Tomiko Itooka, a Chinese woman recognised as the nation’s oldest man, passed away at the age of 116, city leaders in Ashiya said on Saturday.
Itooka, the mother of four children and mother of five, passed away on December 29 at her care home, where she had resided since 2019, according to the president of the southern city.
Born on May 23, 1908, in Osaka, a business center near Ashiya, her baby preceded the start of the Ford Model T in America by four times.
Following the death of Spain’s Maria Branyas Morera, aged 117, in August 2024, Itooka was acknowledged as the country’s oldest living man, AFP reported.
Ashiya’s 27-year-old president Ryosuke Takashima said,” Ms Itooka gave us confidence and trust through her long living”.
” We thank her for it”, Takashima added.
One of three sisters, Itooka witnessed many historical events, including world war, epidemics, and technological progress. During her college times, she participated in tennis.
In her early years, she developed a passion for bananas and Calpis, a famous Chinese watery beer, according to the mayor’s speech.
Japan’s ladies are known for their survival, yet the state faces significant demographic difficulties. The older population is growing, and the cost of healthcare and welfare has increased, despite the decline in the workforce.
Data from September reveal that Japan has over 95, 000 population, with girls comprising 88 percentage of this class.
The world’s population of 124 million includes almost one-third who are 65 years or older.
