Yone Minagawa
- Full name: Yone Minagawa (Japanese: 皆川ヨ子)
- Lifespan: 1893-01-04 – 2007-08-13
- Age: 114 years, 221 days
- Birthplace: Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan
- Last residence: Akaike, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan
- Application date: N/A
- Validation date: 2004-07-25
- Validation source: MHLW Japan/Nobuko Endo
Biography
Yone Minagawa was born in Fukuoka, Japan on 4 January 1893. After her husband died, she raised her five children by selling flowers and vegetables at a coal mine.
Minagawa lived alone in the Momochi apartment building in Nishijin Sawara Ward, Fukuoka, near Seinan Gakuin University, until 2005, when she moved to Keijuen, a special nursing home in her native Akaike. Minagawa enjoyed playing the shamisen. Even at 114 she participated in club activities in a wheelchair and “danced” along to music.
Minagawa became the oldest living person in Japan when then 114-year-old Ura Koyama died in April 2005. The death of Julie Winnefred Bertrand on 18 January 2007 made her the world’s second-oldest woman. With the death of 114-year-old American Emma Tillman on 29 January 2007, Minagawa became the oldest living person in the world. Yone was 114 years, 26 days old at the time (being the next day in Japan relative to the USA).
During her last few months, she passed former fellow 114-year-old compatriot and the world’s oldest person Mitoyo Kawate in age.
Minagawa died of natural causes on 13 August 2007 at the age of 114 years, 221 days. All but one of her children died before her, but she leaves six grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren. After her death, 114-year-old Edna Parker of the United States became the oldest living person.
Validation
The supercentenarian case of Yone Minagawa is verified by MHLW Japan, Nobuko Endo and validated by the Gerontology Research Group on 25.07.2004.
Yone Minagawa at age 70
Yone Minagawa at age 93
Yone Minagawa at age 97
Yone Minagawa at age 99
Yone Minagawa at age 102
Yone Minagawa at age 111
Yone Minagawa at age 112
Yone Minagawa at age 113
Yone Minagawa on 114th birthday in 2007
Yone Minagawa at age 114, being congratulated by her nursing home after becoming the World’s Oldest Person
