Japan's oldest person is a 114-year-old retired doctor who carried an Olympic torch in 2021
Kagawa, a symbol of Japan's extraordinary longevity, graduated from medical school before World War II, served at a hospital in Osaka during the war, and later ran her family's clinic as an obstetrician and gynecologist. She retired at 86.
At 109, Kagawa became one of the oldest torchbearers in Olympic history during the Tokyo 2021 torch relay.
'I don't have any,' Kagawa told TOS News in 2023 when asked about the secret to her longevity. 'I just play every day. My energy is my greatest asset. I go where I want, eat what I want and do what I want. I'm free and independent.'
Her predecessor as Japan's oldest person led a similarly active life. Born in 1911, Hiroyasu studied art in Tokyo, taught in Hiroshima Prefecture and raised three children.
She died in a nursing home in Oita Prefecture, where she spent her days reading newspapers, sketching and playing card games.
'I am grateful to be healthy,' she said on her 113th birthday.
Wednesdays
What's next in arts, life and pop culture.
Despite an overall population decline, Japan's elderly population continues to grow. As of September 1, 2024, a record 36 million people — 29% of the population — were aged 65 or older, the highest proportion of seniors in the world. Those aged 80 and above now make up 10% of the population, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.
There are 95,119 centenarians across the country.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Toronto Star
4 hours ago
- Toronto Star
Raw milk sickens 21 people in Florida including 6 children
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Six children are among 21 people who have E. coli or campylobacter infections after consuming raw milk from a farm in Florida, public health officials said. Seven people have been hospitalized, and at least two of them are suffering severe complications, the Florida Department of Health said Monday. It did not specify if any of the six infected children under 10 are among those being treated in hospitals, nor how many people were infected by E. coli, campylobacter or both bacteria.
Winnipeg Free Press
4 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Raw milk sickens 21 people in Florida including 6 children
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Six children are among 21 people who have E. coli or campylobacter infections after consuming raw milk from a farm in Florida, public health officials said. Seven people have been hospitalized, and at least two of them are suffering severe complications, the Florida Department of Health said Monday. It did not specify if any of the six infected children under 10 are among those being treated in hospitals, nor how many people were infected by E. coli, campylobacter or both bacteria. 'Sanitation practices in this farm are of particular concern due to the number of cases,' reads the state advisory, which did not identify the farm linked to the cluster of infections in northeast and central Florida. Raw milk appears to be gaining in popularity, despite years of warnings about the health risks of drinking unpasteurized products. The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say raw milk is one of the 'riskiest' foods people can consume. Raw milk is far more likely than pasteurized milk to cause illnesses and hospitalizations because of dangerous bacteria such as campylobacter, listeria, salmonella and E. coli, research shows. The infections can cause gastrointestinal illness, and in some cases may lead to serious complications, including a life-threatening form of kidney failure. Young children, the elderly, immunocompromised people and pregnant women are at greater risk of complications. 'We invented pasteurization for a reason,' said Keith Schneider, a food safety professor at the University of Florida. 'It's maddening that this is happening.' States have widely varying regulations regarding raw milk, with some allowing retail purchases in stores and others allowing sale only at farms. Some states allow 'cowshares,' in which customers buy milk produced by designated animals, and some allow consumption only by farm owners, employees or 'non-paying guests.' In Florida, the sale and distribution of raw milk for human consumption is illegal, but retailers get around the ban by labeling their products as for pet or animal food only. Schneider called it a 'wink, wink, nudge, nudge,' form of regulation. Wednesdays What's next in arts, life and pop culture. 'Everybody knows that they're selling it for human consumption,' Schneider said, adding that people getting sick — or even seriously ill — from drinking raw milk is 'not a question of if, but when.' ___ Kate Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Toronto Star
5 hours ago
- Toronto Star
What to know about Legionnaires' disease, which has sickened dozens in New York City
FILE - This 1978 electron microscope image made available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows Legionella pneumophila bacteria which are responsible for causing the pneumonic disease Legionnaires' disease. (Francis Chandler/CDC via AP, File) flag wire: true flag sponsored: false article_type: : sWebsitePrimaryPublication : publications/toronto_star bHasMigratedAvatar : false :
