Kane Tanaka, the World's Oldest Living Person, Has Passed Away at Age 119
Apr. 26 2022, Published 8:50 a.m. ET
On Monday, April 25, 2022, the Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) confirmed that Kane Tanaka, the world's oldest living person, has passed away.
Born in Wajiro, Japan on Jan. 2, 1903, Kane spent most of her life in the Fukuoka Prefecture on the southern island of Kyushu. She married Hideo Tanaka in 1922, welcoming four kids and adopting the daughter of Hideo's sister. Kane worked in the family business, a store selling udon noodles, rice cakes, and more until she was 103.
Kane Tanaka, the world's oldest living person, has died at age 119. What was her cause of death?
Kane became the world's oldest living person in March 2019.
She is considered to be the second-oldest person to have ever lived. (Jeanne Calment, a socialite hailing from Arles, France, is considered to be the oldest person to have ever lived. Jeanne passed away on Aug. 4, 1997, at age 122 and 164 days.)
According to USA Today, her cause of death is unknown, but she had been in and out of the hospital in early 2022, according to a tweet from her family.
Kane Tanaka canceled her appearance at the 2020 Summer Games because of COVID-19-related concerns.
Kane was set to partake in the Olympic torch relay at the 2020 Summer Games held in Tokyo but withdrew because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
What diet did Kane Tanaka follow?
Kane moved to a nursing home in September 2018. In an interview with L'Unione Sarda, she emphasized the importance of "sleeping soundly." Several outlets note that she followed a healthy diet comprising rice, fish soup, and lots of water.
Kane liked sweets, canned coffee, and nutritional drinks. Her hobbies included calligraphy, solving arithmetic problems, taking walks, and playing the board game Othello.
According to NPR, Kane had a sweet tooth. During a 2019 ceremony marking her Guinness Record certification as the oldest person alive, she received a box of chocolates, which she opened straight away.
Mamoru Hanada, one of Kane Tanaka's children, published a book about her life in 2010.
Mamoru Hanada published a book about Kane's life, titled Hana mo arashi mo 107sai or In Good and Bad Times, 107 Years Old, in 2010.
The volume offers a glimpse into Kane's secrets, including the lifestyle she followed and the approach that allowed her to survive two world wars and beat cancer. She was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2006, undergoing treatment and triumphing over the illness at age 103.
Lucile Randon, a 118-year-old nun who survived COVID-19 before her 117th birthday, is thought to be the oldest person alive.
Lucile Randon, a Roman Catholic nun living in Toulon, France, is thought to be the oldest person currently alive. She was born on Feb. 11, 1904.
