Kane Tanaka

Kane Tanaka
Native name 田中カ子
Born (1903-01-02)2 January 1903
(age 115 years, 284 days)
Kazuki Village (now Fukuoka), Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan
Residence Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan
Nationality Japanese
Known for Oldest living person since 22 July 2018

Kane Tanaka (田中カ子, Tanaka Kane, born 2 January 1903) is, at the age of 115 years, 284 days, the world's oldest verified living person following the death of 117-year-old Chiyo Miyako on 22 July 2018.[1]

Biography

Tanaka was born on 2 January 1903 in Kazuki Village (now Fukuoka), Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, on the southern island of Kyushu.[2] Tanaka was born prematurely and raised on breast milk from women other than her mother.[3] During World War II, she worked in a store selling rice cakes with her husband Hideo. After Hideo and her son died during the war, she continued working in the store before retiring at age 63.[4] In the 1970s, she visited the United States, where she has several nieces and nephews.[5]

At age 103, Tanaka was diagnosed with colon cancer and survived.[4] When she was 107, her son wrote a book about her, which discusses her life and longevity and is titled In Good and Bad Times, 107 Years Old.[4] At 113, during an interview with the Japanese TV news organization TNC from her nursing home, she stated, "Since I came here, I have no choice but to work hard, I will do my best!"[6] She was interviewed by KBC in September 2017 when she was 114.[7] At the time of Chiyo Miyako’s death, Tanaka lived in a nursing home in Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture. She was still in good health and occupied her time by playing the board game Othello and taking short walks in the facility's hallways.[8] Her hobbies include calligraphy and calculations.[9] She credits family, sleep and hope as her secrets for longevity.[10] She has said she wants to live another 5 years.[11]

Tanaka has credited eating foods such as rice, small fish and soup, as well as drinking lots of water, a diet she said she has followed since she was about 112 years old. She also credited a strong appetite and her liking sweets, plus drinking three cans a day of canned coffee, nutritional drinks and carbonated drinks. She has also stressed that family means everything to her, and sleeping soundly is her favorite longevity secret.[11][12] Her great-nephew, Gary Funakoshi, told the San Diego Union-Tribune that his great-aunt attributes her longevity to her faith in God.[5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Validated Living Supercentenarians". grg.org. Gerontology Research Group. 19 October 2017. Retrieved 20 October 2017. The Gerontology Research Group (GRG) lists people as living whose age has been validated and confirmed to be alive within the past year.
  2. ↑ "World's oldest person, a Japanese woman, dies at 117".
  3. ↑ Masashi Hoda (2018-07-27). "田中カ子さん１１５歳「死ぬ気全然せんです」". Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-08-09.
  4. 1 2 3 "国内最高齢１１５歳、入所者励ます「頑張りんしゃい」" (in Japanese). Yahoo!. 27 July 2018.
  5. 1 2 Linda McIntosh (2016-05-06). "San Marcos couple celebrate aunt's 113th year". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 2018-08-06.
  6. ↑ Staff (2018-07-27). "国内最高齢は１１５歳　福岡市の田中カ子さん　１９０３年生まれで健康状態良好　老人ホームで生活" (in Japanese). TNC. Retrieved 2018-08-09.
  7. ↑ Staff (2017-09-19). "元気に長生きする秘けつ" (in Japanese). KBC. Retrieved 2018-08-10.
  8. ↑ "Japan's oldest person Chiyo Miyako dies at 117". The Japan Times. Kyodo. 27 July 2018. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
  9. ↑ Staff (2018-07-27). "「みんなのおかげ」と感謝　国内最高齢の田中カ子さん". The Nikkei (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-08-10.
  10. ↑ David Brennan (27 July 2018). "Who is the World's oldest Person? Chiyo Miyako Dies At 117, Passing Title To Kane Tanaka". Newsweek. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  11. 1 2 Staff (2018-07-27). "国内最高齢１１５歳、入所者励ます　「頑張りんしゃい」". Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-08-09.
  12. ↑ Staff (2018-07-27). "１１５歳国内最高齢の田中カ子さん「みんなのおかげ」と感謝　カフェオレ毎日３、４本". Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-08-09.
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