GIFU (Japan), April 28 (Bernama-Kyodo) -- Okagi Hayashi, a 115-year-old woman in central Japan recognised as the country's oldest person, died at the weekend from heart failure, the health ministry said Monday.
Hayashi, who was born on Sept 2, 1909, died Saturday morning at a hospital in her hometown of Toki, Gifu Prefecture, Kyodo news reported the ministry and other sources said.
She became Japan's oldest person last December following the death of Tomiko Itooka, who lived to the age of 116 and was recognised as the world's oldest person at the time of her death.
Japan's oldest person is now Mine Kondo, a 114-year-old resident of Kota, Aichi Prefecture.
-- BERNAMA-KYODO
