Tokyo, April 1 (IANS): The world's oldest person, Japanese woman Misao Okawa, died on Wednesday of natural causes aged 117, Efe news agency reported.

Okawa died at a retirement home where she lived in Osaka, according to facility doctors cited by national broadcaster NHK.

Okawa was recognised by the Guinness World Records as the oldest living woman in February 2013.

The secrets to her longevity were living stress-free, sleeping at least eight hours daily and eating well, she told Japanese media on various occasions.

In August the same year, she also assumed the title of the oldest person in the world after the death of 116-year-old Jireomon Kimura, also a Japanese.

She had celebrated her 117th birthday nearly a month ago with visits from family members, neighbours and local authorities in a ceremony that attracted great media attention.

Okawa was born on March 5, 1898, in Osaka and had three children, four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

She was able to walk until she was 110 but spent the last few years of her life moving around in a wheelchair in the retirement home.

The world's oldest living man is Sakari Momoi, also Japanese, who turned 112 on February 5.