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Koume Kodama

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Koume Kodama
Koume Kodama
Koume Kodama with Guinness World Records certificate
Birth: 5 November 1913
Shodo Island, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan
Death: 3 February 2022
Oita City, Oita Prefecture, Japan
Age: 108 years, 90 days
Country: JapanJPN
Verified

Koume Kodama [Japanese: 兒玉コウメ] (5 November 1913 – 3 February 2022) was a Japanese centenarian who, together with her twin sister Umeno Sumiyama, were the oldest identical living twins validated by Guinness World Records until her death.

Biography[]

Koume Kodama and her twin sister Umeno Sumiyama were born in Shodo Island, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan on 5 November 1913, as the third and fourth (eldest and second daughter) of the 11 siblings.

She and her twin sister Umeno Sumiyama started living apart from a young age. When they finished elementary school, Kodama left the island to help her uncle.

Kodama married with a man who lived outside of Shodo Island. The couple had three children.

As Kodama and Sumiyama got older, the twins joked about reaching the age of Kin Narita and Gin Kanie, who were not only the previous record holders for the oldest identical twins living, but also a household name in Japan. When she and her twin sister Umeno Sumiyama celebrated their 99th birthday (a custom in Japan), Sumiyama looked at the photo of Kin and Gin and said "I think we look younger!”.

On 1 September 2021 at the age of 107 years, 300 days, she and her twin sister Umeno Sumiyama was recognised as the world's oldest identical twins living (female) and the oldest identical twins ever (female) by Guinness World Records. Living in separate locations at the time, the official certificates were presented to Koume and Umeno by care home staff.

Koume Kodama died in Oita City, Oita Prefecture, Japan on 3 February 2022 at the age of 108 years, 90 days.

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