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Ms Misao Okawa, the woman recognised as the oldest living person on earth, has died in her nursing home, it was announced earlier today.

Not four weeks ago, we introduced you to Misao Okawa, the woman who, at the grand old age of 117, was officially recognised by the good people at Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest living person. Today, we’re sad to announce that Ms Okawa died of heart failure in her care home in Osaka, the city in which she was born all the way back in 1898, early this morning.

“She went so peacefully, as if she had just fallen asleep,” The Guardian reports care worker Tomohiro Okada as saying following the centenarian’s passing. “We miss her a lot.” 

The 117-year-old believed that the key to her incredible longevity was her diet – she had a particular fondness for sushi – and getting plenty of shut-eye each night. Perhaps we should all take a leaf out of her book and pick up a few morsels of tasty fish on rice for dinner before getting an early night tonight.

Ms Okawa is survived by her three children, four grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. We’re sure she’ll be missed.

Source: BBC News, The Guardian
Top image: YouTube (Nicholas Schaefer)