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| Credit: Kyodo via AP |
The woman recognized as the world's oldest living person has died at the age of 119, according to Guinness World Records.
Kane Tanaka of Japan died on Tuesday, the record-keeping organization said on its website Monday. Tanaka had experienced recent health setbacks that caused her to be "hospitalized and discharged repeatedly," her family explained in a translated tweet a week before her death.
Earlier this year, Tanaka had celebrated her birthday with a message to her followers on Twitter.
"[Great achievement] Reached 119 years old," the translated tweet reads. "I was able to safely reach the age of 119!"
"I was able to come this far with the support of many people," her message continued. "I hope you will continue to have fun, cheerful and energetic."
According to Guinness, Tanaka was born prematurely on Jan. 2, 1903, which is notably the same year the Wright brothers flew the world's first successful motor airplane.
In January 1922, she married her husband, Hideo Tanaka, whom she hadn't met before their wedding day, the organization said. They went on to have four biological children and adopted a fifth.
While Hideo served in the Second Sino-Japanese War, Tanaka helped run their family business, which involved making sticky rice, Udon noodles and desserts. Her first son, Nobuo, later fought in World War II and was held captive by the Soviet Union until 1947.
In a tweet on Monday, Guinness confirmed Tanaka was the second oldest person on record.
"She became the oldest living person in January 2019 at the age of 116 years and 28 days," they tweeted. "She is also the second oldest person ever recorded, behind only Jeanne Calment who lived to the age of 122."
The world's new oldest living person is now Sister André, a French nun who is 118 years and 73 days old, Guinness announced. Sister André also holds the distinction of being the oldest survivor of COVID-19.
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