Supercentenarian Profile

Sumiko Mori

Born:

1912-01-30

Nakatsu, Ōita Prefecture

Japan

Died:

2025-12-21

Ise, Mie Prefecture

Japan

✔ Age Certified by LongeviQuest

Sumiko Mori (Japanese: 森スミ子) was a Japanese supercentenarian. At the time of her passing, she was the oldest living person in Mie Prefecture, and the third-oldest in Japan.

BIOGRAPHY

Sumiko Mori (森スミ子) was born in Nakatsu, Ōita Prefecture, on 30 January 1912. She was raised in a family that valued education and attended Nakatsu Girls’ High School, where one year above her was Miyoko Hiroyasu, who later became Japan’s oldest resident. It is said that Mori was not especially fond of studying, but her competitive spirit kept her among the top students.

In her early twenties, she married a naval officer in Tokyo. During the Pacific War, while her husband was away at the front, she lived with her three young daughters in Fukuoka. Just before the war ended, she crossed the Kanmon Strait with her children and moved to her husband’s hometown of Ise, Mie Prefecture. There, she adapted quickly to the new environment—clearing bamboo forests to make a small field for vegetables and gathering shellfish from the nearby shore, supporting her children’s daily life with a forward-looking spirit until her husband’s return. This shellfish gathering remained a vivid and happy memory for her eldest daughter, who—even at the age of 89—could still recall it with fondness.

After the war, the family moved to a large property of about 1,190 square meters, where Mori raised five children. In her later years, she enjoyed singing with her daughter. Until around the age of 111, she sang along to CDs, and at 113 she still kept rhythm with the music.

At the age of 60, she began painting watercolors, which she often gave as gifts to family and friends. Until her 90s, she traveled with her daughter almost every month, enjoying hot springs, saunas, and theatrical performances at inns. Known for her cheerful and sociable personality, she quickly made friends on these trips and treasured the time spent together.

Mori’s diet also contributed to her longevity. Having eaten small fish since childhood, she maintained strong bones throughout her life and never suffered a fracture. She typically ate twice a day—brunch and dinner—consisting of rice porridge, eggs, natto, miso soup with vegetables, Yakult, seasonal fruits, and yogurt.

As of September 2025, at the age of 113, she was living in her home in Ise City with the support of her family. Her meals were prepared by her son. She used a wheelchair but could still stand briefly when moving between her bed and chair, and she enjoyed a peaceful life with her children.

Sumiko Mori passed away in Ise, Mie Prefecture, on 21 December 2025, at the age of 113 years, 325 days. According to her family, earlier today she ate lunch as usual and spoke with them about the approaching New Year, expressing her anticipation for it. She later passed away peacefully in her sleep of natural causes.

RECOGNITION

On 2 November 2022, following the death of 111-year-old Toku Isaka, she became the oldest living person in Mie Prefecture.

Her age was verified by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare (MHLW), as well as Yu Li and Yumi Yamamoto, and validated by LongeviQuest on 21 November 2023.

At the time of her passing, she was the nation’s third-oldest living resident, after Shigeko Kagawa and Fuyo Kishimoto.