Japan’s Oldest Living Person, Miyoko Hiroyasu, Passes Away at 114

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Miyoko Hiroyasu, who held the title of Japan’s oldest living person, passed away on July 29, 2025, at the age of 114 years and 187 days.

She was born on January 23, 1911, in Nakatsu, Ōita Prefecture, and became the oldest living person in Japan following the passing of Masu Usui of Shizuoka Prefecture on May 21, 2025.

At the time of Hiroyasu’s passing, she was the 8th-oldest validated living person in the world.

Following her passing, Shigeko Kagawa, a 114-year-old woman from Yamatokōriyama, Nara Prefecture, has officially become the new oldest living person in Japan.

📝 About Miyoko Hiroyasu – Life and Longevity

Born in Nakatsu, Ōita Prefecture, Hiroyasu studied art in Tokyo and later worked as an art teacher in Hiroshima, where she met her husband. Together, they raised three children.

Even in her later years, she remained active in education. Before moving into a nursing home, she taught weekly calligraphy and painting classes at her home for local elementary school students.

She once recited Aesop’s fable “The Fox and the Grapes” in English—a passage she had memorized during high school and could still recall over a century later.

In an interview conducted by LongeviQuest on February 13, 2024, shortly after her 113th birthday, Hiroyasu shared her thoughts on longevity:

“My older and younger sisters passed away early, but I’ve never been seriously ill. I’m grateful to my parents for giving me a healthy body. The key to a long life is doing what you want to do and never being lazy.”

With a warm smile, she added:

“I’m just living freely, at my own pace!”

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On January 23, 2025, she celebrated her 114th birthday at a group home in Nakatsu. Although the formal celebration was initially postponed due to the effects of COVID-19, it was later held successfully. At the time, she was still enjoying activities such as reading the newspaper, sketching, and playing card games like Concentration and Sevens with fellow residents.

🧓 Who Is Japan’s New Oldest Living Person?

With Hiroyasu’s passing, the title of Japan’s oldest living person has now passed to Shigeko Kagawa, born on May 28, 1911, and residing in Yamatokōriyama, Nara Prefecture.

Kagawa has been the oldest living person in Nara Prefecture since 2022 and is now the nation’s longest-living confirmed individual. In 2021, she gained national recognition by participating in the Tokyo Olympics as the world’s oldest Olympic torchbearer at the age of 109.

https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOUF3075K0Q5A730C2000000/