She doesn't care about the records. Honestly, why would she? When you’ve lived through two world wars, the invention of the television, and the rise of the internet, a Guinness World Record certificate is probably just another piece of paper. Tomiko Itooka, a Japanese supercentenarian born in 1908, is currently the oldest living person on Earth. It’s a heavy title. It’s a title that only one human can hold at a time, and it usually comes to you because someone else passed away.
Think about 1908 for a second. The Wright brothers were still proving that airplanes weren't a fluke. The Model T Ford just started rolling off the line. Itooka was born in Osaka, and her life story isn't some fragile, porcelain tale of sitting still. She was a volleyball player in high school. She ran her husband’s textile factory during the wars. She climbed Mt. Ontake—which is over 3,000 meters high—twice. Once, she did it wearing sneakers instead of hiking boots. That’s the kind of grit we’re talking about here.
The Science of Living to 110 and Beyond
Most people think reaching 100 is the goal. But in the world of gerontology, 100 is almost "young." We call people like Itooka supercentenarians, a specific group of individuals who have reached the age of 110. Researchers at the Gerontology Research Group (GRG) and LongeviQuest spend their lives verifying these dates because, frankly, people lie about their age all the time. Or they lose their birth certificates in fires. Or they forget.
What makes someone the oldest living person? It’s rarely just "clean living." If you look at the data from the New England Centenarian Study led by Dr. Thomas Perls, you’ll find that while lifestyle matters for reaching your 80s, getting to 110 is almost entirely about your DNA. You need the "genetic lottery" win. These individuals often lack the variants that trigger Alzheimer's or cardiovascular disease early in life. They don't just survive disease; they delay it until the very, very end.
Why Japan Always Seems to Win
It’s no secret that Japan dominates the longevity charts. You’ve probably heard of "Blue Zones." It’s a term Dan Buettner popularized. Okinawa is the big one in Japan. But Itooka isn't from Okinawa; she’s from the mainland. So, what gives?
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It’s the food. Sorta.
The Japanese diet is notoriously high in fermented foods like miso and natto, which do wonders for the gut microbiome. But there’s also the concept of Ikigai—having a reason to get out of bed. For Itooka, it was her family and her love for shrines. Even in her 100s, she was still making pilgrimages. She wasn't sitting in a recliner waiting for the clock to run out. She was moving. Movement is the common denominator.
The Transition from Maria Branyas Morera
Before Itooka took the top spot in August 2024, the title belonged to Maria Branyas Morera of Spain. Maria was a fascinating woman who actually used X (formerly Twitter) to communicate with the world. She called herself "The Old Grandmother." When she passed away at 117, the mantle passed to Itooka.
There is a strange, quiet dignity in this succession. It’s not a competition. It’s a relay race where the baton is just... life itself. When we track the oldest living person, we aren't just looking for a number. We are looking for a bridge to a past that no longer exists. Itooka lived through the Meiji, Taisho, Showa, Heisei, and Reiwa eras. She has seen five different emperors.
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Misconceptions About Longevity
Let’s clear something up: drinking a glass of red wine or eating a piece of dark chocolate every day isn't going to make you live to 117.
- The "Secret" Myth: If you ask a supercentenarian for their secret, they usually say something funny like "staying away from men" or "drinking a Dr. Pepper at 10 AM." These aren't medical prescriptions. They are anecdotes.
- The Exercise Fallacy: While Itooka was a hiker, many supercentenarians weren't athletes. They were just "naturally active." They walked to the market. They gardened. They didn't do HIIT workouts at 5 AM.
- Stress Management: This is the big one. Most people who reach this age have a remarkable ability to let things go. They don't sweat the small stuff.
The Hard Truth of Being 110+
It’s not all sunshine and birthday cake. Being the oldest living person means you have outlived your spouse. You have likely outlived your children. In Itooka’s case, she had four children. She has numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren, but the loneliness of being a "generational outlier" is real.
The body changes in ways we can barely study because there are so few 117-year-olds. Their skin is paper-thin. Their bones have a different density. Yet, mentally, many remain surprisingly sharp. Itooka’s caregivers at her nursing home in Ashiya say she still enjoys bananas and starts her mornings with a certain zest. She’s hard of hearing, sure. But she’s there.
What We Can Learn Right Now
We might not all have the genes to hit 117. In fact, most of us don't. But the data from the world's oldest people gives us a roadmap for a better "healthspan," not just a longer "lifespan."
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- Prioritize Social Ties: Isolation is a literal killer. Every single person who has held the title of oldest living person had a deep, sprawling social or family network.
- Keep Moving: You don't have to climb a mountain like Itooka, but you do have to stay off the couch.
- Adaptability: The world changed completely ten times over during Itooka’s life. She didn't fight the change; she lived through it. Resentment of the "modern world" seems to be absent in the very old.
- Check Your Stats: If you're curious about the current rankings, always check the Gerontology Research Group. They are the gold standard for verification.
The Future of the Record
Is 120 the limit? Jeanne Calment, the French woman who died in 1997, supposedly reached 122. There is a lot of debate among scientists about whether that’s the absolute ceiling for human biology. Some, like Dr. David Sinclair at Harvard, think we can push past it with cellular reprogramming. Others think the "engine" just gives out after 12 decades.
Whatever the case, Tomiko Itooka stands as a testament to human resilience. She isn't a museum piece. She’s a woman who liked to hike, who worked hard, and who happens to still be breathing in an era that would look like science fiction to her younger self.
To improve your own longevity, stop looking for "hacks." Focus on the basics: sleep, community, and low-grade, constant physical activity. If you want to dive deeper into how your own genetics might play a role, look into epigenetic testing or consult a geriatric specialist who understands the difference between aging and disease. The goal isn't just to be the last one standing; it's to be standing as long as you can.