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World's
oldest person celebrates birthday
BBC News, September 16, 2002
Kamato
Hongo is slightly deaf but otherwise healthy The oldest
person in the world, Kamato Hongo, has celebrated her 115th birthday. Mrs Hongo,
who sleeps for two days and stays awake for two days, slept through the
morning of her birthday, but was to celebrate with her family in southern
Japan in the afternoon, according to media reports. She is bed
ridden and requires continual care, but apart from being slightly hard of
hearing, she is otherwise said to be in good health. She enjoys a
tipple of sake, or Japanese rice wine, and uses her arms to perform the
traditional dances of her native Tokunoshima island off Kagoshima
prefecture in the south of the country. Mrs Hongo now
lives on the southern island of Kyushu and has seven children and more
than 20 grandchildren. She has already outlived her eldest daughter, who
died two years ago in her 90s. "If you
think about it really, its incredible," one of her daughters, Shizue
Kurauchi, told Japanese media when the town major came to visit a couple
of days ago. "I mean,
I've been taking care of her before she even turned 100 and every year I
worry whether she'll be there the following year - even though she's
always in fine health." Mrs Hongo was
recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest living person in
March, after the death of Maud Farris-Luse, who died aged 115 in Michigan
in the American Mid-West. Japan's
elderly Appropriately
Mrs Hongo's birthday fell this year on Japan's Respect for the Aged Day
holiday. The world's
oldest man is also Japanese. Yukichi Chuganji, who is 113 years old, also
lives in Kyushu. Japanese have
the longest life expectancy in the world. Their diet of fish and green
vegetables are thought to contribute to their longevity. Whilst
Japan's high proportion of elderly is testament to its society's healthy
diet, the greying population places a heavy burden on Japan's pension
system.
Copyright
© 2002 Global Action on Aging
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