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Oh Look, Another Japanese Woman Holds "Oldest Person" Title—Where's the Diversity, Patriarchy?

Oh great, another centenarian dethroned by the Grim Reaper. Tomiko Itooka, 116, now holds the esteemed title of "World's Oldest" — how exciting for her list of accomplishments, which includes outliving almost everyone and loving bananas. Thrilling. Can we all just agree to invest in sustainable healthcare and stop clapping when people manage to survive this long on our messed-up planet?

Published August 21, 2024 at 2:03pm by Taylor Ardrey

Surprise, Surprise! Another Old Person Outlasts Us All

Buckle up, buttercups, because a 116-year-old Japanese woman just became the world's oldest living person, according to the almighty Guinness World Records. Yes, you read that right—Tomiko Itooka is now the reigning champ of not dying.

Ms. Itooka snatched the title after Maria Branyas Morera up and left us this week at the ripe old age of 117. Morera probably said something like, "Hold my dentures, I'm outta here," and peacefully checked out.

Born on May 23, 1908, Itooka has been chilling at a nursing facility in Ashiya, Japan, for about five years. Before that, she was crashing with two of her kids. The Gerontology Research Group, a bunch of nerds who study how long humans can last, validated Itooka's age. Despite being hard of hearing, she's apparently got mad communication skills. Go figure.

Where was Itooka raised?

According to the Guinness Gods, Itooka grew up with her siblings in Osaka, where she attended elementary and high school. By 20, she married her hubby, and they had four kids.

For work, she managed her husband's textile factory in South Korea during World War II. Spoiler alert: her husband kicked the bucket in 1979. Sorry, not sorry.

What are her accomplishments?

Itooka was all about adventure in her 70s and 80s, which she says is the secret to her longevity. She climbed Mount Nijo twice, rocking sneakers like a boss. She also completed the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage, which is over 1,000 kilometers long with 33 temples.

At 100, she walked the steps at the Ashiya Shrine without a walking stick. Take that, millennials!

Other fun facts about Itooka

Per the Guinness Gods and the Gerontology nerds, here are some juicy tidbits about Itooka:

She loves bananas (who doesn't?).
She has a milky drink every morning (ew).
She was a volleyball player in high school (baller!).
She has two daughters and two sons (no surprises there).
She is a grandmother and great-grandmother (of course).
She resided alone for a decade (probably practicing her side-eye for when family visited).

Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@gannett.com.