World's oldest living person to carry Olympic torch

Dunya News

The torch will first go through regions affected by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.

TOKYO (Dunya News) – World’s oldest living person, 118-year-old Kane Tanaka, will carry the Olympic torch in Japan.

According to details, the torch will first go through regions affected by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.

Kane’s grandson Eiji Tanaka expressed, "It’s great she [Kane Tanaka] reached that age and she can still keep up an active lifestyle -- we want other people to see that and feel inspired, and not to think age is a barrier."

Tanaka was confirmed as the oldest living person, when she was 116 years 66 days old, according to Guinness World Records.

Tanaka’s record age is symbolic of Japan’s fast-ageing population, which coupled with its falling birthrate is raising concerns about labor shortages and prospects for future economic growth.

Tanaka was born prematurely in 1903 and married Hideo Tanaka in 1922, Guinness World Records said. The couple had four children and adopted a fifth.