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Topic starter
31/08/2026 7:57 am
Ms. Shigeko Kagawa (賀川滋子) of Yamatokoriyama City, Nara Prefecture—who was the oldest person in Japan and the fifth-oldest in the world—passed away on August 27, 2026, at the age of 115 years, 91 days.
She was one of my favorite supercentenarians.
Rest in peace Ms. Kagawa.
https://news.ntv.co.jp/n/ytv/category/society/yt310eb620e2f7464da3a898658b456376
The following text is an excerpt from LongeviQuset, with some modifications.
She was born into a family of physicians and graduated from Osaka Women’s Medical College (now Kansai Medical University).
After the war, she married in 1947 and had a daughter the following year. She later took over her family’s clinic and contributed to local medical care as an obstetrician and gynecologist. Every night she kept a telephone by her bedside, ready to respond to early-morning or late-night calls from patients, often rushing to their homes. She retired at the age of 86, but even afterward, former patients sometimes approached her on the street to thank her for saving lives.
On 12 April 2021, at the age of 109, Ms. Kagawa served as a torchbearer for the Tokyo Olympics, becoming the world’s oldest Olympic torchbearer. She completed her section of the relay in a wheelchair pushed by her granddaughter-in-law.
Kagawa attributes her longevity in part to extensive walking in her youth. As a student, she commuted several kilometers on unpaved roads before boarding a train to school, and throughout her career she often wore clogs and walked long distances to see patients. Kagawa herself once explained her secret to longevity, saying: “When I was a doctor, there were no cars like now, so I used to wear clogs and walk a lot when I went to see my patients. Maybe that’s why I’m strong and healthy.”
In retirement, she enjoyed sewing, making pouches, bags, covers, and clothing adjustments for her family, both by machine and by hand. She was also an avid viewer of Omoikkiri TV, a once-popular Japanese lifestyle program. She recorded episodes on videotape and carefully wrote down health tips in her notebooks.
Her diet shifted over the years. In middle age she enjoyed sashimi, but in later years she preferred tofu, eggs, and black beans, along with soft foods such as potage, pudding, and oshiruko. She has loved red bean–based sweets since middle age, and they remain among her favorite treats.
In February 2025, at the age of 113 years and 9 months, Kagawa underwent hip surgery after a fracture.
On 27 August 2026, Kagawa passed away in Yamatokōriyama, Nara Prefecture, at the age of 115 years and 91 days. Following her death, Ms. Fuyo Kishimoto of Kyoto Prefecture became the oldest living person in Japan.
In September 2022, Kagawa was reported as the oldest living person in Nara Prefecture. Her predecessor, Misayo Yamashita, went to limbo. On 27 September, she received a visit from the prefecture’s deputy governor who presented her with a gift to celebrate her longevity.
On July 29, 2025, following the death of Ms. Miyoko Hiroyasu of Ōita Prefecture at the age of 114, Kagawa became the oldest living person in Japan.
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Topic starter
31/08/2026 8:04 am
Furthermore, on June 9, 2025, she surpassed the final age of 114 years and 11 days attained by Kura Bingo—who had previously held the longevity record for Nara Prefecture—thereby becoming the oldest person in Nara Prefecture's history.
Furthermore, she celebrated her 115th birthday this past May, becoming the first resident of Nara Prefecture to reach that age.
Ms. Kagawa seemed to be in good health just this past May. It is a huge shock—and completely unexpected—that she passed away only three months later...
Following the passing of Ms. Shigeko Kagawa, Ms. Fuyo Kishimoto of Kyoto Prefecture remains the only person in Japan born in the Meiji era...
2
31/08/2026 8:05 am
Rest in peace, Ms. Kagawa.
https://longeviquest.com/2026/08/japans-oldest-person-shigeko-kagawa-dies-at-115/
Japan’s Oldest Person Shigeko Kagawa Dies at 115
Shigeko Kagawa (賀川滋子), the oldest living person in Japan, passed away in Yamatokōriyama, Nara Prefecture, on 27 August 2026, at the age of 115 years and 91 days.
Following her death, Fuyo Kishimoto (岸本ふよ) of Kyoto Prefecture became the oldest living person in Japan.
Kagawa was born in Japan on 28 May 1911. Born into a family of physicians, she graduated from Osaka Women’s Medical College (now Kansai Medical University). She later took over her family’s clinic and contributed to local medical care as an obstetrician and gynecologist until retiring at the age of 86.
On 12 April 2021, at the age of 109, Kagawa served as a torchbearer for the Tokyo Olympics, becoming the world’s oldest Olympic torchbearer. She completed her section of the relay in a wheelchair pushed by her granddaughter-in-law.
