OSAKA, Dec 13: Fusa Tatsumi, renowned as the world’s second-oldest woman and Japan’s oldest living person, peacefully departed this world at the age of 116 on Tuesday, December 12, at a nursing home in Kashiwara, as reported by Metro.
The official announcement of Tatsumi’s passing was made by a spokesperson in Osaka’s Kashiwara city, where the esteemed centenarian had spent her final days at a healthcare facility.
Born in 1907, Fusa Tatsumi’s life spanned two world wars, multiple pandemics, and a century of profound change.
Her recognition as Japan’s oldest person came after the passing of Kane Tanaka last year at the age of 119. Guinness World Records officially acknowledged Tanaka’s status as the world’s oldest person in April 2022.
Tatsumi’s remarkable life journey made her only the 27th person in recorded history to reach the age of 116 and the seventh Japanese individual to achieve this extraordinary milestone.
Local broadcaster MBS reported that Tatsumi, alongside her husband, a farmer, raised three children in Osaka. Despite recent days spent mostly in bed at the nursing home, she continued to greet the dedicated staff with her trademark warmth and cheerfulness.
Reports indicate that Tatsumi, throughout her long and vibrant life, suffered no prior health problems and had never been seriously ill or injured, save for a thigh bone fracture in her 70s due to a fall.
An avid enthusiast of gardening, Tatsumi’s green thumb and passion for cultivating plants persisted until she entered the nursing home at the age of 106. Her love for nature was complemented by her skills in the Japanese tea ceremony and flower arrangement, practices she embraced after graduating from elementary school.
The passing of Fusa Tatsumi marks the end of an era, leaving behind a legacy of resilience, warmth, and a life well-lived that will be remembered by many across Japan and beyond.
