like that on here.