TOKYO — Japan's oldest person has died in central Japan, officials said yesterday. She was 113.

Kaku Yamanaka died at a hospital where she was taken early yesterday after falling ill at a nursing home in Yatomi City, an official at her nursing home said.

She was born on Dec. 11, 1894. Yamanaka was known for her love of singing and took part in local karaoke contests.

Japan has one of the world's longest average life spans — a factor often attributed to a healthy diet rich in fish and rice. In 2006 Japanese women set a new record for life expectancy at 85.81 years, while men live an average of about 79 years.

Edna Parker of Shelbyville, Ind., is recognized as the world's oldest person at age 114, according to Guinness World Records. She was born on April 20, 1893.