World's oldest living person celebrates 119th birthday
Japanese woman Kane Takana has turned 119-years-old, making her the world's oldest living person.
Her great-granddaughter Junko Takana took to Twitter to celebrate Kane's incredible milestone, and praising her resilience.
“Great achievement. (Kane Tanaka) reached 119 years of age,” Junko tweeted, with a photograph of her great-grandmother, who she saw in December. “I hope you’ll continue to live life cheerfully and to the fullest.”
“Birthday gift 1: Introducing the presents received for Kane’s birthday. Really appreciate this gift. Coca-Cola company made a commemorative birthday bottle. It seems (Kane) is still drinking Coca-Cola as usual,” Junko tweeted.
Kane was gifted the custom bottles from Coca-Cola, with labels displaying her name and age.
Junko spoke to CNN in March 2021 when Kane was due to carry the Olympic torch ahead of the postponed 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics.
“I might be biased because I’m related to her but I think it’s kind of amazing - I wanted to share that with the world and for people to feel inspired and to feel her joy,” Junko said.
Kane Takana was born in 1903 and married a rice shop owner at 19 years of age, and she continued to work in her family's shop until she was 103.
Tanaka has lived through a multitude of historical events, surviving two world wars and the 1918 Spanish flu, as well as living through 49 Summer and Winter Olympic Games.
“I don’t remember her talking much about the past ... She’s very forward thinking, she really enjoys living in the present,” Tanaka’s grandson, Eiji Tanaka, told CNN last year.
Image credits: CNN