‘World’s oldest woman’ who was born in Japan in 1903 celebrates getting another year older 

The woman considered to be the oldest person alive has today celebrated her 119th birthday. 

Kane Tanaka, from Japan, greeted the festivities in the Fukuoka Prefecture.

Her family members say Ms Tanaka who was born on January 2 in 1903, 11 years before World War I began, hopes to live until 120.

Kane Tanaka (pictured) was recognised as the world’s oldest living person by the Guinness World Records when she was 116 in 2019 

She currently resides at a nursing home in Fukuoka and while the centenarian is unable to speak, she communicates with staff using gestures and enjoys chocolate and fizzy drinks.

Ms Tanaka also likes to solve number puzzles to challenge herself, The Japan Times reports. 

The Russo-Japanese War began only a year after Ms Tanaka was born, and in her childhood lived through the final year’s of Japan’s Meiji era, considered to be a transformative period of modernisation.

Ms Tanaka pictured on her 117th birthday. Her family members say she hopes to live until 120

She was recognised as the world’s oldest living person by the Guinness World Records when she was 116 in 2019. 

In 2020 she became the oldest person in Japan at 117 and 261 days old. 

According to the Guinness World Records website Ms Tanaka got married to her cousin aged 19 in 1922 and the couple ran a noodle shop called Tanaka Mochiya which sold udon, rice cakes and zenzai.

Her husband and eldest son fought in the second Sino-Japanese War which began in 1937. 

Ms Tanaka in 2018. She currently resides at a nursing home in Fukuoka and communicates with staff using gestures 

Ms Tanaka, pictured in 2019, likes to solve number puzzles to challenge herself and enjoys chocolate and fizzy drinks

Aged 90, Ms Tanaka had cataract surgery. The record-holder also underwent colorectal cancer surgery when she was 103.  

As of 2020, Ms Tanaka has five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, The Times reported last year.

Her 62-year-old grandson Eiji told the Japan Times: ‘I would like to personally congratulate her soon.

‘I hope she remains healthy and has fun everyday as she grows older.’

Previously other people have been said to be older than Ms Tanaka.

Last month China’s oldest person, who is also claimed to be the oldest person ever, died aged of 135.

Alimihan Seyiti, from Komuxerik in Shule County in the north-western Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, was born on June 25, 1886, during the imperial Qing dynasty. 

However this has not been internationally confirmed. 

Last summer a woman in Turkey also claims to have celebrated her 119th birthday, which would make her older than Ms Tanaka. 

Turkish media reported that Seker Arslan had celebrated the astonishing milestone surrounded by her family in the northern city of Amasya.

According to her driving license, she was born on June 27, 1902, making her 119.