The world's oldest person, Misao Okawa, died in Japan on Wednesday, a month after celebrating her 117th birthday.
The nursing home where she lived in Osaka said she breathed her last around 7am (2200 GMT Tuesday).
On the occasion of her birthday early last month, Okawa, a mother of three, grandmother of four and great-grandmother of six, was one of only a handful of people still alive who had been born in the 19th century.
Her birth on March 5, 1898 predated the Wright brothers' first powered human flight by five years, she was already a teenager when World War I broke out and in her 70s by the time of the first moon landing.
When she turned 114, she was officially recognised by Guinness World Records as the oldest woman in the globe.
Japan, known for the longevity of its people, is home to the world's oldest man -- Sakari Momoi, who celebrated his 112th birthday in February.
In 2013, life expectancy for women in Japan was 86.61, the longest in the world followed by Hong Kong women, according to the health ministry.
For men it was 80.21, the fourth longest, after men in Hong Kong, Iceland and Switzerland.
The world's oldest person is now believed to be American Gertrude Weaver, who is reportedly 116 years old.
AFP
Wed Apr 01 2015
![World's oldest person dies at 117 in Japan World's oldest person dies at 117 in Japan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2015-04/61427862665_295x200.jpg)
This handout picture taken by Tomohito Okada from the Kurenai nursing home shows the world's oldest woman Misao Okawa (L) receiving a certificate marking her 115th birthday. - AFP PHOTO / TOMOHITO OKADA / MURSING HOME KURENAI
AWANI 7:45 [17/07/2024] - Jangan lebarkan kaya dan miskin | Suspek belum digantung tugas | Baki kontrak setahun | Risiko tiada wang persaraan
#AWANI745 malam ini bersama Dzulfitri Yusof;
1. Setiap dasar digital perlu sampai ke akar rakyat, kata PM
2. Polis cari bukti di lokasi kedua, 26 rakam percakapan, siasatan pembunuhan Nur Farah Kartini
3. Kim Pan-Gon kena bayar pampasan 3.16 juta ringgit kepada FAM
4. 60 peratus tenaga buruh di Sabah tidak daftar KWSP
1. Setiap dasar digital perlu sampai ke akar rakyat, kata PM
2. Polis cari bukti di lokasi kedua, 26 rakam percakapan, siasatan pembunuhan Nur Farah Kartini
3. Kim Pan-Gon kena bayar pampasan 3.16 juta ringgit kepada FAM
4. 60 peratus tenaga buruh di Sabah tidak daftar KWSP
![MAIS sedang teliti kenyataan bertulis Ustaz Don MAIS sedang teliti kenyataan bertulis Ustaz Don](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/61721224913_DonDaniyalDonBiya.jpg)
MAIS sedang teliti kenyataan bertulis Ustaz Don
MAIS berkata pihaknya akan membuat keputusan yang terbaik berdasarkan kenyataan yang diterima daripada pendakwah itu baru-baru ini.
![Parlimen: KKM pastikan RUU Perubatan dikuat kuasa segera - Dr Dzulkefly Parlimen: KKM pastikan RUU Perubatan dikuat kuasa segera - Dr Dzulkefly](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/71721221006_DzulkeflyAhmad.jpg)
Parlimen: KKM pastikan RUU Perubatan dikuat kuasa segera - Dr Dzulkefly
Kementerian Kesihatan (KKM) akan memastikan Rang Undang-Undang (RUU) Perubatan (Pindaan) 2024 yang diluluskan di Dewan Rakyat hari ini dikuatkuasakan secepat mungkin.
![Pasport 'terbang': SPRM Sabah tahan tiga penguat kuasa Pasport 'terbang': SPRM Sabah tahan tiga penguat kuasa](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/71720757513_sprmbernama.jpg)
Pasport 'terbang': SPRM Sabah tahan tiga penguat kuasa
Sindiket yang dipercayai bergerak aktif sejak tahun lepas itu disyaki memberikan rasuah kira-kira RM300,000 kepada penguat kuasa terbabit.
![28 pelajar keracunan makanan selepas makan ayam tandoori 28 pelajar keracunan makanan selepas makan ayam tandoori](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/81721223722_stomachache.jpg)
28 pelajar keracunan makanan selepas makan ayam tandoori
Kesemua mereka dikatakan mengalami gejala keracunan selepas makan ayam tandoori goreng yang dihidangkan sebagai menu tengah hari.
![JBPM pandang serius dakwaan rasuah, lobi naik pangkat JBPM pandang serius dakwaan rasuah, lobi naik pangkat](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-02/61707816618_TBDATUKNORHISHAM.jpg)
JBPM pandang serius dakwaan rasuah, lobi naik pangkat
Ketua Pengarah JBPM Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad berkata pihaknya akan menjalankan siasatan berhubung dakwaan tersebut.
![Adik kepada Zayn Rayyan masih dalam jagaan sementara JKM Adik kepada Zayn Rayyan masih dalam jagaan sementara JKM](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-06/51718249777_KesZaynRayyan.jpg)
Adik kepada Zayn Rayyan masih dalam jagaan sementara JKM
Adik kepada kanak-kanak autistik Allahyarham Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matiin masih dalam jagaan sementara Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat (JKM) Selangor.
![Sukma 2024: Bukan hanya sukan, tonjolkan semangat, budaya tempatan - Timbalan Menteri Sarawak Sukma 2024: Bukan hanya sukan, tonjolkan semangat, budaya tempatan - Timbalan Menteri Sarawak](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/41721222558_abdullahsaidol.jpg)
Sukma 2024: Bukan hanya sukan, tonjolkan semangat, budaya tempatan - Timbalan Menteri Sarawak
Temasya itu juga dapat menjadi medan untuk mengenali masyarakat dan tempat-tempat menarik di Sarawak.
![Dewan Rakyat lulus RUU Kastam (Pindaan) 2024 Dewan Rakyat lulus RUU Kastam (Pindaan) 2024](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/71721220717_LimHuiYing.jpg)
Dewan Rakyat lulus RUU Kastam (Pindaan) 2024
Rang Undang-Undang itu diluluskan dengan lebih suara bersetuju selepas bacaan kali ketiga dikemukakan Timbalan Menteri Kewangan Lim Hui Ying.
![Ahli Parlimen wajib jalani pemeriksaan kesihatan sebelum 11 Nov Ahli Parlimen wajib jalani pemeriksaan kesihatan sebelum 11 Nov](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-05/61715585827_TBJohariAbdul.jpg)
Ahli Parlimen wajib jalani pemeriksaan kesihatan sebelum 11 Nov
Semua Ahli Parlimen diwajibkan menjalani pemeriksaan kesihatan selewat-lewatnya 11 Nov ini, kata Yang Dipertua Dewan Rakyat Tan Sri Johari Abdul.