Japanese woman turns 116

A Japanese woman believed to be the world's oldest person turned 116 yesterday.

Kamato Hongo, who was born on September 16, 1887, in the southern prefecture of Kagoshima, was recognised as the world's oldest living person by the Guinness Book of Records after American woman Maude Farris-Luse died last March at the age of 115.

Hongo is bedridden and sleeps for two days at a time but likes to hum folk songs and move her hands to the music, say family members.