A 116-year-old woman in Japan has celebrated many birthdays — and now she can celebrate another kind of milestone.
Guinness World Records named Kane Tanaka as the oldest living person. Guinness announced her record on March 9, when she was 116 years and 66 days old.
Tanaka was confirmed as the oldest living person on Jan. 30, 2019, when she was 116 years and 28. She was presented with her award during a ceremony at her home. Subsequently, she was also awarded the record for oldest living woman.
During the ceremony, Tanaka received a box of chocolates, and she immediately started eating them. She said she wanted to eat “100” that day, Guinness said.
When asked what part of her life she has enjoyed most, Tanaka said, “This right now,” according to The Guardian.
Tanaka was born on Jan. 2, 1903. It was the same year Orville and Wilbur Wright made the first powered flight.
Tanaka got married in 1922 at the age of 19 and went on to have five children. When her husband was called for military duty in 1937, Tanaka helped out with the family business: Tanaka Mochiya, which made and sold sticky rice, Japanese sweets and Udon noodles.
Today, Tanaka lives at an elderly home and typically wakes up at 6 a.m. She likes to study math and play the board game Othello, often beating staff at the home.
Tanaka is just six years away from surpassing the the record for oldest person ever. Jeanne Louise Calment has held that title for the past 22 years.
She was born on Feb, 21, 1875, and died in southern France on Aug. 4, 1997, at the age of 122 years and 164 days.
