The oldest living resident of Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture, Mrs. Shizuko Kiyuna, celebrated her 112th birthday on June 10th in the town of Chatan.
Mrs. Kiyuna was born in Shimoseido, Chatan Town, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, on 10 June 1912. In her youth, after graduating from school, she devoted several years to assisting her parents in farming the sugar cane fields. She married at the age of 17, and the couple went on to have four children.
During World War II, her husband served as a civil servant at Chatan Town Hall, staying in Chatan Town to oversee the well-being of the town and its residents. Even after the war, she continued to support her husband in his civil service role, managing household responsibilities, raising children, and demonstrating a particular passion for farming.
On 18 April 2024, she became the oldest living person in Okinawa Prefecture.
Longevity in Okinawa is a well-documented, making this Japanese prefecture one of the world’s five “Blue Zones,” areas where people live significantly longer than average. Last September, Okinawa Prefecture reportedly had 1,244 living centenarians, with the two oldest residents being 114 and 113 years old, respectively.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Mrs. Kiyuna on her 112th birthday.
