World"s oldest man or woman celebrates 116th birthday in Japan

Misao Okawa, the world’s oldest girl, celebrates her 116th birthday at her nursing house in Osaka. Photograph: Buddhika Weerasinghe/Getty Pictures

The world’s oldest person, Misao Okawa, has celebrated her 116th birthday – as it was unveiled a lot of rest and a varied diet are the tricks to her lengthy and healthy daily life.

Okawa, who became the world’s oldest person final June following the death at 116 of fellow Japanese Jiroemon Kimura, was provided a cake with just three candles at her nursing property in Osaka – one particular for each and every figure in her age.

Okawa is one of only five men and women alive – all women – confirmed as having been born in the 19th century.

While she has spoken of her really like mackerel sushi, which she eats at least after a month, Okawa is not notably fastidious when it comes to meals.

“She eats sushi, her favourite, and whatever she likes – beef stew, spaghetti, or sashimi – every day,” said an worker of the nursing home in which Okawa has lived for the past 18 years.

“She always says the secret to residing a prolonged time is to consume a very good meal and chill out,” the worker additional. For Okawa, that means an uninterrupted eight hours’ rest each and every evening.

In 1898, the yr Okawa was born, the Spanish-American war was in its infancy and Queen Victoria was still on the British throne. Okawa married in 1919 but her husband died in 1931, much more than eight decades ago. Their marriage produced 3 kids, two of whom are even now alive and in their 90s. Okawa has four grandchildren and six fantastic-grandchildren.

Okawa has dealt with the media interest with incredulity.

When notified that she was in line to become the world’s oldest female last 12 months, she reportedly stated: “Have I genuinely lived that lengthy?”

The centenarian, one particular of about 24 Japanese alive who have passed the 110-12 months milestone, claims she has been unwell, and speedily recovered following breaking her leg in a fall at the age of 102. “She is in excellent form, and is even nonetheless gaining bodyweight,” the nursing home worker explained.

Authorities attribute Japan’s enviable longevity statistics to its traditional lower-excess fat diet, reasonably priced wellness care and good pensions.

Other research stage to the rewards of staying energetic and paying time with family and buddies.

Japan was house to much more than 54,000 centenarians last yr and its elderly population will soar in the coming decades. About a quarter of its 127 million people are currently aged 65 or over, but that is expected to swell to about forty% by the middle of the century.

World"s oldest man or woman celebrates 116th birthday in Japan