| Matsu Gaja | |
 | |
| Birth: | February 1908 Tomata, Nakagusuku Village, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan |
| Death: | 25 December 2022 Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan |
| Age: | 114 years, 299-327 days |
| Country: |  JPN
|
| Validated | |
Matsu Gaja [Japanese: 我謝マツ] (19 February 1911 – 25 December 2022) was a Japanese supercentenarian whose age is validated by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG).
Biography[]
Matsu Gaja was born in Tomata, Nakagusuku Village, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan on 19 February 1911 (claimed 1908).
Gaja's husband died on the battlefield during the Pacific War, and her young daughter died immediately after the war ended. After the war, she made a living by farming and raising her children.
According to her family, Gaja had a stubborn personality, and she wanted to do everything on her own.
Until the age of 90, Gaja grew vegetables in her garden and cooked her own food.
On 19 February 2021, Gaja celebrated her 110th birthday and became a supercentenarian.
Following the death of Setsuko Moriyama on 1 March 2021, Gaja was reported to be the oldest known living person in Okinawa Prefecture.
Matsu Gaja died from natural causes at a hospital in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan at 17:20 (5:20 p.m.) on 25 December 2022, at the age of 111 years (claimed 114), 309 days. Her funeral was held on 30 December 2022, at her home in Nakagusuku Village.
References[]
- 2022 validations Gerontology Research Group
- 令和２年「老人の日・老人週間」について Okinawa Prefecture, 15 September 2020 (last page)
- Nakagusuku City's statistics, 28 February 2021
- 百歳以上長寿者沖縄県上位20人名簿 Okinawa Prefecture, 15 September 2021 (page 8)
- 住民記録 年齢別人口集計表 Nakagusuku Village, 1 September 2022
- 沖縄県内で最高齢114歳、我謝マツさん死去 90歳まで畑に料理と、何でもやる「がーじゅー（頑固）」な性格 Ryukyu Shimpo, 28 December 2022