Kane Tanaka was the world’s oldest person, and the second oldest person in recorded history. She died of old age on April 19 at 119 years old, months short of reaching her goal of 120, according to The Associated Press.
The life of Kane Tanaka: Tanaka was born on Jan. 2, 1903, in Japan. She was raised in the city of Fukuoka, which was where she died.
- Her family reported that she lived a long and healthy life, and was only in and out of the hospital shortly before her death, The Associated Press reported.
- Tanaka spent her life married to Hideo Tanaka, who she married at age 19. The couple helped run a family business selling sticky rice, udon and the Japanese dessert zenzai until she was 103, according to NPR.
- “She twice survived cancer and lived through a multitude of historical events, surviving two world wars and the 1918 Spanish flu — as well as the COVID-19 pandemic,” reported CNN.
- Tanaka enjoyed chocolate and fizzy drinks, and “kept her mind and body engaged by doing math and remaining curious,” according to CNN.
- NPR stated that she held the title of the oldest living person for three years.
Who is the oldest person now? Since the passing of Tanaka, the oldest living person is now Lucile Randon, a 118-year-old French nun, who is also the oldest known survivor of COVID-19, per NPR.