Shina Seki

  • Full name: Shina Seki [Japanese: 関しな]
  • Lifespan: (01.10.1909 – 25.04.2023)
  • Age: 113 years, 206 days
  • Birthplace: Namegata, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan
  • Last residence: Ishioka, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan
  • Application date: 06.11.2019
  • Validation date: 25.01.2023
  • Validation source: MHLW Japan/Shoichiro Morita

Biography

Seki entered the world on October 1, 1909, in Namegata, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. Her educational journey led her to graduate from a women’s normal school, and she went on to work as a vice-principal at another school. Her dedication to education continued, even after her retirement in the mid-1950s, as she served as a local welfare officer until the late 1980s. Seki was also a loving mother to her son, Kotaro, born around 1935.

Around 2005, Seki made the transition to a nursing home. There, she passionately explored her love for poetry, releasing her first collection at the remarkable age of 100. In May 2013, at the age of 103, she unveiled her second songbook. Seki’s creativity was ceaseless, as she continued to write up to three poems a day. Her secret to longevity, she believed, lay in living life with happiness and positivity, accompanied by a nourishing diet.

With the passing of 110-year-old Mitsuko Uesugi on April 30, 2018, Seki became the oldest known living person in Ibaraki Prefecture. On April 25, 2023, she succumbed to heart failure at a hospital in Ishioka, Ibaraki, Japan, having celebrated a remarkable 113 years and 206 days of life. At the time of her passing, she stood as the fifth-oldest validated living person in Japan, following Fusa Tatsumi, Tomiko Itooka, Ushi Makishi, and Okagi Hayashi. Additionally, she earned the title of the second-oldest resident of Ibaraki Prefecture ever recorded, second only to Chiyo Shiraishi.

Longevity Recognition

  • Doyenne of Ibaraki Prefecture (06.01.2023 – 25.04.2023)

Validation

Shina Seki’s age was verified by MHLW, Japan and Shoichiro Morita, and validated by the GRG as of January 25, 2023.

Shina Seki, aged 112, in September 2022.

Shina Seki on her 104th birthday.

Shina Seki on her 110th birthday.

Shina Seki on November 1, 2019.

Shina Seki, aged 110, in September 2020.

Shina Seki, aged 111, in September 2021.

Shina Seki, aged 112, in September 2022.

Photo courtesy of Ishioka City, Facebook, https://www3.nhk.or.jp/, https://ibarakinews.jp

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