World's Oldest Woman Turns 116 in Japan

[younggiftedandblack]

World's Oldest Woman Turns 116 in Japan


World's Oldest Woman Turns 116 in Japan
2 hours, 2 minutes ago

By ERIC TALMADGE, Associated Press Writer

TOKYO - A Japanese woman believed to be the oldest person in the world turned 116 on Tuesday.



Born in 1887, when Japan was still in the throes of its conversion from samurai rule to modern democracy, Kamato Hongo was recognized as the world's oldest living person by the Guinness Book of Records after an American woman — Maude Farris-Luse — died last March at the age of 115.


Hongo, whose husband died when she was 77, is famous throughout Japan for her habit of sleeping for two days and then staying awake for two days.


She has seven children — three of whom have died — 27 grandchildren, 57 great-grandchildren and 11 great-great-grandchildren.


An Internet homepage devoted to her lists her favorite snack as unrefined brown sugar and also reveals her secret to long life.


"Not moping around," it says.


Hongo is now bedridden and shares a hospital room with her 77-year-old daughter.


She was raised on a small, rural island on Japan's southern fringe, and grew up tending to cows and farming potatoes. The same island also produced the Japanese record-holder for longevity, a woman who died at the age of 120.


Hongo symbolizes the graying of Japan's society — a trend that elicits both pride and concern.


The world's oldest documented man, 114-year-old Yukichi Chuganji, is Japanese. Japan's life expectancy — 85.23 years for women and 78.32 for men in 2002 — is the longest in the world.


The average age of the population is also steadily rising.


An annual government survey released Monday in conjunction with Respect for the Aged Day, a national holiday, showed a record 24.3 million Japanese — almost one in five — have reached their 65th birthday.


At the same time, Japan marked a record low 1.32 births per woman last year, a figure that been falling for the last three decades and reflects changing values that have led more women to choose careers over children.


The changing demographic has raised fears the nation's pension and health care systems will be badly strained in the years ahead by a population consisting of fewer and fewer Japanese of working — and tax-paying — age.

[jenjen]

apparently the oldest person alive is actually some indian man who was like in the close-to-200's but his birth never got officially recorded. god. i wouldn't want to live to that old. unless i stayed at like 60year old health.

[Faithless]

I've got a grandma in Japan that is 26 years younger. :boldred: Wonder if she'll touch the century mark.

[mr. x]

Originally Posted by jenjen

apparently the oldest person alive is actually some indian man who was like in the close-to-200's but his birth never got officially recorded. god. i wouldn't want to live to that old. unless i stayed at like 60year old health.

wait how would they know though, anyone who could verify his claim is likely dead

[ModernLogic]

Originally Posted by mr. x

wait how would they know though, anyone who could verify his claim is likely dead

People die but birth certificates don't.

[mr. x]

Originally Posted by Xiao Rong Ji

People die but birth certificates don't.

exactly, he doesnt HAVE one apparently

[jenjen]

Originally Posted by mr. x

exactly, he doesnt HAVE one apparently

yeah. he himself claims that he's whatever age he claimed himself to be :blink: .. err.. so yeah... no one can actually verify it, that's why he's not the one in the guiness book of records.

[Emperor_Mike]

And may she see her 120th and beyond!

[mr. x]

man she lives any longer and she'll be an elf

[sii-mon]

I take my hat of to her, on a serious note must be quite sad to out live your mates and everyone you ever grew up with.!

[Faithless]

Originally Posted by sii-mon

I take my hat of to her, on a serious note must be quite sad to out live your mates and everyone you ever grew up with.!

Which makes the survival instinct such an odd thing. One would think, "what's to live for?"

I guess for some, if not the many, the here and now, is more important to hold on to, than whatever's left. :closedeye

[deez nuts]

how many of you asiaphiles and rice kings lurking out there wanna tap that ass?

[Tao]

Originally Posted by Chasiubao_Boy

how many of you asiaphiles and rice kings lurking out there wanna tap that ass?

you're asking the wrong crowd, go ask those sexpats in SE asia. they might be interested in experimenting

[sii-mon]

spot on chottomatte....!! live for the now..!

[deez nuts]

Originally Posted by Tao

you're asking the wrong crowd, go ask those sexpats in SE asia. they might be interested in experimenting

you sure about that?

**waits patiently**