Her age and birthdate, May 23, 1908, were confirmed by the Gerontology Research Group, an organization that verifies details of individuals believed to be 110 years old or older. This confirmation placed her at the top of the World Supercentenarian Rankings List.

Tomiko Itooka resides in a nursing home in the city of Ashiya, located in Hyogo Prefecture, which also verified her birthdate. After the family of the 117-year-old Branyas announced her passing, Itooka assumed the title of the oldest person in the world. Guinness World Records officially confirmed Itooka's new status on Thursday.

Upon learning that she had become the oldest person, her response was a simple "Thank you," a phrase she frequently uses to express gratitude to the caretakers at her home.

Itooka celebrated her birthday three months ago, where she received flowers, a cake, and a card from the mayor. She starts her mornings with a popular yogurt-flavored drink called Calpis and particularly enjoys eating bananas.

Originally from Osaka, Itooka was an active volleyball player during high school. She got married at the age of 20 and had two daughters and two sons, as documented by Guinness.

During World War II, Itooka managed the office of her husband's textile factory. Following her husband's passing in 1979, she lived independently in Nara before moving into the nursing home. Even after turning 100, she continued her love for nature by climbing the 3,067-meter (10,062-foot) Mount Ontake twice and enjoying long hikes.