Fusa Tatsumi was 116 years old when he died on Tuesday in Osaka, his hometown. He had become the oldest person in Japan following the death last year of Kane Tanaka at the age of 119.

The woman, born in 1907, witnessed two world wars, the arrival of man on the moon and the digital age. He had lived in an assisted living facility since 2013 and his caregivers say he was able to eat his favorite dessert, sweet bean jelly, until this Monday.

However, since the beginning of December this year he had problems breathing.

Gardening was one of Fusa Tatsumi’s passions.

Kanji, Tatsumi’s eldest son, confirmed his death: “I think he did very well to reach this age,” the 76-year-old said.

Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura offered his condolences and recalled a party he attended in September to celebrate Tatsumi’s long life.

“I remember Ms. Fusa Tatsumi was doing well,” Yoshimura said on the social network X (formerly Twitter).

The life of Fusa Tatsumi

The Japanese woman was born on April 25, 1907. She was the fifth of six sisters.

Tatsumi photographed at the age of 20.

Tatsumi married her husband Ryutaro when she was 32, and gave birth to her first daughter in 1941. Ryutaro died at the age of 55, and it was Tatsumi who was responsible for maintaining the family farm.

She was passionate about growing chrysanthemum flowers and making flower arrangements as a hobby, but when she was 70 years old, she fell in the garden and broke her femur. That was the most serious injury Tatsumi would have suffered.

Until she was 110 years old, she could apply makeup herself and have fluent conversations with her caregivers. During his last years he remained in bed and had more difficulty speaking.

Currently, the title of oldest person is held by the American María Branyas, who will turn 117 years old on March 4, 2024. (JO)