BIOGRAPHY

Hiro Matsumoto was born in Funabashi, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, on 9 September 1911, as the second of two siblings. She married a fisherman who was four years her senior at some point in her life, and they had one son. According to her family, she was a patient and diligent worker. In the post-World War II years, she would push a handcart through town, selling the fish her husband had caught. As her son grew and eventually entered the fishing industry alongside her husband, she continued to support their family’s fishing business by working early mornings as a stay-at-home mom. Their fishing industry yielded fish and clams in the summer and seaweed in the winter.

In her later years, until her husband passed away at the age of 92, the couple enjoyed shopping at nearby markets and traveling. Her primary concern was not inconveniencing her son and grandchildren, so she maintained an active routine of walking to ensure her legs remained strong. Following her husband’s passing, she lived independently until she reached 101 years old. During this time, she managed all her household tasks single-handedly, from shopping and housework to cooking, even pushing a cart for her shopping needs.

Even at the age of 112, she was still able to maneuver her own wheelchair and required minimal assistance from the nursing home staff. In January 2023, she contracted Covid-19, but her fever subsided within just three days, and she made a full recovery.

Hiro Matsumoto passed away on November 19, 2023 at the age of 112 years and 71 days.

RECOGNITION

In September 2022, she was reported as the oldest living person in Chiba Prefecture.

Her age was verified by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare (MHLW), as well as Yumi Yamamoto, Yu Li, Ryohei Asano, and Tamao Matsumoto, and validated by LongeviQuest on 11 October 2023.

ATTRIBUTION

(All the information regarding Hiro Matsumoto’s biography was gathered through interviews conducted by LongeviQuest with her family.)

* Chiba Prefecture Press Release, September 2023

GALLERY