Yone Minagawa
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese supercentenarian
believed to have been the world's oldest living person
from 29 January 2007 until her death of old age, aged 114 years 221 days. Although the previous holder of the title, Emma Tillman
, died on 28 January 2007 around 10:10 PM EST time, it was already well into 29 January in Japan at that time.
After her husband died, she raised her five children by selling flower
s and vegetable
s at a coal mine.
Minagawa lived alone in the Momochi apartment building in Nishijin Sawara Ward
, Fukuoka
, near Seinan Gakuin University
, until 2005, when she moved to Keijuen, a special nursing home in her native Akaike. Minagawa enjoyed playing the shamisen
. Even at 114 she participated in club activities in a wheelchair and "danced" along to music.
Minagawa became the oldest living person in Japan when then 114-year-old Ura Koyama died in April 2005. With the death of 114-year-old American Emma Tillman
on 28 January 2007, Minagawa became the oldest living person in the world. Minagawa was 114 years 25 days at the time (being the next day in Japan relative to the USA).
At the time of her ascension, Minagawa was the youngest person to hold this title since Carrie C. White was the same age on December 13, 1988, or (for those who doubt the authenticity of White's claim) since Jeanne Calment
was 114 years and 25 days old on March 18, 1989.
Minagawa died on 13 August 2007 at the age of 114 years 221 days. All but one of her children died before her, but she left six grandchildren, twelve great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. With her death, another 114-year-old, Edna Parker
of the United States, became the oldest living person.
Minagawa still remains as one of the 40 oldest verified people ever, as of May 2011.
Supercentenarian
A supercentenarian is someone who has reached the age of 110 years. This age is achieved by about one in a thousand centenarians....
believed to have been the world's oldest living person
Oldest people
This is a list of tables of the verified oldest people in the world in ordinal rank, such as oldest person or oldest man. In these tables, a supercentenarian is considered 'verified' if his or her claim has been validated by an international body that specifically deals in longevity research, such...
from 29 January 2007 until her death of old age, aged 114 years 221 days. Although the previous holder of the title, Emma Tillman
Emma Tillman
Emmaline "Emma" Fanchon Tillman, was an American supercentenarian and, at age 114 years 67 days, the oldest validated living person from January 24, 2007 until her own death four days later. She was the last remaining documented person born in 1892....
, died on 28 January 2007 around 10:10 PM EST time, it was already well into 29 January in Japan at that time.
After her husband died, she raised her five children by selling flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s and vegetable
Vegetable
The noun vegetable usually means an edible plant or part of a plant other than a sweet fruit or seed. This typically means the leaf, stem, or root of a plant....
s at a coal mine.
Minagawa lived alone in the Momochi apartment building in Nishijin Sawara Ward
Sawara-ku, Fukuoka
is one of the seven wards of Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan.-Data:*Population: 211,851 people *Area: 95.88 square kilometers -Profile:...
, Fukuoka
Fukuoka Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyūshū Island. The capital is the city of Fukuoka.- History :Fukuoka Prefecture includes the former provinces of Chikugo, Chikuzen, and Buzen....
, near Seinan Gakuin University
Seinan Gakuin University
is a Christian university in Fukuoka, Japan. Seinan Gakuin, founded in 1916 by Rev. C. K. Dozier, a Southern Baptist missionary from the United States, includes , , a as well as the University . The chancellor of Seinan Gakuin is Yoshiki Terazono, and Gary W. Barkley, a former Baptist missionary,...
, until 2005, when she moved to Keijuen, a special nursing home in her native Akaike. Minagawa enjoyed playing the shamisen
Shamisen
The , also called is a three-stringed, Japanese musical instrument played with a plectrum called a bachi. The Japanese pronunciation is usually "shamisen" but sometimes "jamisen" when used as a suffix . -Construction:The shamisen is a plucked stringed instrument...
. Even at 114 she participated in club activities in a wheelchair and "danced" along to music.
Minagawa became the oldest living person in Japan when then 114-year-old Ura Koyama died in April 2005. With the death of 114-year-old American Emma Tillman
Emma Tillman
Emmaline "Emma" Fanchon Tillman, was an American supercentenarian and, at age 114 years 67 days, the oldest validated living person from January 24, 2007 until her own death four days later. She was the last remaining documented person born in 1892....
on 28 January 2007, Minagawa became the oldest living person in the world. Minagawa was 114 years 25 days at the time (being the next day in Japan relative to the USA).
At the time of her ascension, Minagawa was the youngest person to hold this title since Carrie C. White was the same age on December 13, 1988, or (for those who doubt the authenticity of White's claim) since Jeanne Calment
Jeanne Calment
Jeanne Louise Calment was a French supercentenarian who had the longest confirmed human life span in history, living to the age of . She lived in Arles, France, for her entire life, and outlived both her daughter and grandson. She became especially well known from the age of 113, when the...
was 114 years and 25 days old on March 18, 1989.
Minagawa died on 13 August 2007 at the age of 114 years 221 days. All but one of her children died before her, but she left six grandchildren, twelve great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. With her death, another 114-year-old, Edna Parker
Edna Parker
Edna Ruth Parker was an American supercentenarian and, until her death, was recognized as the oldest person in the world following the death of Yone Minagawa of Japan on August 13, 2007. She assumed the title at age 114 years 115 days...
of the United States, became the oldest living person.
Minagawa still remains as one of the 40 oldest verified people ever, as of May 2011.
See also
- List of Japanese supercentenarians
- List of the verified oldest women
- List of the verified oldest people
- Oldest peopleOldest peopleThis is a list of tables of the verified oldest people in the world in ordinal rank, such as oldest person or oldest man. In these tables, a supercentenarian is considered 'verified' if his or her claim has been validated by an international body that specifically deals in longevity research, such...
- SupercentenarianSupercentenarianA supercentenarian is someone who has reached the age of 110 years. This age is achieved by about one in a thousand centenarians....