World's oldest person dies
2003-11-13 12:26
Tokyo - A 114-year-old Japanese woman who had assumed the title of the world's oldest person last month died on Thursday, a spokesperson for Hiroshima city said.
Mitoyo Kawate, born on May 15, 1889, died of pneumonia at a local hospital, said Masatoshi Yamada. Kawate was hospitalised earlier in the day when her condition worsened. She had been living in a nursing home.
The London-based Guinness World Records recognised Kawate as the oldest person alive on October 31 after the previous holder, Kamato Hongo from southern Japan, passed away.
Kawate had a weakness for custard cakes and liked to sing, but her condition had weakened in the past two years, a caretaker said earlier this month. She had been living in a nursing home for the past 10 years.
- AP