Haruko Tanaka

BIOGRAPHY

Tanaka was born in Kawahara (now part of Tottori City), Tottori Prefecture, Japan, on 7 March 1914, as the youngest of three siblings. At the age of 21, she married and raised four children.

Tanaka had contracted COVID-19 before her 110th birthday but recovered, and her birthday party was held on May 2, about two months later. At the age of 110, it was reported that her favorite foods were canned mandarin oranges, watermelon, and chocolate, and that her hobby was writing haiku. Despite being hard of hearing, she was reportedly in good health and had a strong appetite, expressing gratitude to the staff on a daily basis. At her birthday party, Tanaka received gifts such as chigiri-e artworks from nursing home residents, staff, and family members, and expressed her appreciation with the words, “Thank you very much.” Her eldest son, who was 78 at the time, described her as a “kind person.”

Tanaka passed away in Tottori City, Tottori Prefecture, Japan, on 15 January 2026, at the age of 111 years, 314 days. Following her death, Taki Sakamoto of Tottori City, born on October 26, 1916, became the oldest resident in Tottori Prefecture.

RECOGNITION

On 3 March 2024, four days before her 110th birthday, she became the oldest living person in Tottori Prefecture, following the passing of Tomiko Osaki.

Her age was verified by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare (MHLW), as well as Ryohei Asano, Takehiro Shibuya, and Yumi Yamamoto, and validated by LongeviQuest on 17 May 2024.

ATTRIBUTION

* “「日本一の長寿目指して」　鳥取県内最高齢の田中春子さん誕生日会” – Nihonkai Shimbun, 2 May 2024

* “鳥取市のお悔やみ一覧” – 全国お悔やみ欄, 18 January 2026

GALLERY

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