Nuclear survivor dies-finally
 

World's oldest person dies at age 114, weeks after assuming new title

Thursday November 13, 2003
By KOZO MIZOGUCHI
Associated Press Writer

TOKYO (AP) A 114-year-old Japanese woman who just weeks ago assumed the title of the world's oldest person died Thursday, a Hiroshima official said.

Mitoyo Kawate, who was born May 15, 1889, died of pneumonia, said Hiroshima city spokesman Masatoshi Yamada.

London-based Guinness World Records recognized Kawate as the oldest person on Oct. 31, after Kamato Hongo, also from Japan, died at age 116.

The oldest person is now Charlotte Benkner, of North Lima, Ohio, born Nov. 16, 1889, the records organization said.

Kawate, who had four children, was a farmer in Hiroshima until she was 100 years old, Yamada said.

Makoto Tsunemoto, another Hiroshima city official, told The Associated Press that Kawate survived the atomic blast that hit the city on Aug. 6, 1945. She was on her farm about six miles from downtown during the blast, but entered the city two days later to search for relatives and became exposed to radiation. He said that officially qualified her as a survivor, entitling her to special health and pension benefits.

She had a weakness for custard cakes and liked to sing, a caretaker said earlier this month. Kawate lived in a nursing home for the past 10 years and her condition had weakened over the past two years.

She is survived by a son and a daughter, but details about grandchildren or other relatives were not immediately available.

Life expectancy in Japan 85.23 years for women and 78.32 for men in 2002 is the longest in the world. The explanation, experts say, is partly the traditional Japanese diet, which is low in fatty foods.

http://www.wfrv.com/worldwire/Obit-O...rces_news_html

Nearly all articles left out her radiation exposure and "survivor" status instead focusing on her long life. I wouldn't have noticed except that the above article was published in the Las Vegas Review Journal (but not available online).

The same island also produced the Japanese record-holder for longevity, a man, Shigechiyo Izumi, who died in 1986 at the age of 120.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/f...estperson.html

An Internet home page devoted to her lists unrefined brown sugar as her favorite snack. It also gives out her secret to long life -- "not moping around."

http://www.newsnet5.com/health/2599443/detail.html

Japan's life expectancy ? 85.23 years for women and 78.32 for men in 2002 ? is the longest in the world. The average age of the population is also steadily rising.

Experts say the traditional Japanese diet ? which is low in fatty foods ? helps explain that longevity.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2...t-person_x.htm

"Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent."
.... Coolidge