Japanese woman in Fukuoka Prefecture celebrates 117th year with party at nursing home

Jan 06, 2020 | News On Japan

Jan 06, 2020 (Japan Times) - Kane Tanaka has extended her record as the worldâ€™s oldest person by celebrating her 117th birthday at a nursing home in the city of Fukuoka.

Tanaka on Sunday marked her birthday with a party along with staff and friends at the nursing home, television footage from local broadcaster TVQ Kyushu Broadcasting Co. showed.

Tanaka, whose birthday was Thursday, took a bite from a slice of her big birthday cake. â€œTasty,â€ she said with a smile. â€œI want some more.â€

Last year Tanaka was confirmed as the oldest living person, aged 116 years and 66 days old as of March 9, according to Guinness World Records.

Tanakaâ€™s record age is symbolic of Japanâ€™s fast-aging population, which, coupled with its falling birthrate, is raising concerns about labor shortages and prospects for future economic growth.

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