Born In 1898: World's Oldest Living Person Celebrates Birthday

It's now past midnight in Japan, meaning that Misao Okawa, the world's oldest human being, has officially turned 117. She was born on March 5, 1898, and lives in a retirement home in Osaka.

Okawa has reigned as the world's oldest living person since 2013, when Guinness World Records certified that she was 115.

Okawa celebrated her birthday by eating cake and taking photos with her family, which includes several great-grandchildren.

Last year, Okawa said her longevity might come from her love of sushi and sleeping. Today, the folks at Guinness bring us this update:

"'Mrs Okawa eats three large meals a day and makes sure that she sleeps eight hours a night,' Tomohito Okada, the head of the Kurenai retirement home where she lives, recently revealed.

"He added: 'She insists that her favourite meal is sushi, particularly mackerel on vinegar-steamed rice, and she has it at least once every month.'

"According to staff at the nursing home, she has slowed down in recent months and is having trouble hearing, but is in otherwise good health."

You might notice that the supercentenarian celebrated her 117th a day early, on March 4. We assume that's because she has no elders who could make her wait another day.