Tomiko Itooka, the world’s oldest person, has passed away at the age of 116, Guinness World Records has confirmed. She died on December 29, 2024, at a care home in Ashiya, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan.

Born on May 23, 1908, in Osaka, Japan, Ms. Itooka lived a remarkable life marked by her vibrant personality and love for simple pleasures like bananas and the yogurt-flavored drink Calpis.

She was recognised as the world’s oldest person last year, following the death of Maria Branyas at 117.

Ms. Itooka had an active youth, playing volleyball in high school and climbing Mount Ontake, a 10,062-foot peak, twice during her lifetime. She was known for her energetic spirit and resilience, even as she aged.

She married at 20, raised four children, and managed her husband’s textile factory during World War II. After his death in 1979, Ms. Itooka lived independently in Nara before moving to the care home.

She is survived by one son, one daughter, and five grandchildren.

Her death leaves 116-year-old Brazilian nun Inah Canabarro Lucas, born 16 days after Ms. Itooka, as the new oldest living person, according to the Gerontology Research Group.