Mitoyo Kawate

Mitoyo Kawate (川手 ミトヨ) was a Japanese supercentenarian and, at the age of 114 years 182 days, briefly the oldest recognized living person after the death of Japanese man Yukichi Chuganji. She was only one day away from a four way tie, between Wilhelmina Kott, Adelina Domingues and Lylie Vellard.

A resident of Hiroshima, she worked on a farm until injuring her hands at the age of 99. Another Hiroshima woman, Asa Takii (1884–1998), had also lived to age 114, and in doing so she had become the oldest in Japan, but Kawate is the oldest person in the city's history and the only one from there to become the oldest recognized living person. She was known for her fondness for custard. In 1945, Kawate survived the Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

She was taken to a hospital shortly before her death from pneumonia. Her 'oldest person' reign lasted only 46 days and also her Japan's oldest living person. Ramona Trinidad Iglesias-Jordan became the oldest living person while Ura Koyama becomes Japan's oldest.

She was the last surviving person born in 1889 and the 1880s, in the northern hemisphere.

Her death left Ramona Trinidad Iglesias-Jordan of Puerto Rico the oldest documented person in the world, though this was not recognized by the Guinness Book of Records until 2004 (Charlotte Benkner of the U.S. had been given the title in the interim).