The world's oldest person, a Japanese woman, turns 117

Kane Tanaka was born on January 2, 1903. At 117, the woman sets her record as the oldest person in the world.

Tanaka celebrated his birthday at a nursing home in Fukuoka Prefecture with friends and local staff, with a large birthday cake, Reuters reported.

The centenary was recognized on March 9, at age 116 and 66, as the oldest person in the world by Guinness World Records.

At the age of 19, in 1922, Kane married Hideo Tanaka, with whom he had four children and adopted a fifth. With her husband, the woman ran a rice cake shop.

Tanaka was born in Fukuoka during the reign of Emperor Meiji and since last May, with the ascension of Emperor Naruhito, is living its fifth imperial era. (International Press)