Tomiko Itooka waves at her party. Photo courtesy of LongeviQuest.

News Release

JAPAN — Tomiko Itooka, World’s Oldest Person, was the honored guest today at an event commemorating Respect for the Aged Day, a Japanese holiday.

The event was held by her nursing home, Les Ashiya, and was attended by numerous guests including Yumi Yamamoto, LongeviQuest Japan President, as well as officials from Ashiya City Hall, representatives from Asahi Beverage Co., Ltd., the chairman of Osaka Jogakuin, and the president of Guinness World Records Japan.

Itooka was in good spirits and reached out for her favorite Asahi Beverage Lactic Acid Bacteria Drink, which had been sent to her by Asahi Beverage Co., Ltd. Itooka’s second son, Kai, also attended today’s Respect for the Aged Day ceremony. She was delighted to reunite with her second son after a long time apart.

Current high school and middle school students from Osaka Jogakuin, her alma mater, sent Itooka a video message. When the president of her alma mater, Osaka Jogakuin, displayed a photo from her yearbook on the screen, she reacted with delight upon seeing a picture of herself as a young girl.

Itooka became the oldest person in Japan on December 12, 2023, following the passing of 116-year-old Fusa Tatsumi. She became the World’s Oldest Person on August 19 following the passing of 117-year-old María Branyas Morera of Spain.