Kagawa attributed her longevity in part to the extensive walking she had done throughout her life. During her medical career, she often wore traditional Japanese clogs and walked long distances to visit patients.
In February 2025, at the age of 113 years and 9 months, Kagawa underwent hip surgery after a fracture. She celebrated her 115th birthday on 28 May 2026.
On 27 August 2026, Kagawa passed away at her home in Yamatokōriyama, Nara Prefecture, at the age of 115 years and 91 days.
This post was modified 2 months ago by Ale76
1
31/08/2026 9:32 am
Rest in peace Ms Kagawa, Japan’s oldest person.
A life well lived !!
31/08/2026 10:48 am
So sad to hear. May she rest in peace.
ESO Correspondent for Hungary (since 2020)
GRG Correspondent for Hungary (2020-2023)
Tracker and researcher of Hungarian and other Central European (super)centenarians (since 2016)
Enthusiast of extreme longevity (since childhood)
31/08/2026 11:16 am
R.I.P. Ms. Kagawa.
ESO Correspondent for Portugal (since 2026)
____
When the young commander of the guard declared his love for her, she rejected him simply because his frivolity startled her. "See how simple he is," she told Amaranta. "He says that he’s dying because of me, as if I were a bad case of colic."
-One Hundred Years of Solitude
31/08/2026 2:56 pm
Rest in peace, Ms. Kagawa.
Interested in supercentenarians since 27 July 2018.
First supercentenarian I learned about: Kane Tanaka (1903-2022)
1
25/09/2026 1:31 am
- She is the 14th oldest Asian person in history, her successor Fuyo Kishimoto is the 24th.
- She was the oldest person in Asia since July 29, 2025 (1 year, 29 days), the longest time since Fusa Tatsumi who held the position between April 19, 2022 - December 12, 2023 (1 year, 237 days).
- She was the oldest person in that position to die since Okagi Hayashi who died at 115 years, 236 days on April 26, 2025.
- She is the 15th Japanese person in a row to be considered the oldest person in Asia, and the 49th Japanese person in history.
- She is the 14th oldest Japanese person in history, her successor is the 22nd.
- The data regarding the time as the oldest person in Japan and the oldest to die in that position are the same as for the Asian continent.
- She is the first person from Nara to be considered the oldest living person in Japan.
- She is the oldest person in the history of Nara, her... The successor is the 7th person on this list.
- She held this position for 3 years, 352 days (since September 15, 2022), the longest time since Kura Bingo, who held it from October 2015 to October 31, 2019 (4 years, 0-30 days).
- She died at 115 years, 91 days old, the oldest person in this position since Kura Bingo, who died at 114 years, 11 days.
- She is the 3rd person from Yamatokoriyama to be considered the oldest living person in Nara, the first since Kinu Mori, who died in December 2012.
- She is the oldest person born in 1911 to die so far.
- She is the 34th oldest person in history who is not the oldest person in the world.
- She is the 65th oldest person in history.
Topic starter
25/09/2026 3:27 am
@diego
Honestly, you leave me speechless. Are you stringing together these meaningless numbers just to make me angry? As I said before, if you want to show respect, "Rest in peace" conveys it on its own. Your posts are extremely unpleasant!
This post was modified 3 weeks ago by Ale76
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25/09/2026 4:35 am
How about a compromise: @diego you can make those posts, but please use the spoiler.
2
25/09/2026 5:01 am
What I also find irritating is that he does this weeks after. Either do it right away or don't do it at all. No need to spam an older thread.
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25/09/2026 7:00 pm
Dear all,
The mod team has discussed the unsettling feeling Diego's posts, which were arguably made to honour these supercentenarians, create and have therefore decided to reserve condolence threads for just that: condolences.
Statistical posts about groups of supercentenarians can be made in the corresponding subforum.
Regards,
the Admin
4
25/09/2026 9:06 pm
I didn't understand, which subforum?
Only 2 people complained and others find the statistics interesting, now because of 2 people who don't understand what I mean I am deprived of paying my tribute
I have never disrespected anyone here, on the contrary, I have always shown the utmost respect for everyone, now when people come to disrespect me, they are given the reason
Okay, if you think like that I will retreat to my insignificance
I am very sorry that this was the decision, which I do not agree with and I am very disappointed
Congratulations to those who don't like my content, you succeeded
I dedicate my time to bringing different data to you, as a way to honor people and because of one person specifically who everyone already knows who it is, who apparently has no idea what I intend to convey, I am the one who is punished
I cannot fail to express my deep disappointment with this totally arbitrary, authoritarian and absurd decision, but I have no other option but to accept it