The oldest inhabitant of the planet, 118-year-old Kane Tanaka, will take part in the Olympic torch relay in Japan. This is reported by CNN TV channel.
A woman will carry the Olympic torch in Shime City, Fukuoka Prefecture, where she lives. She will have to overcome about 100 meters, most of the distance she will move in a wheelchair, which will be pushed by her family. At the same time, Tanaka intends to go through the last few steps on her own.
Tanaka was born in 1903 and has four children. The woman has five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. She survived two world wars and the Spanish flu of 1918, twice defeated cancer. When the Olympic Games were last held in Tokyo in 1964, Tanaka was 61 years old. Tanaka now lives in a nursing home.
The woman’s grandson, Eiji Tanaka, who is over 60 years old, stated that it is very important that other people of age see her and be inspired. No one should think that age is an obstacle to a fulfilling life. “It’s great that she lived to this old age, but still leads an active lifestyle,” said the man.